Moving Beyond Tell Us Once: Building a More Connected Bereavement Journey

When someone experiences a bereavement, the expectation is simple. They should not have to repeat their situation to every organisation they deal with. They should be able to share it once and feel confident that the right support will follow.

The latest Tell Us Twenty report from the Money Advice Liaison Group shows how far the industry has come. There are now at least 20 initiatives across the UK designed to reduce repetition and improve how organisations support customers in vulnerable circumstances.

This is meaningful progress. But the report also highlights a clear challenge. The experience remains fragmented.

Progress in the Bereavement Journey, but Experiences Remain Disconnected

Organisations across financial services and beyond have invested heavily in improving bereavement support. Dedicated teams, clearer processes and digital tools are now widely in place.

However, these improvements are still largely contained within individual organisations.

For customers, this means:

• Notifying multiple providers separately
• Repeating sensitive information several times
• Navigating inconsistent processes and expectations

The report makes it clear that while “Tell Us Once” exists in many forms, it does not yet deliver a joined up experience across sectors.

The result is a system that is improving, but still places too much burden on the customer.

Why the Future of Tell Us Once Is Connection, Not Replacement

A single, universal “Tell Us Once” solution is not realistic in the short term.

The opportunity instead lies in connecting what already exists and enabling information to move securely between organisations.

This marks an important shift.

From:

Collecting information once

To:

Using that information consistently across the full journey

Achieving this requires:

• Secure, consent-led data sharing
• Consistent ways of interpreting customer needs
• Better coordination between organisations

This is where the industry must move next.

Designing Bereavement Journeys Around Real Life

Bereavement is not a single interaction or transaction. It is a journey that spans multiple organisations, services and decisions.

Customers do not experience sectors. They experience life events.

They need to:

• Notify organisations
• Close or transfer accounts
• Access funds and support
• Navigate legal and administrative processes

Most systems are still designed around internal workflows. The result is duplication, delay and inconsistency.

The opportunity is to design around the life event itself, with services that support the full journey rather than isolated steps.

EstateConnect and the Future of the Connected Bereavement Journey

EstateConnect has been developed in response to this challenge.

It is not just a death notification tool. It is designed to connect bereavement journeys across organisations, creating a more consistent and coordinated experience.

At its core, EstateConnect provides:

• A single, structured way to capture bereavement information
• A consistent framework that organisations can work from
• The ability to share information securely, with customer consent

This reduces duplication and supports a smoother experience for customers at a difficult time.

But more importantly, it creates the foundation for a more connected model.

Connecting Financial Institutions Through Shared Bereavement Journeys

EstateConnect is designed to act as a connectivity layer between organisations, rather than another standalone system.

This reflects the direction set out in the Tell Us Twenty report, which calls for better links between existing initiatives and improved coordination across sectors.

By enabling organisations to work from the same structured data and approach, EstateConnect helps to:

• Ensure consistency in how bereavement is handled
• Reduce the need for repeated customer interactions
• Enable onward journeys beyond the initial notification

For organisations, this means greater efficiency and stronger alignment with regulatory expectations, including Consumer Duty.

For customers, it means a more joined up experience at a time when clarity and simplicity matter most.

Built on Trust, Designed for Control

Connected journeys depend on trust.

Bereavement information is sensitive, and customers must remain in control of how it is used. EstateConnect has been designed with this principle at its core.

It ensures:

• Clear customer consent for data sharing
• Strong data security aligned to ISO27001, FSQS and Cyber Essentials
• Full auditability and governance

This enables organisations to collaborate with confidence, while protecting the interests of the customer.

Moving Beyond Tell Us Once Towards Consistent Bereavement Support

The first phase of “Tell Us Once” focused on reducing repetition. That was an important step forward.

The next phase is about consistency.

It is not enough for information to be shared once. It must also be:

• Understood in the same way across organisations
• Used to deliver consistent support
• Embedded within joined up journeys

EstateConnect supports this shift by providing a common structure and approach to bereavement data, helping organisations respond in a more aligned way.

Supporting the Future of Connected Bereavement Journeys

The direction of travel is clear. The industry is moving towards more connected, collaborative ways of supporting customers through life events.

EstateConnect has a clear role to play in this future.

By:

• Connecting organisations
• Standardising approaches to bereavement
• Enabling secure, consent-led data sharing

It helps move the industry beyond isolated solutions towards a model that reflects how customers actually experience bereavement.

A model where journeys are joined up, processes are consistent, and customers are supported without unnecessary effort.

Because at moments that matter most, people should not have to repeat themselves.

They should be understood.