Tell Us Once

When someone has died, there are a lot of people who need to be told, at a time when you probably feel least like doing it.

We provide a service which we hope will make things easier for you. This service means that at the end of your appointment when you tell us about a death, we can then register the details with the GOV.UK Tell Us Once service. 

We will give you a unique reference number which will enable you securely to pass information about a death direct to other public sector organisations.

This service is free of charge and can be done at any time up to 28 days after registering the death. It can be done online or by using a dedicated phone line. The registrar will give you information about how to do this.

Once you have registered the death, the registrar will issue you with a Tell Us Once reference number. You can then use this number to sign up for the service online or by phone. 

Once you have registered, the service will notify most local and national government departments about the death for you.

This short video explains more about the Tell Us Once service.

If you wish to use the Tell Us Once service, you will need the following documents belonging to the deceased person

• Passport
• Driving Licence
• National Insurance Number
• Blue Badge
• Concessionary bus pass
• Public sector pensions details

If the deceased person lived outside of North Somerset we will advise you at your appointment if government services within their local area are part of this notification service.

We can also issue a Tell Us Once reference number if a resident of North Somerset died whilst abroad on holiday or on business. Please forward a copy of the death certificate and confirmation of their usual residential address in North Somerset to somersetregistrations@somerset.gov.uk.

All the organisations in Tell Us Once will use the information to update their records within 15 days. They treat all your information securely, sensitively and in accordance with the law.

The organisations and services include

Council services

• Adult Social Care
• Blue badges
• Children’s services
• Collection of payment for council services
• Council tax
• Council tax benefit
• Electoral services
• Housing benefits
• Libraries
• Concessionary travel
• Certain public sector pensions
• Local authority pension

Identity and Passport Service

• Passport cancellation

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

• Driving licence cancellation

Department for Work and Pensions

• Pension, disability and carers service
• Jobcentre Plus
• Overseas health team

Ministry of Defence, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency

• War Pensions Scheme

HM Revenue and Customs

• Child benefit
• Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit
• Personal taxation