Who to notify when you're moving house

Moving home is a big enough job without missing an important call. Between packing boxes, booking removals and juggling completion dates, it's easy to forget that half the country needs to know your new address too. Miss the wrong one and you could end up with a lapsed insurance policy, a missed hospital appointment, or a council tax bill sent to a house you no longer live in.

Here's the full list of who to notify when you're moving house, organised by category so you can work through it at your own pace. For a breakdown of what moving actually costs, our guide to moving costs in the UK is worth a read alongside this one.

Utility providers

Start with the essentials: gas, electricity, water and broadband.

For gas and electricity, contact your supplier a few days before you move. Where possible, don't cancel your account outright, instead ask them to close it at your old address and open a new one at your new home. This avoids gaps in supply and makes the switch smoother if you're staying with the same provider. Take meter readings on the day you move, both at the property you're leaving and the one you're moving into, so you're only billed for what you've actually used.

Water suppliers work slightly differently, since most of the UK doesn't have a choice of provider. You'll need to contact the supplier for your new address directly to set up an account, and inform your old supplier of your move-out date and final meter reading.

Broadband and phone contracts are worth sorting early, ideally a few weeks ahead, since installation slots can book up. Most providers let you transfer an existing contract to a new address, which is usually cheaper and faster than cancelling and starting again.

Council tax and local authority

This is one of the most commonly missed notifications, and one of the easiest to get wrong.

To cancel or transfer your council tax, contact your local council directly, both the one you're leaving and the one you're moving to. You'll usually need your moving date, your new address, and a forwarding address for any final bill. Most councils now let you do this online in a few minutes.

Don't assume this happens automatically just because you've told your removal company or a property portal you're moving. It doesn't. If you leave it too late, you can end up paying council tax on a property you've already left, which nobody wants to be chasing back weeks later.

Government and legal

A few government bodies need updating too, and some of these matter more than people expect.

You're legally required to update your address on your driving licence and vehicle log book (V5C). You can do this for free via the DVLA's change of address service. It's a five-minute job online, but it's easy to put off, so worth doing in your first week at the new place.

If you're registered to vote, update your details with the Electoral Commission so you're not accidentally removed from the roll at your new address, which can also affect your credit score in some cases.

Update your TV Licence address via the TV Licensing change of address page so you're not caught out watching live TV before your new licence is confirmed.

If you're self-employed, claim child benefit, or have any other ongoing correspondence with HMRC, update your address with them directly to avoid delays with tax returns or benefit payments.

Financial

Your bank, building society and any insurers should be near the top of the list, since delays here can genuinely cost you money.

Banks and building societies usually let you update your address through online banking or their app in a couple of minutes. Do this before any new cards or statements are due, so they go to the right place.

Home insurance needs updating before moving day, not after. Your policy is tied to a specific address, and moving without telling your insurer can invalidate cover during the move itself, which is exactly when things are most likely to go wrong. Car insurance and life insurance should be updated too, since your address can affect your premium.

If you have a workplace or personal pension, update your provider directly. Pension correspondence is easy to lose track of if it's going to an old address, and gaps in contact can cause real headaches years down the line.

Health

Often forgotten, but worth sorting in your first couple of weeks.

Re-register with a GP local to your new address using the NHS GP registration service. The same goes for a dentist and optician if you use one regularly. If you or anyone in your household has an ongoing prescription or treatment plan, sort this early so there's no gap in care.

Subscriptions, deliveries and everyday life

The smaller stuff, but the kind of thing that causes weeks of low-level annoyance if forgotten.

Update your address for any streaming services, magazine subscriptions, and regular deliveries. Update your default address on shopping accounts like Amazon so parcels don't end up at your old front door. If you're a member of a gym, update your home branch or address there too.

People

Finally, the humans.

Tell your employer, especially if it affects your commute, tax code, or any company correspondence. Let friends and family know, and update any school or childcare providers if you have children. And don't forget Royal Mail redirection, it's not a substitute for updating everyone above, but it's a useful safety net for anything you miss in the first few weeks after moving.


Looking for help with the practical side of moving? Compare removal company quotes and see what your move is likely to cost with Moving Compared.