Tell Us Once

A new service that automatically notifies relevant government departments and service authorities of a family’s bereavement.

Bromley Council has teamed up with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to deliver Tell Us Once, a new service that automatically notifies relevant government departments and service authorities of a family's bereavement.

Under the new service, a local registrar can now support a recently bereaved person through a step-by-step process t hat will automatically notify central and local governments of their change in circumstances.

By notifying the necessary services on their behalf, Tell Us Once is a much easier way for bereaved families to report their change in circumstances to the relevant authorities. Overall, a person using Tell Us Once can expect to contact government seven fewer times when compared to previous arrangements.

Said Graham Arthur, Executive Councillor for Resources:

"These are times in everybody's lives better spent with family than dealing with government. Tell Us Once removes red tape and gives time back to families when they need it most.  When something as major as a death happens in a family, we understand t hat the last thing anybody wants to be doing is dealing with government administration. Tell Us Once turns w hat has been a traditionally cumbersome process into a fast and efficient service."

"In a single appointment a person can notify all the relevant government departments and service authorities of their circumstances.  It's a service that saves time and money with a simple process to the specific needs of people who need to be with their families and not on the phone to government authorities."

For more information about Tell Us Once and the service being provided in your area, please visit:

Reporting a bereavement: www.direct.gov.uk/death-tellusonce

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• For media enquiries, please contact Amanda Day, Communications Officer, on 020 8313 4390 amanda.day@bromley.gov.uk
• Each year there are 575,000 deaths nationally
• Tell Us Once was initially developed in 2007 in response to the report by Sir David Varney - Service Transformation: a better service for citizens and businesses, a better deal for the taxpayer. Tell Us Once has been supported by successive governments and has undergone significant piloting and testing before its national rollout.
• Those wishing to use the service will need to bring relevant documentation to their appointment (passport, driver's licence, blue badge etc). Information about what to bring to their appointment will be made available by the local authority. Further information about what to bring to an appointment is available from www.direct.gov.uk/death-tellusonce
• Tell Us Once is being rolled out nationally, with 95% of local authorities across the UK expected to deliver the service by March 2012.
• 99.5% of people surveyed trusted the people delivering the TUO service.
• Tell Us Once currently contacts 28 different services in five key government areas: