Death While Receiving Universal Credit: What to Report

Notifying DWP of the death

The primary way to notify DWP is through the Tell Us Once service, which is offered at the Registrar's office when registering the death. Tell Us Once notifies DWP, HMRC, the local council, the DVLA, and other departments in one step.

If Tell Us Once was not used, or for additional confirmation, contact DWP's Universal Credit bereavement line directly. DWP will ask for:

• The deceased's National Insurance number
• The date of death
• The name and contact details of the executor or next of kin

Joint Universal Credit claims

Many Universal Credit claims are joint — made by a couple. If one partner dies, the surviving partner must:

1. Log into the Universal Credit online account
2. Report the change of circumstances (the death)
3. DWP will then reassess the claim for the surviving partner alone

The surviving partner may still be entitled to Universal Credit — but the amount will change because it is now assessed on one person's circumstances. They should continue to report and meet conditionality requirements (work coach appointments, job searches) unless they are exempt.

Overpayments after death

Universal Credit is paid in arrears (at the end of the assessment period), so overpayments are typically smaller than for advance-paid benefits like State Pension. However, payments may still be made for assessment periods that include the date of death or after it, depending on timing.

Any overpayment is a debt of the estate. DWP will issue a demand for repayment, usually by letter to the address associated with the claim.

For guidance on all DWP overpayments after death, see our guide to overpaid pension and DWP overpayments.

Bereavement Support Payment

The surviving partner may be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) — a tax-free benefit for those whose spouse or civil partner has died. BSP is not means-tested and does not affect Universal Credit for the first 12 months it is paid. This is an important financial protection for surviving partners.

To claim BSP, apply through GOV.UK or by calling the Bereavement Service helpline. The claim should be made within 3 months to receive the full amount.

Practical steps

1. Use Tell Us Once when registering the death
2. If there was a joint claim, log in and report the change
3. Note any DWP payments received after the date of death — these will need to be repaid
4. Keep DWP correspondence and respond promptly to any overpayment demands
5. Check whether the surviving partner is entitled to Bereavement Support Payment

For the general estate administration process, see our estate administration checklist, what to do when someone dies, complete UK probate guide 2026, and applying for probate. For overpayments from other DWP benefits, see our guide to overpaid pension and DWP benefits. For the estate's debts, see our executor first steps guide. For the IHT400, see our IHT400 guide. For debts and what happens to them after death, see our debts after death guide. For distributing the estate, see our distributing the residuary estate guide. Farra can help — get started here.