This guide covers England and Wales. For Scotland, see our council tax after a death in Scotland guide – Scotland has different rules, including the Class 6 exemption and the grant of confirmation process.
When someone dies, their local council needs to be told as soon as possible. Council tax is usually the most pressing matter – but the council also handles housing benefit, the electoral register, Blue Badges, library memberships, and parking permits. Left unnotified, the council will continue sending bills to the deceased, which creates unnecessary complications for whoever is managing the estate.
The good news is that a single government service – Tell Us Once – can notify your local council (and most other government departments) in one step. This guide covers everything you need to do with the council after a death: what council tax exemptions apply, how to cancel or transfer the account, how to get the deceased removed from the electoral register, and what other council services need updating.
Start with Tell Us Once
Tell Us Once is the quickest way to notify your local council – and most other government departments – about a death. It is a free service run by the Department for Work and Pensions, available in England, Scotland, and Wales.
When you register the death, the registrar will either complete Tell Us Once with you on the spot, or give you a unique reference number to use online or by phone within 28 days. Using it takes about 10–15 minutes and notifies the following council services in one go:
- Council Tax – triggers the exemption or discount process
- Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction – stops payments that would otherwise need to be repaid
- Electoral register – removes the deceased’s name
- Blue Badge – cancels the disabled parking permit
- Library membership – closes the account
- Council housing – notifies the housing department if relevant
- Parking permits – cancels any resident or disabled person’s permit
You can complete Tell Us Once at gov.uk or by phone, using the reference number from the registrar. See our full guide to Tell Us Once for everything the service covers – including HMRC, DWP, and the DVLA.
Tell Us Once notifies the council, but it does not automatically calculate or apply any council tax exemptions. For that, you will usually need to follow up directly with the council.
Council tax: what happens after a death
If the deceased lived alone
When someone who lived alone dies, the property becomes empty. An empty property that was the sole or main home of a deceased person qualifies for a full council tax exemption – Class F exemption – from the date of death until probate or letters of administration are granted.
Once probate is granted, the exemption can continue for a further six months, provided the property remains unoccupied and is still in the name of the person who died (held by the executors). After that six-month post-probate period, the estate becomes liable for the full council tax charge. (Source: gov.uk – council tax when someone dies)
If the property has been empty for more than a year and would normally be subject to the empty homes premium (which can add up to 100% to the bill), the premium may be waived for up to 12 months after probate is granted, in recognition of the bereavement circumstances. (Source: gov.uk – council tax when someone dies)
If the deceased shared the property
When someone who shared a property with others dies, the remaining residents continue to pay council tax. However, if only one adult now lives at the property, they can claim the 25% single-person discount.
The council will not apply this automatically. You will need to contact them, tell them of the death, and request the discount. This applies whether the survivors are family members, partners, or other occupants. The discount applies from the date of death. (Source: gov.uk – council tax discounts)
If the property was jointly owned
If the deceased jointly owned the property, the surviving owner becomes solely responsible for the council tax. The council needs to be told so they can update the account and – if the survivor now lives alone – apply the single-person discount.
Summary of council tax rules after a death
| Situation | What applies | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Property empty, deceased was sole occupant | Full exemption (Class F) – no council tax payable | Until probate is granted, then a further 6 months |
| Property empty, post-probate, still in estate's name | Full exemption continues | Up to 6 months after probate |
| Property empty, would normally attract empty home premium | Premium may be waived | Up to 12 months after probate |
| One adult remains in the property | 25% single-person discount | From date of death onwards |
| Property occupied, multiple adults remain | Standard council tax applies, account updated to surviving residents | Ongoing |
Source: gov.uk – council tax when someone dies, verified March 2026
How to cancel or transfer the council tax account
Even after completing Tell Us Once, you will usually need to contact the council directly to arrange the formal account update, apply for any exemption, or request a refund of overpaid tax.
How to find your local council: If you do not know which council covers the property, use the Find your local council tool on gov.uk.
What to provide when you contact them:
- The full name and date of death of the deceased
- The address the council tax account relates to
- Your name and relationship to the deceased (executor, next of kin, or solicitor)
- The council tax account reference number (found on any bill)
- Confirmation of whether the property is now empty, occupied, rented, or being sold
- The date probate was granted (once you have it)
- A contact address for the estate, so refunds and final bills can be sent
Most councils accept this information via an online form, by phone, or by post. Some require a copy of the death certificate; most will accept your word initially and request documentary evidence only if needed.
If there is an overpayment: If council tax was paid in advance (by direct debit, for example), the council should refund the overpaid amount to the estate. This is sent to the executor or administrator. The timing varies – some councils process this within a few weeks, others take longer.
Electoral register: removing the deceased
Tell Us Once handles the electoral register update automatically for most councils. If you used Tell Us Once, you do not need to contact the council separately for this.
If you did not use Tell Us Once, or if you are unsure whether the update went through, contact the council’s electoral services team directly. You can usually do this:
- By phone or email – provide the deceased’s full name, address, and date of death. A close relative (spouse, civil partner, parent, sibling, child, or grandchild) can request this verbally, in writing, or in person. (Source: Electoral Commission)
- Online form – many councils have a removal form on their website under elections or electoral registration.
