Work in progress - ratings and comments are still to be finalised
Death Notification Service (DNS)
1.1 Stated purpose
The Death Notification Service is a free service which allows you to notify a number of member organisations of a person's death, at the same time. Our aim is to make the process quick and easy for you to inform them at a time that suits you.
1.2 Episodic or relational
2.1 Statutory notification
2.2 Info validated by
Sector
4.1 Personal identifier used
Online portal
Offline alternative
1.3 Data included
Episodic
Yes
By Equiniti against official record
Financial services
Deceased:
name
address
date of birth
date of death
death certificate number
sort codes/account numbers
Notifier:
name
address
phone
email
relationship to deceased
Yes
Yes
Full name
Address
Date of birth
Date of death
Strengths
A valuable and supportive tool for people who have been bereaved, with the potential to save them considerable time and distress. DNS gives the person reassurance that the information will go to the correct teams/services in recipient organisations, and can potentially save the person having to send out multiple original death certificates (though this is at the recipients' discretion).
Weaknesses
DNS might be even more useful if a notification were sent to all banks, pension/investment funds, mortgage providers, etc, without the need to provide account numbers. The notifier may or may not know where all the deceased person's assets are, and/or may not have account numbers for all of them.
Further information
Overall functional rating
3. Transparency, choice and control
3.1 Transparency
Useful FAQs about the process and how data is used
3.2 Choice and control
Notifier can select the organisations which receive the data
4. Functionality
4.2 Structured data
4.3 Free text
Structured data to capture information about the deceased and notifier. No free text components.
4.4 Carer role
No provision made, although it can be inferred that the notifier is able and willing to act without requiring a proxy.
4.5 Acknowledgement of receipt
Responses received from recipients who are able to match a record. Platform states clearly that no match = no response.
4.6 Updates
Able to add a recipient within 90 days of original notiifcation.
4.7 Access to records
5. Reach
5.1 Multi-sector acceptance
https://www.deathnotificationservice.co.uk/whoCanINotify.ofml lists subscribing institutions. Currently restricted to the financial services sector.
5.2 Recipients within orgs/services
Strong likelihood info will reach the right people in recipient organisations
5.3 Proactive sharing
Recipients can be added to the notification within 90 days of first sending it - again, restricted to existing subscribers.
6. Language and user experience
6.1 Language
Language is businesslike and straightforward - no red flags identified on first reading
Words to watch
6.2 Conditions vs actionable support
n/a
6.3 Online UX
Web portal is clear and straightforward, and explains why each item of information and each step in the process is required. It also has useful links to other support services/resources for bereaved people.
6.4 Offline UX
A telephone helpline is offered as an alternative if people can't or don't want to go online themselves.
7. Outcomes
7.1 Actionable support needs
DNS will work for you if you know which bank(s) you need to contact and if they happen to subscribe. However, there are several points where it says you'll need to contact the receiving bank before using the form, or they'll contact you - at least this is spelt out, but it suggests that the notification service doesn't cover all eventualities. One example might be verification of the death - gov.uk notifications don't require you to send death certificates, so could DNS not offer the same?
7.2 Trustworthiness
Appears trustworthy provided the right organisations subscribe
Think Local Act Personal: Data for People
Ratings against the 15 Principles
Overall
TLAP 2
TLAP 3
TLAP 4
TLAP 5
TLAP 6
TLAP 7
TLAP 8
TLAP 9
TLAP 10
TLAP 11
TLAP 12
TLAP 14
Money Advice Trust
Ratings against the 10 principles for designing vulnerable consumer data-sharing programmes
Overall
MAT 1
MAT 2
MAT 3
MAT 4
MAT 5
MAT 6
MAT 7
MAT 8
MAT 10-