The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may stop benefits payments the next working day after a death is reported under the Tell Us Once rule. The service allows bereaved citizens to inform multiple government organisations of a death in a single step.
Tell Us Once Service Explained
Tell Us Once is a cross-government voluntary death notification service available in all local authorities within England, Scotland, and Wales. It enables recently bereaved individuals, during a stressful time, to inform participating government departments of a registered death. The choice of which departments are informed and the supplementary information provided is dictated by the citizen, ensuring fairness, respect, compassion, and dignity.
Once a customer informs Tell Us Once of a death, partner organisations are notified by the next working day. This means that DWP benefits payments could be stopped swiftly after a death is reported.
MPs Raise Concerns
James McMurdock, an Independent MP, asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about steps being taken to improve the timeliness and accuracy of death notifications across government systems. Labour MP Andrew Western responded, confirming the details of the Tell Us Once service.
Eligibility for Tell Us Once
You can use Tell Us Once if the deceased was living in England, Scotland, or Wales, including if they died temporarily abroad, such as on holiday or a business trip. The death must be registered and reported to a coroner, with a final or interim death certificate. The service cannot be used if the person was living in Northern Ireland when they died or permanently living abroad.
Using Tell Us Once for a Child or Baby
If a child or baby has died, Tell Us Once can be used, but the DWP must be informed separately if you receive benefits as their parent or carer.
Information Required
When using Tell Us Once, you need to provide the deceased's surname, date of death, and the name, address, and contact details of the person or company dealing with their estate (the executor or administrator). You may also need to indicate if there is a surviving spouse or civil partner, along with their name, address, telephone number, and National Insurance number or date of birth. If there is no surviving spouse or civil partner, or if they are unable to handle affairs, the name and address of the next of kin is required. If the death occurred in a hospital, nursing home, care home, or hospice, the name and address of that institution must be provided.
