It’s good to see the council have adopted important service. This in from the council, in their own words. Ed
A new service to help residents deal with the required paperwork following a family bereavement is being offered by the Isle of Wight Council.
The loss of a loved one is always a difficult time but the Tell Us Once initiative is designed to help people complete all the necessary bureaucracy in one visit to the Registrar.
Information passed onto those who need to know
The scheme, which already operates successfully in many places in the UK, is optional.
However for those who take up the service, the registrar will forward relevant information securely and directly to the Department of Work and Pensions, who will in turn inform other government departments.
This process should remove the need for bereaved families to make further phone calls or receive unwanted communication.
Easing the burden
By using Tell Us Once, up to 28 government and other local services can be notified.
Council registration services manager Sharon Crews said: “It is all about easing the burden for people at what is always a difficult time.
“It is entirely up to the individual if they wish to take up the Tell us Once service but in other areas where it is operates successfully, the take up is around 80 percent, suggesting that the service is valuable to the customer.”
Simple process that also saves time and money
Councillor David Pugh, cabinet member responsible for resources, said: “While this is a service that will support families through a difficult time, it also saves time and money. It is a simple process that means people can be with their families rather than on the telephone to various government departments.”
If residents take advantage of the Tell Us Once service, the information can be taken during the appointment to register the death with the registrar.
For further information call 01983 823233 or visit www.iwight.com.
Image: Jasleen Kaur under CC BY 2.0
