Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
Contact utilities (electricity, gas, water, internet, mobile, TV licensing) with the account number, a copy of the death certificate, and your details as executor or next of kin. They will close accounts or transfer them to the surviving occupant. Cancel direct debits only after final bills are settled. You can use Tell Us Once to notify government departments, but private utility providers must be contacted separately.
When someone dies, their utility accounts need to be transferred, closed, or continued. Most UK utility companies have dedicated bereavement teams that make this process easier, but you'll need to contact each one individually. According to Citizens Advice, notifying utilities promptly prevents continued billing and ensures the property remains properly serviced.
This guide explains how to handle each type of utility service, what documents you'll need, and how to avoid common problems with final bills and refunds.
Before contacting utility companies, gather these documents to make the process smoother:
Tip: Create a utilities folder
Keep copies of all utility correspondence in one place. You'll need these records for probate and to prove the accounts were properly closed.
Most major UK utility providers have dedicated bereavement teams. Here are the main companies and how to reach them:
Phone: 0800 294 3125
Website: britishgas.co.uk/bereavement
Phone: 0808 501 5035
Website: eonnext.com/bereavement
Email: bereavement@octopus.energy
Website: octopus.energy/bereavement
Phone: 0800 074 1986
Your energy supplier is regulated by Ofgem. If your supplier is not listed, its bereavement page is the quickest route — Ofgem's site lists licensed suppliers.
Phone: 0800 009 4976
Website: thameswater.co.uk/bereavement
Phone: 0800 912 7249
Covers North West England
Phone: 0345 750 0500
Covers Midlands and mid-Wales
Water companies are regulated by Ofwat. Find your water company on their website if not listed above.
Phone: 0800 169 1663
Phone: 0800 952 2302
Ask for the bereavement team
Phone: 0333 7591 018
Telecoms providers are regulated by Ofcom. Providers commonly waive early exit fees after a death, but it is a concession rather than a published rule — ask.
Phone: 0300 790 6143
If the person lived alone, tell TV Licensing so the licence can be cancelled; a refund covers complete months left on it, and TV Licensing sets the rules. If someone else lives there, the licence is transferred into their name instead.
Website: tvlicensing.co.uk/death-enquiry
Contact customer service and ask for the bereavement team. Most will waive remaining contract fees. You may be able to keep the phone number (porting) if family wants it.
Take meter readings immediately - This establishes the exact date you're reporting the death and prevents disputes about usage.
Call the supplier's bereavement team - Have the account number, death certificate, and meter readings ready.
Decide what happens to the account:
Arrange payment for the final bill - suppliers do not publish a standard turnaround, so ask when you notify them. It is paid from the estate.
Claim refunds if in credit - Energy companies will refund credit balances to the estate or new account holder.
What the final bill will be
Nobody publishes a typical figure, and any range you see quoted is a guess. It depends entirely on the tariff, the meter readings and how long the account ran. If the account was in credit from direct debit overpayments, that credit is refunded to the estate.
Use Tell Us Once if available - This automatically notifies your local council. Check eligibility on GOV.UK.
Or contact the council directly - Call your local council's revenue department.
Discounts may apply:
First
- → Empty properties: Contact gas, electricity, and water so the account is transferred to the estate and billed correctly — there is no vacant-property discount
- → Council tax: tell the council so billing in the deceased's name stops and, if the property is empty, the Class F exemption is applied
Next
- → Occupied properties: Contact all utilities to transfer or close accounts
- → TV licence: Cancel or transfer
- → Mobile contracts: Cancel and return devices
Once the final bills have arrived
- → Cancel direct debits: Only after final bills are paid
- → Claim refunds: Chase any credit balances owed to the estate
- → Keep records: File all final bills and refund confirmations for probate
Problem: Can't find account numbers
Check recent bills (physical or email), bank statements for direct debit references, online account portals if you have login details, or call the company with the property address—they can look it up.
Problem: Utility company refuses to speak to you
Most companies will speak to next of kin or executors without probate initially. If they insist on probate, ask to speak to their bereavement team or complaints department. Explain you're informing them of the death and need to prevent further billing. Ofgem, Ofwat, and Ofcom require reasonable support for bereaved customers.
Problem: Bills keep coming after notification
This is common — billing systems take a while to catch up. Keep copies of your death notification (letter or email confirmation). Don't pay new bills until the final bill is confirmed. Contact the bereavement team again if bills continue beyond 8 weeks.
Problem: Direct debits keep taking payments
Don't cancel direct debits immediately—wait for final bills. If payments continue after final bills are settled, contact your bank's direct debit team to cancel. You can claim refunds for unauthorised payments under the Direct Debit Guarantee.
