The government provides a helpful service called “Tell us Once” that allows you to report a death to most government organisations in one go. This service is available in Southend and most other boroughs but if you are registering a death outside the Southend area the registrar will confirm whether the service is available in your area. The registrar will also give you a contact phone number for the service and a unique reference number to use either on the phone of for the Tell Us Once service online.

You have 24 days after registering a death to make use of this service.

Before using the Tell Us Once service

If you are planning to use the Tell Us Once service and you have your Unique Reference Number from the Registrar please prepare the documents and the information about the deceased listed below before you contact the service.

  • Date of birth
  • National Insurance number
  • Driving licence number
  • Vehicle registration number
  • Passport number
  • The name and address of their next of kin
  • The name and address of any surviving spouse or civil partner
  • The name, address and contact details of the person or company dealing with their estate (property, belongings and money), known as their ‘executor’ or ‘administrator’
  • Details of any local council services they were getting, for example Blue Badge
  • Details of any benefits or entitlements they were getting, for example State Pension
  • Details of any public sector or armed forces pension schemes they were getting or paying in to

Important

Please note that you will need the permission of the next of kin, the executor, the administrator or anyone who was claiming joint benefits or entitlements with the deceased before you give their details to anyone.

The Tell Us Once service will contact the following organisations for you

  • HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – to deal with personal tax
  • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – to cancel benefits, for example Income Support
  • Passport Office – to cancel a British passport
  • The local council – to cancel Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, a Blue Badge, to remove the person from the electoral register and to inform council housing services
  • Veterans UK – to cancel Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
  • Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – to cancel a licence and remove the person as the keeper of up to 5 vehicles 

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will contact you about the tax, benefits and entitlements of the person who died.

Tell Us Once will also contact some public sector pension schemes in order to cancel future pension payments. These include:

  • Armed Forces Pension Scheme
  • NHS Pension Scheme
  • pension schemes for NHS staff, teachers, police and firefighters in Scotland
  • My Civil Service Pension
  • local authority pension schemes, except where Tell Us Once is not available
Where can I register?
Online Registration
0800 085 7308
Opening hours Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm
Useful Contacts

Can we help you?

If you wish to talk to one of our funeral arrangers about our services please get in touch.
01702 436000 Contact us online Get A Bespoke Quote

What to do next

All the contacts and details you will need

Testimonials

To all at Penrose Funerals,

Please accept my thanks for the sensitive and professional way in which you carried out my mother’s funeral arrangements. My brothers and I were also extremely happy with the way everything went on the day.

Thank you

Simon Jarvis - April 2020

Thank you to all at Penrose for helping both of us through what could have been a difficult time under very trying circumstances.
The caring way you dealt with my Mother, Flossie’s funeral over the telephone, your kindness in fulfilling all our wishes and the respect and professionalism shown today made it a day we shall always treasure.
Thank you again,

Julia and Martin Stevens - February 2021

Nathan, Brendon, Jeremy and all staff at Penrose,

Thank you for your incredible professionalism and great service during a difficult and challenging time.

Mum would have been so proud,

All our love,

Beryl’s Family - April 2020

To Nathan, Jeremy and Team,

Thank you so much for the care and professionalism you showed our family during this difficult time.

Anne, Caroline and Sarah - January 2024

Nathan, Jeremy and the Penrose Team,

​My wife, myself and our family would like to say a heartfelt thank you for the wonderful service we received from Penrose. We could not have asked for kinder or more helpful people and certainly everyone who attended David’s funeral gave high praise indeed to the whole event.​

I cannot recommend Penrose highly enough on the amazing service provided and wish you all the very best in the future.

Steve and Brenda Bester - December 2017

Dear Jeremy and Nathan,

We would just like to thank you for the exemplary way you conducted Bill’s funeral on September 28th at Basildon Crematorium. Every aspect was just as we hoped it would be. You were always understanding and re-assuring.

Thank you

Jean, Carl and Donna - November 2018

We would just like to say thank you for looking after Maria Dulieu and everything you did for us as a family. For all the care and attention you gave right to the very last detail.

Everything was done with such respect and military precision, we cannot praise you enough.

Best wishes to you all

Sue England and Family - December 2020

Dear all at Penrose,

Thank you so very very much for the lovely send off for our Peter. I felt like we had additional friends to celebrate his life with. So very pleased we chose the best Much love XOXOXO

Tracey and Family - May 2019
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