Do I need to notify anyone after a death?
When a loved one dies, one of the tasks you will need to handle is notifying the appropriate people and organisations.
Who should I be contacting?
People and organisations you may need to notify when someone dies:
- Employer
- Mortgage provider, landlord, housing association or council housing office
- Banks and building societies
- Pension providers
- Insurance providers (contents, building and life insurance)
- Gas and electricity provider
- Water provider
- TV and internet provider
- Stocks and shares companies
- Premium Bonds providers
- Magazine subscriptions
- GP
- Dentist
- Optician
- Social Services or carers
- Bereavement register (this is to stop junk mail being sent)
- Store card providers
Who should I be contacting?
People and organisations you may need to notify when someone dies:
- Employer
- Mortgage provider, landlord, housing association or council housing office
- Banks and building societies
- Pension providers
- Insurance providers (contents, building and life insurance)
- Gas and electricity provider
- Water provider
- TV and internet provider
- Stocks and shares companies
- Premium Bonds providers
- Magazine subscriptions
- GP
- Dentist
- Optician
- Social Services or carers
- Bereavement register (this is to stop junk mail being sent)
- Store card providers
How do I notify people?
For individuals you will need to consider their relationship with the person who has died, and with you.
If they are family members and close friends, a phone call would usually be the best way to share the sad news. You could ask them to speak to others, to reduce the number of calls you have to make yourself.
Communities are usually very good at helping share the sad news of a death. Make sure you let community leaders or church leaders know that the person has died.
For organisations, to make the process easier, there are online services that allow you to notify multiple organisations at once:
Tell Us Once
This government service allows you to inform various government departments of the death in one go. This includes notifying the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, and others.
Settld
This free service helps you inform all relevant companies and organisations about the death in one step, saving you time and effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
After a death in the UK, notify close family members and friends first.
Inform the deceased’s GP or hospital doctor and the local registry office to obtain a death certificate. Additionally, notify their employer, insurance companies, banks, utility providers, and government agencies such as HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Work and Pensions, and local council services.
The Tell Us Once service allows you to inform all the relevant government departments when someone dies. You'll also need to tell banks, utility companies, and landlords or housing associations yourself.
To inform insurance companies in the UK of a death, contact the company’s customer service department and provide a copy of the death certificate. Complete any required claim forms and provide additional documentation as requested.
Notify life insurance, health insurance, and any other relevant policies to ensure claims are processed efficiently.
What happens next?
Where do I begin with arranging a funeral?
How do I register a death of a loved one?
Bereavement support services
For 1-1 grief support, visit Cruse Bereavement Support
Practical help when you need it most
Visit Gov.uk to find out whether you are eligible to receive Bereavement Support Payments