Problem: Refund is delayed
Suppliers do not publish a standard refund turnaround. If it is taking longer than they told you it would, chase the company in writing. They may require bank details for the estate or proof of authority (probate/letters of administration). A supplier may ask for proof of your authority before releasing a large balance.
Problem: Dispute over final bill amount
If you disagree with the final bill, request a breakdown. Check meter readings match what you submitted. For energy, contact Citizens Advice energy team for free help. For other utilities, use the company's formal complaints process.
No official source publishes typical final-bill figures after a death, and any range you find online is invented. What each bill comes to depends on the tariff, the meter readings on the date you notify, the council's own rules and the contract terms. What is worth knowing is the shape of it:
Paying final bills
Final bills are paid from the estate, not from your personal funds. According to GOV.UK guidance, utility bills are estate debts that must be paid before distributing to beneficiaries.
If the estate has insufficient funds, utilities are paid pro-rata with other creditors. An insolvent estate has its own statutory order of priority for paying debts, and paying creditors in the wrong order can leave a personal representative personally liable.
If vulnerable people remain in the property after the death (elderly, disabled, chronically ill), they may qualify for extra support:
Priority Services Register
Energy and water companies maintain registers of vulnerable customers who get:
- Advance notice of supply interruptions
- Priority reconnection after outages
- Alternative communication formats (large print, Braille)
- Password protection for home visits
- Free gas safety checks for some customers
Contact your supplier to register. It is free. More information at Ofgem Priority Services.
Payment Help
If someone is struggling to pay utility bills after the death, they may qualify for:
- Warm Home Discount: a one-off £150 discount off the electricity bill. GOV.UK says the scheme reopens in October 2026 for winter 2026 to 2027; it is not available in Northern Ireland, and eligibility differs between England and Wales and Scotland
- Payment plans: suppliers can spread costs — the terms are set by the supplier
- Charitable grants: British Gas Energy Trust, other supplier hardship funds
Contact Citizens Advice for free advice on utility debt.
Final Bills
Most companies will send a final bill to the estate within 4-8 weeks. Keep these for probate. They're estate debts that must be paid before distributing to beneficiaries.
Refunds
Any credit balances (from direct debit overpayments) are refunded to the estate. There is no published figure for a typical refund — it is whatever the account was in credit by. A supplier may ask for proof of your authority before releasing a large balance.
Don't Cancel Too Early
Keep utilities running until: (1) final bills arrive, (2) refunds are received, (3) property is sold or fully cleared. Empty properties still need water and minimal heating to prevent damage.
How soon do I need to notify utility companies after a death?
There is no deadline. The practical reason to do it early is that billing continues in the deceased's name until you do, and meter readings taken on the day you notify make the final bill cleaner. Council tax is worth doing first: a property left empty after the death is exempt under the Class F exemption, but the council needs telling. Tell Us Once notifies the council about Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, but not the energy, water, broadband or mobile suppliers.
What documents do I need to notify utilities of a death?
You need: death certificate (photocopy accepted), account numbers from recent bills, proof of your authority to act (executor/next of kin), final meter readings for gas and electricity, and bank details for refunds. Most companies will accept notification without probate initially, especially from next of kin or named executors.
Can I get a refund on utility bills after death?
Yes. If the account was in credit — common with direct debit overpayments — the credit is refunded to the estate. There is no published figure for a typical refund; it is whatever the account happened to be in credit by. A supplier may ask for proof of your authority before releasing a large balance, and turnaround times are not published, so ask when you notify them.
Do I need to cancel direct debits for utilities immediately?
No. Wait until the final bills have arrived and been paid. Cancelling direct debits too early can leave final bills unpaid, which leads to chasing letters and complicates the estate accounts. Cancel only after: (1) all final bills received, (2) final bills paid, (3) any credit refunds received.
What happens to utility bills if the property is empty?
Council tax is the one with a real exemption: under the Class F exemption, a property left empty because the person liable for council tax has died is exempt while it remains empty and part of the estate, until probate or letters of administration are granted and then for up to a further six months. Energy and water have no equivalent — there is no such thing as a vacant property discount, and standing charges keep accruing to the estate until the account is closed or transferred. Water should stay connected to prevent pipe damage.
Who is responsible for utility bills after someone dies?
The deceased's estate is responsible for utility bills up to and including the final bill. If someone continues living in the property, bills from the transfer date forward are their responsibility. Executors are personally liable only if they distribute the estate before paying utility bills—always settle utility debts before distributing to beneficiaries.