An energy giant has invested in a County Durham firm that aims to ease the administrative burden left with bereaved families.

Utilita Energy is investing in the latest bereavement technology by signing up to use the Settld platform, which was launched four years ago to make life easier for people handling the affairs of loved ones after they have died. The business was established by mother and daughter team Julie and Vicky Wilson, after Vicky’s grandmother died. It took the pair more than eight weeks, including six hours of phone calls, to sort the accounts, leading them to ponder how the system could be improved.

The company’s end-of-life admin platform automates bereavement notifications to more than 1,400 companies through one simple online form, removing the need to spend hours on phone calls to other companies. Utilita, which has over 830,000 Ƶ customers, said its service agents will also use Settld’s portal, which has been designed to make bereavement customer service more efficient.

Bill Bullen, CEO and co-founder at Utilita Energy, said: “We are always looking to incorporate the latest technologies that will improve customer experience, particularly when it comes to efficiencies. Dealing with the effects of grief is incredibly difficult, which is why partnering with Settld was an easy decision for us.

"Together, we are removing the administrative burden for someone who has potentially lost their closest family member or friend. I’m really pleased with what we’ve delivered in partnership with Settld and we take pleasure in making things that little bit easier for those who need it.”

Settld’s secure online form takes under 10 minutes to complete and notifies all service providers of a death, from banks and insurers to energy firms, mobile and phone providers, subscription services and social media platforms. Its free online service helps users close, transfer or amend accounts and obtain date of death balances for probate. A range of other services, from probate and estate admin to asset search and house clearing, are also available through partners.

Vicky Wilson, senior executive at The Estate Registry which owns Settld, said: “It’s great to see Utilita Energy prioritising and investing in making life easier for bereaved individuals and families. By allowing customers and those dealing with a death to use our one-stop shop we can remove a significant amount of stress and anxiety, which allows people to get on with grieving. We are pleased to see more and more companies embracing Settld’s technology, and we are always ready to help businesses improve their bereavement customer journey.”