- With a death certificate – providing a copy allows the council to act immediately without waiting for the annual canvass.
Removing the deceased from the electoral register does not affect your own registration. You do not need to do anything to your own entry.
Other council services to notify
If the deceased was receiving services from the council, those services need to be cancelled or transferred. Tell Us Once covers the most common ones, but it is worth checking each of the following:
Blue Badge (disabled parking permit) Tell Us Once cancels this automatically. The Blue Badge cannot be used after the holder’s death, even for a short period while clearing the property. If the badge is not cancelled and is used by someone else, this is a criminal offence. Return the badge to the council if it was not already collected.
Housing Benefit Tell Us Once notifies the council to stop Housing Benefit payments. If payments continue after the death, the overpayment may become a debt against the estate. If the deceased was receiving Housing Benefit, check with the council whether any payments arrived after the death date and need to be repaid.
Council housing (social housing tenancy) If the deceased held a council or social housing tenancy, the housing department needs to be told separately from the Tell Us Once process – or at least followed up with. The tenancy does not end automatically. In some cases a family member may have the right to take over (succeed to) the tenancy. Contact the housing department to understand the options and timeline.
Library membership Tell Us Once closes the library account. If the deceased had books, DVDs, or other items on loan, return them to the library. Most libraries will waive any overdue fines in bereavement circumstances.
Parking permits and residents’ permits Tell Us Once cancels parking permits. If the property is in a controlled parking zone and the estate needs to access it during the clearance period, contact the council’s parking team – some councils issue temporary permits for this purpose.
What documents you will need
Most councils can begin the process with only verbal or written confirmation of the death. However, having the following documents ready will speed things up and may be required to release any refund:
| Document | When needed |
|---|---|
| Death certificate (original or certified copy) | Often requested to confirm the death; usually needed before a refund is issued |
| Council tax account reference number | Helps the council locate the account quickly – found on any recent bill |
| Grant of probate or letters of administration | Required to claim the post-probate six-month exemption and to receive any refund |
| Your contact details and relationship to the deceased | Required to set up correspondence about the estate account |
You do not need to wait for probate before contacting the council. Notify them as soon as possible after the death. The Class F exemption runs from the date of death, so any delay in notifying the council may result in bills continuing to arrive unnecessarily.
How long does it take?
Account update: Most councils update their records within one to two weeks of being notified, though some may take up to four weeks. Tell Us Once notifications are usually processed more quickly.
Exemption application: Once the council receives the notification and any supporting documents, the Class F exemption is usually confirmed in writing within two to four weeks.
Council tax refund: If tax was paid in advance – typically by monthly direct debit – the council should issue a refund to the estate. This can take four to eight weeks in practice, sometimes longer. If you have not received a refund after eight weeks, contact the council to follow up.
After probate: Remember to contact the council again once probate is granted, to start the clock on the six-month post-probate exemption. The council will not automatically know when probate is granted.
What to watch out for
Bills continuing to arrive after you have notified the council. This is common and does not always mean the notification failed – it may simply be that letters were already in the post. If bills continue to arrive two to three weeks after you have notified the council, follow up to confirm the account has been updated.
The exemption ending sooner than expected. The six-month post-probate exemption starts from the date probate is granted, not from the date of death. If there is a long gap between the death and probate being granted, you may only have six months after probate to sell or transfer the property before council tax becomes payable in full.
Overpayment recovery letters. If Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction was in payment at the date of death and continued for a period, the council may issue a letter asking the estate to repay the overpayment. This is a legitimate request – overpayments received after the date of death are debts against the estate, and the executor is responsible for repaying them before distributing any inheritance.
Jointly owned or jointly tenanted properties. The Class F exemption does not apply if other people are living at the property or if the property is jointly owned. Check your specific situation with the council before assuming the exemption applies.
Empty property liability. After the six-month post-probate exemption period ends, the estate is liable for the full council tax charge on an empty property. If the property is taking time to sell, plan for this cost. Some councils will not apply additional discounts for long-term empty properties held by estates.
Summary
The quickest route is Tell Us Once – it notifies your local council alongside most other government departments in a single step. Use it within 28 days of registering the death.
After Tell Us Once, contact the council directly to apply for the Class F council tax exemption if the property is now empty. Remember to contact them again once probate is granted to start the six-month post-probate exemption period.
Key steps:
- Use Tell Us Once immediately after registering the death
- Contact the council to confirm the exemption or discount and provide any required documents
- Contact the council again when probate is granted
- Chase any council tax refund if it has not arrived after eight weeks
For a full list of what else needs doing after a death – banks, utilities, telecoms, and HMRC – see our complete notification guide. Note that unlike council tax, water charges are not covered by Tell Us Once – see our water companies guide for how to notify your water supplier directly. For the TV Licence – another address-based charge that needs cancelling or transferring – see our TV Licence bereavement guide.