Who to notify when someone dies, and in what order

There is no single organisation that tells everyone. There are two lists: the government one, which is largely automated, and the private one, which is not.

Government: use Tell Us Once

The registrar offers the Tell Us Once service when you register the death and gives you a reference number. It notifies HMRC, DWP, the DVLA, the Passport Office and your local council, including council tax, Blue Badge and library services. Use it at the appointment or as soon as possible afterwards.

Everyone else, in a sensible order

Banks and building societies first, because accounts and direct debits need freezing. Several major banks accept a single notification through the Death Notification Service. Then mortgage lender or landlord, then buildings and contents insurer — unoccupied property often has cover restrictions and a time limit, so tell them early.

Next: private and workplace pension providers, life insurance, employer, utilities and broadband, TV licence, mobile phone, and any care provider. Then credit cards, loans and hire purchase. Finally subscriptions, memberships, loyalty schemes and social media accounts, which can all wait.

Make it repeatable

Each organisation asks for the same things: full name, date of birth, date of death, address, account number and a certified copy of the death certificate. Write those out once and keep them next to you.

Log every call: date, who you spoke to, the reference they gave you. When something goes wrong six weeks later, that log is what resolves it in one call instead of five.

Do not rush to close a bank account that direct debits still run through — utilities and council tax often need to keep settling until the property is dealt with.