Who to notify when moving house: the complete UK list
Everyone you need to tell when you move, categorised and in order — with when to do each one and how (online, phone, or a form). Use it as your change of address checklist: work top to bottom, and let Royal Mail redirection catch whatever slips through.
Last updated: August 2026 · 6 min read
This list is made for printing — Ctrl+P / Cmd+P gives you a tickable copy.
Who do you need to notify when moving house?
Notify your council (both, if you're changing area), DVLA, your bank, your employer and your utility suppliers — then let Royal Mail redirection catch everything you forget. Most updates are a few minutes online; set up the redirection about a week before moving day, because it takes five working days to start.
That's the short version. The full list of who to notify when moving house is below, categorised, with the when and the how for every entry — because knowing you must "tell DVLA" is useless without knowing it's two separate jobs.
First: set up Royal Mail redirection
Do this before anything else, because it makes every mistake below survivable. Royal Mail redirection forwards post from your old address for 3, 6 or 12 months, priced per surname in the household. It needs about5 working days to start — so it's a moving-week-minus-one job, not a moving-day one.
Take the 12 months, not the 3. Annual statements, renewals and reminders arrive — inconveniently — annually, so a 3-month redirect misses most of what matters. Moving into storagebetween homes? Redirection matters even more: there's no new letterbox yet, so redirect to wherever you're actually staying.
Government & official
Council tax
When: From moving day — accounts start and stop on the day itselfHow: Online, on each council's website
Moving between council areas means BOTH councils: close the old account and open the new one — they don't talk to each other.
Electoral roll
When: First weekHow: Re-register at gov.uk ("register to vote") — about five minutes
DVLA — driving licence
When: First week — it's freeHow: Online at gov.uk
Separate job from the log book below. Do both.
DVLA — V5C log book
When: First week, same sitting as the licenceHow: Online at gov.uk (or post the V5C)
The one people forget — the licence update does not update the car.
HMRC
When: First weekHow: Online via your personal tax account — covers tax and child benefit in one place
DWP, state pension & benefits
When: First weekHow: Online or phone, depending on the benefit
TV licence
When: Before the move — you can set your moving date in advanceHow: Online transfer at tvlicensing.co.uk, takes minutes
Money
Banks & building societies
When: First weekHow: Banking app or online banking — minutes each
Credit cards & loans
When: First weekHow: Online account for each
Car insurance
When: BEFORE moving dayHow: Phone or online — sometimes with an admin fee
This is a policy change, not an address note: the premium can move with the new postcode, and cover must match where the car actually sleeps. An out-of-date address can invalidate a claim.
Home insurance
When: Before moving day — you need cover at the new address from day oneHow: Phone your insurer; ask about cover during the move itself while you're on
Life insurance
When: First weekHow: Online or phone
Breakdown cover
When: First weekHow: Online account
Pension providers (workplace & private)
When: First weekHow: Online, or via your employer for workplace schemes
Premium bonds & NS&I
When: First weekHow: Online at nsandi.com
Home & utilities
Gas & electricity
When: Tell suppliers about 48 hours ahead; readings on the dayHow: Online or app — close the old account, open or take over supply at the new address
Photograph the meters at both properties on moving day — it's on the moving house checklist for a reason.
Water
When: About a week aheadHow: Online with your regional company — it changes if you've moved region
Broadband
When: 2+ weeks ahead — switches and new lines have real lead timesHow: Your provider's moving-home page, or start a switch with a new one
Book this early or budget for a fortnight of phone-tethering.
Mobile
When: First weekHow: App — it's mostly your billing address
Health
GP
When: First week — before you need themHow: Changing area: register with a practice covering the new postcode (online via the practice or the NHS "find a GP" service). Same area: just update your address.
Dentist
When: First weekHow: Register or update by phone — NHS places go to those who ask early
Optician
When: WheneverHow: Online or phone
Vet & pet microchips
When: First week, if you have petsHow: Register with a local practice and update the microchip database — the chip doesn't update itself
Settling animals into the new home is its own job — see moving house with pets.
Work & school
Employer / HR
When: Before the first payday after the moveHow: HR system or payroll
Payslips, your P60 and pension contributions all follow this address.
Schools & childcare
When: As soon as dates are confirmedHow: The school office — and council admissions if the move means changing schools
Student finance
When: First weekHow: Online account
Everything else
Subscriptions & deliveries
When: Before the next dispatch dateHow: Each account online — meal kits and boxes ship on their own schedule, not yours
Online retailers
When: Moving weekHow: Account settings — change the DEFAULT address, not just add a new one
This is the parcels-to-the-old-house classic.
Loyalty schemes
When: WheneverHow: App or website
Clubs, memberships & local services
When: Moving weekHow: A message does it — gym, sports clubs, window cleaner, anyone who invoices you
When to change your address: the timing
Most of the list accepts a future effective date, so you can change address when moving house largely before the boxes are packed. This assumes the move itself is booked — if it isn't,house removals(and a look at removal costs) come first; admin second.
| Phase | Do these |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 weeks before | Royal Mail redirection · TV licence · broadband switch · car & home insurance · employer · subscriptions & retailer defaults |
| On moving day | Meter readings and photos at both properties · council tax accounts take effect |
| First week after | Council tax (both councils) · electoral roll · DVLA licence and V5C · HMRC · banks · GP and dentist |
Change of address FAQs
Can I change my address everywhere before moving day?
Mostly, yes — many organisations accept a future effective date, so redirection, TV licence, insurers, broadband and your employer can all be done up to two weeks out. The exceptions are things tied to actually living there: council tax starts on moving day, and GP registration wants your new address to be real.
What happens if I forget to tell someone?
Royal Mail redirection catches the post, which makes most misses harmless — you update when the redirected letter arrives. Two have real consequences: an out-of-date driving licence address can mean a fine of up to £1,000, and a wrong address on car insurance can invalidate the policy. Do those two first.
Is Royal Mail redirection worth it?
Yes — it's the safety net under the whole list, and the best few pounds you'll spend on the move. Take 12 months rather than 3: annual renewals, statements and reminders arrive once a year by definition, so a 3-month redirect misses most of them. It needs about five working days to start, so set it up the week before.
Which address changes happen automatically?
Treat all of them as manual. Registering with a new GP does move your NHS record, and some council forms prompt you about the electoral roll — but nothing else follows automatically, and the systems talk to each other far less than people assume. The list looks long; most entries are three minutes online.