After the move: the official address changes and why the order matters
By the Offrano editorial team · · 4 min read
Once the boxes are in, a second, quieter job starts: telling the organisations that need to know. Most of it takes minutes online, but a few items carry fines or cause trouble later if they are missed, and some only work once others are done. This guide lists the official changes for a move within Great Britain, what each involves and which ones people forget. It is not about utilities or banks, which you also need to update, but about the steps where the law or a public body is involved.
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Driving licence and vehicle documents
Changing the address on a driving licence with DVLA is free and can be done online; you can keep driving while you wait for the new licence. Changing your photo at the same time costs extra, and a change of name has to be done by post. If you live in Northern Ireland, a different process applies.
The licence is only half of it. DVLA also expects you to update the address on your vehicle log book, the V5C, to update the address linked to any vehicle tax Direct Debit, and to change it on any personalised registration document. DVLA states that you can be fined if you do not tell it when your address changes.
Source: gov.uk
Council tax: two councils, not one
Council tax is set by your local council according to the valuation band of the home and any discounts or exemptions you qualify for. When you move, tell the council for the old address the date you left, so it can close your account, and register with the council for the new address from the date you moved in. If both are in the same council area, one notification may do, but it still has to be made.
Discounts do not transfer automatically. If you received a single person discount or were disregarded, for example as a full-time student, you need to apply again at the new address. If you think the new home is in the wrong band, the Valuation Office Agency handles band queries in England and Wales; Scotland has its own assessors.
Source: gov.uk
HMRC and tax
HMRC needs to know about a change of address. Doing it early keeps tax codes, Self Assessment reminders, Child Benefit and other letters going to the right place. Employees can usually update their address through their employer's records too, but that does not always reach HMRC promptly, so check your personal tax account.
If you receive benefits, a State Pension or tax credits, those services also need the new address, and some count a move as a change of circumstances that can affect entitlement. Report it promptly rather than waiting for the next review letter, and keep a note of the date and reference for each change.
Source: gov.uk
The electoral register
Registering to vote at the new address is a separate step and is done online. It matters beyond voting: credit reference agencies use the electoral register to confirm addresses, so a delay can affect credit applications, mortgages and even some identity checks. Register as soon as you have moved in.
Source: gov.uk
A practical order
- before moving: book any council parking suspension for the removal van
- on moving day: take meter readings at both properties
- first week: council tax at both councils, electoral register, DVLA licence
- first fortnight: V5C and vehicle tax, HMRC, GP and dentist registration
- within a month: TV licence, insurance, pensions, banks and subscriptions
- keep a list of what you changed and when
Things people forget
Royal Mail redirection can catch letters for a period, but it is not a substitute for changing the address at source; redirected mail tends to reveal which organisations were missed. Home and contents insurance should be moved to the new address from the completion date, not from when you finish unpacking. If you are on a Priority Services Register with your electricity supplier or network operator, update it too.
Landlords moving out of a property should also remember that council tax liability, and in some cases the property's EPC and safety records, stay tied to the address they are leaving.
Planning the removal itself
Most of the effort in a move is still the removal. If you would like a quote, describe the move in our request form. It goes to exactly one removal company in your area that buys it, and we email you that company's name, address and phone number before it sees your details. The request costs you nothing.