When someone you love dies, sharing that news is incredibly difficult. If you have been chosen as the executor, beyond telling friends and family, you’ll also need to inform many organisations. This guide will help you understand who needs to know and how to manage these important notifications, making a challenging time a little clearer.
What happens first? Registering the death
Before any notifications can begin, the death must be officially registered. This is a legal requirement in the UK, generally needing to happen within five days of the death (eight days in Scotland).
You’ll register the death at the local Register Office for the area where the person passed away. You’ll typically need a medical certificate of cause of death issued by a doctor. Once registered, you’ll receive the Death Certificate, which is crucial for subsequent notifications. It’s wise to order multiple certified copies, as many organisations will require one. You can find comprehensive guidance on registering a death on the official Gov.uk website.
Notify government organisations in one go with the Tell Us Once service
After registering the death, many areas of England and Wales offer the helpful Tell Us Once service. This allows you to report a death to many government organisations in one go. Check if your local Register Office participates when you register the death.
If available, Tell Us Once can notify:
- HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC): For tax purposes (Income Tax, Tax Credits, Child Benefit).
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): For various benefits (eg State Pension, Disability Living Allowance, Bereavement Support Payment).
- Passport Office: To cancel the deceased’s passport.
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA): To cancel driving licences and update vehicle registration.
- Local Council: For Council Tax, Housing Benefit, Electoral Register, and to cancel a Blue Badge.
Who else you’ll need to notify
After using the Tell Us Once service, you’ll then need to contact everyone from banks, utility companies and healthcare providers to subscriptions, loyalty schemes, broadband and mobile phone providers. This is where Life Ledger can help. We can close, freeze or transfer accounts with more than 1,000 organisations on your behalf.
Financial institutions
Managing the financial affairs of the person who has died is often a complex part of the process.
- Banks and building societies: You must notify them about all accounts (current, savings, joint). Freezing, transferring, or closing these accounts usually requires probate to be granted, which can take time. The initial notification informs the bank and prevents further activity.
- Credit card companies: Any outstanding credit cards need to be cancelled and balances addressed. While essential, this is typically handled as part of settling the final estate, so it might not be an immediate action.
- Loan providers: This includes personal loans, car finance, or mortgages. Understand their policies on death and implications for any outstanding debts.
- Pension providers: Both state and private/company pensions need to be notified to ensure any survivor benefits are processed or pension payments cease.
- Investment companies: Any investments such as shares, ISAs, or other portfolios, need to be dealt with.
- Insurance companies: Claim life insurance policies, and cancel or transfer others, like home, car, or travel insurance. Crucially, car and house insurance may be invalidated if held solely in the deceased’s name; contact insurers promptly.
Utility companies and household services
Ensuring household bills are managed and services are discontinued or transferred is vital to prevent ongoing charges.
- Electricity and gas suppliers: Accounts need to be closed or transferred. Be prepared to provide a meter reading when you contact them.
- Water supplier: Similarly, the water company needs to be informed.
- Broadband and telephone providers: Contracts for internet, landline, and mobile phones need to be cancelled or changed.
- TV Licence: This needs to be cancelled or transferred, and a refund may be applicable.
- Rental property management/landlord: If the deceased rented, the landlord needs to be notified regarding the tenancy agreement.
- Home alarm monitoring/smart home devices: If they had a monitored alarm system or smart devices like a Ring doorbell, these services need to be addressed, as access may depend on the deceased’s mobile or personal accounts.
Personal and social connections
Beyond financial and governmental aspects, many personal and social ties also require notification.
- Doctors, dentists, opticians, and other healthcare providers: The medical records of the person who has died will need to be updated. If they died in hospital, the hospital staff will tell their GP.
- Clubs, societies, associations, and subscriptions: This includes gyms, golf clubs, professional memberships, magazines, newspapers, and online streaming services. Cancelling these prevents ongoing charges.
- Social media platforms: Accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and others may need to be memorialised, closed, or managed according to the deceased’s wishes or platform policies.
- Email providers: Access to and management of email accounts.
- Local mail redirect: To ensure important correspondence isn’t missed.
- Pet care providers: If the deceased had a pet that is rehomed, the vet and/or microchip provider will need to be contacted to update ownership details.
- Marketing suppression lists: It’s also worth registering the deceased’s details with marketing suppression services, like the MPS (Mailing Preference Service), to stop direct mail.
Employer/business related (if applicable)
If the person who died was employed or ran their own business, you’ll need to tell:
- Current employer: The employer needs to be informed for final pay, outstanding holiday pay, and pension details.
- Past employers: To check for any dormant pensions or benefits.
- Trade unions/professional bodies: For memberships and any benefits.
- Business contacts/clients: If the deceased was self-employed, their clients and business associates will need to be informed, as well as their accountant and Companies House.
Let us help you close, freeze or transfer all of your loved one’s accounts from one place
Life Ledger was founded by people who experienced for themselves how difficult and how time consuming the death notification process can be.
We want to save you time on endless calls and paperwork and reduce the stress and worry of sharing your difficult news countless times.
Our easy-to-use service means you can track progress, directly contact more than 1,000 companies through our platform, and upload necessary documents securely, all from one place.
We treat all information provided to us with the utmost care and security. Our Cyber Essentials certificate, regular security and penetration testing means you can be reassured of us protecting your data.Find out how we can support you here.
