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Moving Home

Who to Tell When You Move House: The UK Change of Address List

No single service updates your address everywhere in the UK, so each organisation has to be told. Start with the ones where an out-of-date address is against the law or can cost you money: DVLA, your car insurer, both councils and HMRC.

  • DVLA: a fine of up to £1,000
  • One address everywhere
  • Register with a GP near the new home
Set up my moveThe list, in order

Wisemium3 min read

A family unpacking in a new home

Who to tell, most important first

0 of 15 done

Required, or it can cost you

Money

Household services

Health

Nothing you tick here is saved. Set up your move in Wisemium to keep the new address, the bills and their dates in one place.

The full guide

There is no single service that updates your address everywhere in the UK. Each organisation has to be told separately. Start with the ones where an out-of-date address is against the law or can cost you money, then work down the list.

The ones that matter most

  • DVLA: your driving licence. You must update it, it is free online, and you can be fined up to £1,000 for not doing so.
  • DVLA: your vehicle logbook, the V5C. Updated separately from the licence, also free. Vehicle tax reminders follow it.
  • Your car insurer. The address where the car is kept overnight is part of the policy. Tell them before you move.
  • The council, for council tax. Both the old council and the new one, with the date.
  • HMRC. Through your personal tax account online. Your employer needs telling too, for payroll.

Money

  • Banks and building societies, including savings accounts.
  • Credit cards, loans and any finance agreement.
  • Pension providers, including old workplace pensions.
  • Investment and ISA providers.
  • The Student Loans Company, if you are repaying a student loan.
  • The Department for Work and Pensions or your local council, if you receive benefits.

Keep your address the same everywhere. Lenders check that the address on an application matches your credit file, and a mismatch can slow an application down.

Household services

  • Energy and water, at the old home and the new one.
  • Broadband and mobile.
  • TV Licensing. A licence can be moved to the new address.
  • Home and contents insurance, which may need a new policy rather than a change.
  • Subscriptions and deliveries that send anything to your door.

Health and family

  • Register with a GP near the new home. Your records move with you once you register.
  • Your dentist and optician.
  • Schools and nurseries.
  • Vets and pet insurance.

Voting

Register to vote at the new address on GOV.UK. Being on the electoral register at your current address also helps credit checks.

Catching post you forgot

Royal Mail's redirection service forwards post from the old address to the new one for a set period, for a fee. It is a safety net for the organisations you have not got to yet, not a replacement for telling them.

How Wisemium helps

Start with the postcode of the new home and Wisemium sets the household up around it. Each bill, contract and policy you add is kept in one place with its provider, its price and its dates, which doubles as the list of who has your address.

Common questions

How soon do I have to update my driving licence?

As soon as you move. There is no grace period, and updating it online is free.

Does telling one government department update the others?

No. The DVLA, HMRC, your council and the electoral register each need telling separately.

Should I tell companies before or after I move?

Before, with the date, wherever you can. Energy, water, council tax and insurance all need the date to get the first and last bills right.

Related

Moving house checklist

The bills and admin, week by week.

Read the guide

Council tax and water when you move

Which council, which company, and the first bill.

Read the guide
Set up your new home with Wisemium

Start with the postcode of the address.

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