The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an important update for benefit claimants and their families, highlighting how benefit payments can be stopped quickly following a death through the Government’s Tell Us Once service.
The reminder came after DWP minister Andrew Western responded to a parliamentary question about improving the speed and accuracy of death notifications across government departments. His response included a key detail that families should be aware of: once a death is reported through Tell Us Once, participating government organisations are notified by the next working day.
What Is the Tell Us Once Service?
Tell Us Once (TUO) is a free government service that allows a death to be reported to multiple government departments in one step, rather than requiring relatives or executors to contact each organisation separately.
The service operates across England, Scotland, and Wales and is designed to reduce administrative burdens for bereaved families during what is often an extremely difficult time.
Explaining the purpose of the scheme, Minister Andrew Western said the service enables citizens to notify participating government departments of a registered death while ensuring the process is handled with “fairness, respect, compassion and dignity.”
Official guidance about the service can be found on the Government website at https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death.
How Quickly Are Government Departments Notified?
One of the most significant points highlighted by the minister concerns timing.
According to Andrew Western:
“Once a customer informs TUO of a death, partner organisations are informed by the next working day.”
This rapid notification helps government departments begin updating records, cancelling services, and stopping payments that should no longer be made after a person’s death.
While departments are informed quickly, families may still be contacted afterward to discuss any outstanding matters relating to taxes, pensions, benefits, or estates.
Which Benefits and Payments Can Be Stopped?
When a death is reported through Tell Us Once, several government bodies can be notified automatically.
The service helps stop benefits, pensions, licences, and other entitlements linked to the deceased.
| Organisation | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| DWP | Cancels benefits such as Universal Credit, State Pension, Pension Credit and other entitlements |
| HMRC | Updates tax records and stops benefits such as Child Benefit and Tax Credits |
| DVLA | Cancels driving licences and updates vehicle records |
| Passport Office | Cancels British passports |
| Local Councils | Stops Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Blue Badge services and updates electoral records |
| Veterans UK | Updates or cancels Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments |
| Social Security Scotland | Stops Scottish Government benefits, including Scottish Child Payment |
Further information about DWP benefits is available at https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits.
What Happens After a Death Is Reported?
After Tell Us Once has been completed, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the DWP may contact the person handling the estate.
Government guidance states:
“HMRC and DWP will contact you about the tax, benefits and entitlements of the person who died.”
This may involve discussing final payments, overpayments, tax matters, or any surviving entitlements that could affect spouses, partners, or dependants.
Who Can Use Tell Us Once?
The service can be used when the deceased:
- Lived in England, Scotland, or Wales.
- Died in the UK.
- Died temporarily overseas while travelling, working, or on holiday.
However, the service is not available if the deceased:
- Was living in Northern Ireland at the time of death.
- Had been permanently residing abroad.
In Northern Ireland, death notifications should instead be handled through NI Direct services.
For official information about registering a death, families can visit https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death.
How Does the Process Work?
After a death is registered, the registrar will explain how to access Tell Us Once.
Depending on the local authority, the registrar may:
- Complete the Tell Us Once process with you immediately.
- Provide a unique reference number.
- Direct you to complete the notification online.
- Arrange for the notification to be completed over the telephone.
The service is voluntary, but many families choose to use it because it can save considerable time and prevent duplicate notifications to multiple departments.
Why This Matters for Benefit Claimants
The DWP’s latest reminder is particularly important because benefit payments often continue until government records are updated.
Promptly reporting a death helps ensure:
- Benefit payments are stopped correctly.
- Overpayments are avoided.
- Government records remain accurate.
- Family members face fewer administrative complications later.
The next-working-day notification timetable means government departments can begin updating records quickly once a death has been formally registered and reported through Tell Us Once.
For families already dealing with bereavement, the service remains one of the simplest ways to notify multiple government agencies through a single process rather than contacting each organisation separately.
FAQs
1. What is the Tell Us Once service?
Tell Us Once is a government service that allows a death to be reported to multiple departments and organisations through a single notification.
2. How quickly are organisations informed?
According to the DWP, partner organisations are informed by the next working day after the death is reported through Tell Us Once.
3. Which DWP benefits can be stopped?
The service can be used to stop benefits such as Universal Credit, State Pension, Pension Credit, and other DWP-administered payments.
4. Can Tell Us Once be used in Northern Ireland?
No. Separate arrangements apply through NI Direct for people who were living in Northern Ireland.
5. Is Tell Us Once mandatory?
No. The service is voluntary, but it can significantly reduce the number of organisations that families need to contact individually.
