Other organisations you may need or want to inform
Below is a list of other organisations that you may need to contact after someone close passes away. The easiest way to let organisations know about a death is by phone. It's helpful to have an account number or reference to hand when calling. The organisation will let you know if they need to see any documents.
Financial services and pensions
- UK death notification service - letting other banks know
If you have other banks and building societies to inform, you may be able to use this free service to inform multiple financial organisations with one notification. If you’d like to inform us directly, you can do this online. - Banks and building societies
If you're not sure which banks or building societies the deceased held accounts with mylostaccount.org.uk, which is a free service, can be a useful aid to track down a complete list. - Mortgage, pension, investment and insurance companies
- Car insurance providers
If you were only insured under the deceased's policy, as a named driver for example, you will no longer be legally covered to drive, so you should make this call a priority. - Home insurance providers
If a property is now empty, the insurance provider may have certain requirements to continue to provide insurance cover. - Credit and store card providers, card protection providers
- Share registrars
Government
When someone dies you need to notify a number of different government departments and local services with a lot of similar information. The government has introduced the 'Tell us once' service to make this process much easier.
How do I access the service?
When you register someone's death the registrar will:
- let you know if the service is available in your area
- give you the phone number
- give you a unique reference number to use the 'Tell us once' service online or by phone
- If 'Tell us once' isn't available in your area, see gov.uk for how to let the various departments know (gov.uk/after-a-death/tax-and-benefits)
Which organisations/government departments will 'Tell us once' inform?
'Tell us once' will notify:
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – to deal with tax and cancel benefits
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – to cancel benefits, such as Income Support
- Passport Office – to cancel a British passport
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – to cancel a driving licence
- the local council – to cancel Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, a Blue Badge, inform council housing services and remove the person from the electoral register
- public sector or armed forces pension schemes – to stop pension payments
Home and utilities
- Landlord
If the person lived in rented property - Gas, electricity and water suppliers
You only need to do this if the deceased person was the named bill-payer - Telephone and mobile phone companies
- Pay TV and internet companies
- The Post Office
If you need to have mail redirected. You will have to pay a fee for this service.
Others
- Memberships
Leisure organisations such as sports clubs, gyms, charities and libraries - Periodicals and newspapers
- Professional bodies or trade unions
- Social networking sites
Such as Facebook or LinkedIn
Notify us online
You can inform us of a bereavement online.
Notify us (link opens in a new tab)
Call us
0345 600 5860 or
+44 (0)1244 879080 from outside the UK
Write to us
You can send your documents to us at:
M&S Bank
PO Box 329
Wymondham
NR18 8HA
Calls are recorded for our mutual security, training and monitoring purposes.