Who Do I Need To Inform When Moving House In The UK?

When moving house, you need to inform government bodies, banks, utilities, insurers, healthcare providers, and subscriptions.

Moving house can be stressful, but it's not just about packing boxes and booking a removals van. In the UK, you’ll need to get in touch with a long list of organisations about your change of address to avoid missed bills, invalid insurance, or worse - identity fraud.

In fact, according to Royal Mail, the average UK household receives over 100 important pieces of post per year. Not updating your address can lead to lost financial statements, insurance documents, or sensitive healthcare letters.

To help you stay organised, we’ve created the ultimate change-of-address guide, including who to tell, when to do it, and what might happen if you forget.

If you're moving house and looking for a professional removals company. At The Box Co., we can help. Get in touch with the team by clicking here to book in your survey and get a no obligations quote.

 

Government and Public Services

 

Telling government departments about your move is incredibly important. They rely on your address for tax records, benefits, voting rights and legal documentation.

Checklist:

✅ DVLA – Update your driving licence and vehicle logbook (V5C)

✅ HMRC – Update your address for tax, self-assessment or PAYE

✅ DWP – If you receive benefits or state pension

✅ Electoral Register – Register to vote at your new address

✅ Local Council – Update council tax records

✅ Student Loans Company – For student finance updates

✅ HM Land Registry – If you own property, update your contact info

✅ TV Licensing – Required for legal viewing at your new address

✅ Courts or Tribunals (HMCTS) – If you’re involved in legal proceedings

 

Financial Institutions

 

Banks and lenders use your address for security checks, identity verification and to update you of any changes. Not updating them could lead to account restrictions, or worse, identity theft.

Checklist:

✅ Bank or Building Society – Personal, joint and savings accounts

✅ Credit Card Providers – Make sure billing address matches your card

✅ Mortgage Provider – For statements or address-dependent terms

✅ Loan Companies – Personal, car or payday lenders

✅ Pension Providers – Both private and workplace pensions

✅ Investment Funds – For tax reporting and dividends

✅ Premium Bonds – Update to receive potential winnings

✅ Store Cards – Especially those linked to delivery addresses

 

Healthcare Providers

 

If you move to a new GP catchment area, you’ll need to register with a new doctor. Make sure you let previous providers know you're moving, so they can transfer all relevant data.

The last thing you want to do is deal with the paperwork when you're not feeling well, so it's best to be organised before.

 

Checklist:

✅ GP Surgery – Register if you’re moving to a new area

✅ Dentist – Especially for ongoing treatments

✅ Optician – Contact lens and eye test records

✅ Private Specialists – Mental health, physiotherapy, etc.

✅ Vet – Update pet’s records and address with microchip registry

 

Utility Providers

 

Incorrect billing or missed final meter readings can lead to you having to pay for someone else’s usage. Always update utility companies ahead of your move.

Checklist:

✅ Electricity Provider – Submit final meter reading

✅ Gas Supplier – Same as above

✅ Water Company – Confirm your move-out date

✅ Broadband Provider – Cancel or move service

✅ Landline Provider – Arrange transfer if applicable

✅ Mobile Network – For billing and identity verification

✅ TV Service – Sky, Virgin, Now TV etc.

✅ Royal Mail – Set up post redirection (from £36 for 3 months)

 

Insurance

 

Insurers calculate premiums based on your postcode, especially for home and car policies.

Failing to update your address could invalidate your cover, so make sure you let them know as soon as possible

Checklist:

✅ Car Insurance – May adjust premium due to postcode

✅ Home/Contents Insurance – Make sure you have cover at your new property

✅ Health Insurance – Personal and family cover

✅ Life Insurance – Just update contact address

✅ Pet Insurance – Update for accurate records

✅ Mobile Phone Insurance – Especially if location-specific

✅ Travel Insurance – Update address for annual cover

 

Regular Subscriptions and Deliveries

 

Anything arriving through your letterbox - or to your inbox - should be registered with your new address. Subscriptions are easy to forget but can be a pain to re-deliver.

Checklist:

✅ Streaming Services – Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Spotify

✅ Meal Kits – HelloFresh, Gousto, Mindful Chef

✅ Online Shopping Accounts – Amazon, eBay, Etsy

✅ Grocery Delivery – Tesco, Ocado, Sainsbury’s

✅ Loyalty Cards – Tesco Clubcard, Boots Advantage, Nectar

✅ Magazine & Newspaper Subscriptions

✅ Charities and Memberships

✅ Clubs or Societies – Book groups, sports teams, etc.

 

Work and Education Contacts

 

Employers, schools and universities use your address for HR, billing and communication. Update them early to avoid missed payrolls or school letters.

Checklist:

✅ Employer – For payroll, HR and pension updates

✅ Workplace Pension Fund – Usually separate from HR

✅ Professional Memberships – e.g., ACCA, RICS, GMC

✅ Schools/Nurseries – Keep teachers informed of your move

✅ University – Update for term-time fees or maintenance loans

 

Domestic Services and Freelancers

 

Don’t forget the people who help run your home. If you want them to continue at your new address - or need to cancel - give them plenty of notice.

Checklist:

✅ Cleaner – Cancel or rebook

✅ Gardener – Same as above

✅ Window Cleaner – If on a regular schedule

✅ Accountant – Especially for self-employed workers

✅ Solicitor – If you're mid-transaction

✅ Removals Company – Confirm pickup and drop-off addresses

✅ Any tradespeople or freelancers you use regularly

 

Family, Friends and Personal Contacts

 

Especially for birthdays and housewarming gifts, letting friends and family know when and where you're moving is incredibly important - but often overlooked!

Checklist:

✅ Family and close friends

✅ Emergency contacts (e.g., school records)

✅ Christmas card or event invite list

 

Don’t Forget: Set Up Mail Redirection

 

Even with a proper checklist, it’s easy to forget someone. That’s why it’s worth setting up Royal Mail redirection. That way, any mail sent to your old place will be automatically redirected to you.

Starts from £36 for 3 months

Can be set up up to 3 months in advance

Takes 5–10 working days to activate

Redirects post to your new address while you update senders

Set yours up via: https://www.royalmail.com

 

Moving House

 

With over 850,000 people moving home each year in the UK, it's no surprise that things get lost in the shuffle.

But by tackling your change-of-address list head-on, you’ll save yourself stress, missed bills, and the stress of chasing up paperwork.

If you're moving house and looking for a professional removals company. At The Box Co., we can help. Get in touch with the team by clicking here to book in your survey and get a no obligations quote.