Change of Address After Moving — The Complete List of Who to Tell and When

Before You Move: Set Up Royal Mail Redirection

Set up a Royal Mail redirection at least five working days before your move. This costs approximately £33–£40 for three months and forwards all mail from your old address to your new one. It is not a substitute for notifying organisations directly — some will not update records without written notification from you — but it prevents anything important being lost during the transition.

Immediate Priority: Within One Week of Moving

These carry the highest risk if not updated promptly:

**Bank and building society accounts.** An out-of-date address is a fraud risk: statements and cards delivered to the wrong address can be intercepted. Most banks allow address updates online or via their app.

**Mortgage lender.** If you have a mortgage, your lender must hold your current address. Update via your online account or by calling the servicing team.

**Home and contents insurance.** Your policy may be invalidated if the insured address is incorrect. Update immediately.

**Car insurance.** Your vehicle is insured at the address on the policy. An incorrect address can void a claim. Your premium may also change.

**Life insurance and protection policies.** Update contact details so that correspondence and claims are not misdirected.

**Employer (payroll and HR).** P60s, payslips, and other payroll documents go to the address on file. Update HR promptly.

**HMRC.** Update via the Personal Tax Account at tax.service.gov.uk. This covers income tax, National Insurance, and tax credits. If self-employed, also notify HMRC by the relevant self-assessment deadline.

Within One Month

**DVLA — driving licence.** You are legally required to keep the address on your driving licence up to date. Update free of charge at gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence. Failure to update can result in a fine of up to £1,000.

**DVLA — vehicle registration (V5C logbook).** The registered keeper address on the V5C must be current. Update via gov.uk or by post using the V5C form.

**Electoral Roll.** Register at your new address at gov.uk/register-to-vote. Being on the electoral roll at your correct address can affect your credit file.

**NHS and GP registration.** Register with a GP at your new address as soon as possible. NHS dentist waiting lists in some areas are long — register early.

**DWP (Department for Work and Pensions).** If you receive any state benefits, Universal Credit, or Child Benefit, notify DWP immediately. Payments may be interrupted if your address is not current.

**State pension.** If you are drawing a state pension, update the address via the Pension Service.

**HMRC Child Benefit office.** Separate from the main HMRC address update if you receive Child Benefit.

**Schools and colleges.** If you have children in school, notify the school and, if moving to a different catchment, the local authority admissions team.

Subscriptions and Online Accounts

These are easy to miss but can cause ongoing issues:

• Amazon and other online retailers (delivery and billing address)
• eBay, PayPal (linked payment and delivery addresses)
• Apple ID, Google account (used for two-factor authentication and app purchases)
• Streaming services: Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Apple TV+ (billing address for card verification)
• Magazine and newspaper subscriptions
• Loyalty cards: Tesco Clubcard, Nectar, Boots, John Lewis

Professional and Government Services

**Passport.** There is no legal requirement to update the address in your passport (it does not appear in the machine-readable zone), but it is advisable to record your current address with HM Passport Office.

**HMRC (Companies House).** If you are a company director, update your registered address at Companies House and notify HMRC of any change to your principal place of business.

**Financial advisers, solicitors, accountants.** Ensure your professional advisers hold your current address. Documents sent to a wrong address during an ongoing transaction can cause significant delay.

**HMCTS (HM Courts and Tribunals Service).** If you are involved in any ongoing legal proceedings, notify your solicitor and the court immediately.

Land Registry

Your solicitor will register the transfer of ownership with HM Land Registry after completion. The registered proprietor address on the title register will be your new address. Confirm with your solicitor once registration is complete and check the title register on the HM Land Registry portal or via Property Passport UK to confirm the details are correct.