MoneyDepartment for Work and PensionsThe rules apply to Universal Credit, the state pension and many other benefitsNicholas Dawson07:03, 03 Jun 2026The DWP has issued an update about when it can stop a claimant's benefit payments. The group shared some information about an important service that is worth knowing about.‌A top minister provided a statement after a question from an MP about the department's work to improve its services. Independent MP James McMurdock, who previously was a Reform UK member, asked the DWP what steps are being taken "to improve the timeliness and accuracy of death notifications across Government systems".‌DWP minister Andrew Western provided a response from the Government, with some details about the Tell Us Once service. Mr Western explained: "Tell Us Once is a cross government voluntary death notification service, available in all local authorities within England, Scotland and Wales.‌"The service allows recently bereaved citizens, at a very stressful time in their lives, to inform participating government departments of a registered death, the choice of who is informed of the event of death and the supplementary information regarding the deceased is also dictated by citizen choice - thus providing the best possible experience with fairness, respect, compassion and dignity."State Pensioners to face major tax changeHe explained a key timeline to bear in mind here. The minister said: "Once a customer informs TUO of a death, partner organisations are informed by the next working day."‌What payments can be stopped through Tell Us Once?Once you have reported a death through the Tell Us Once, the service will notify all these organisations of the death and that any benefit payments for the deceased person should stop:HMRC - to deal with personal tax and to cancel any benefits and credits, such as Child BenefitDWP - to cancel any benefits and entitlements, such as Universal Credit or the state pensionPassport Office - to cancel a British passportDVLA - to cancel a driving licence. The service can also remove the person as the keeper of up to five vehicles and end the vehicle taxThe local council - to cancel Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction (also known as Council Tax Support), a Blue Badge. The service can also inform council housing services and remove the person from the electoral registerVeterans UK - to cancel or update Armed Forces Compensation Scheme paymentsSocial Security Scotland - to cancel benefits and entitlements from the Scottish Government, for example Scottish Child Payment.Guidance on the Government website explains: "HMRC and DWP will contact you about the tax, benefits and entitlements of the person who died."‌Who can use the Tell Us Once service?You can use Tell Us Once if the person who has died was a resident of either England, Scotland or Wales. This includes if the person died while they were abroad temporarily, for example on a holiday or business trip.The service is not available if the person was living in Northern Ireland when they died or if they were living abroad permanently when they died.Article continues belowIf the person was living in Northern Ireland, you should contact NI Direct instead. If they were living permanently abroad, you should register the death with the local authority. You can also register the death with the relevant UK authorities if you need to.A registrar will show you how to use the Tell Us Once service when you register the death. They will either go through the process with you or will give you a unique reference number, so you can use the service yourself either online or by phone.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Department for Work and PensionsPassport OfficeScottish GovernmentTaxCouncil taxState pensionChild benefitBenefitsUniversal CreditDisability benefits