How to Tell HMRC Your New Home Address After You Move

When should you tell HMRC that you have moved?

HM Revenue and Customs says you should update your address when you move, but there is one important timing rule: wait until you have actually moved before submitting your new address.

The personal address-change service is designed to keep several HMRC records aligned after a move, rather than requiring a separate address update for each of the covered personal services.

What does the HMRC address change update?

The official service can update your address for:

• Income Tax;
• National Insurance;
• Child Benefit; and
• State Pension.

If you submit Self Assessment returns, GOV.UK also states that your Self Assessment details will be updated once you have reported your name or address change.

If you are already managing your tax affairs online, your personal tax account can also be used to check your tax code, Income Tax records, Child Benefit, State Pension information and other HMRC details.

How do you update your address online?

The main route is through your personal tax account.

1. Sign in to your personal tax account.
2. Select the option to update your personal details or address.
3. Enter your new address after you have moved.
4. Complete any identity checks HMRC requests.
5. Submit the change.

If you do not already have sign-in details, HMRC says you can create them when you sign in for the first time.

Will HMRC ask you to prove your identity?

It may. HMRC says you will be told during sign-in if identity verification is required.

Verification usually involves using photo ID such as a passport or driving licence. The exact checks shown to you depend on the identity-verification process available for your account.

If you are also changing your driving records after moving, remember that HMRC and DVLA are separate systems. Helpydo explains how to change the address on your V5C vehicle log book after moving.

Can you change your address in the HMRC app?

Yes. HMRC's official app allows you to update your name or address as part of its personal-information features.

You sign in using the same details used for HMRC online services. If you do not already have sign-in details, you can create them through the app.

After initial setup, the app supports sign-in methods including a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition where available on your device.

What if you receive Child Benefit?

If you claim Child Benefit and move to another UK address, HMRC specifically requires the change to be reported.

Only the person who claims Child Benefit can report a change of circumstances to HMRC.

This matters because GOV.UK warns that if an address change is not reported and HMRC can no longer contact the claimant, Child Benefit payments can stop.

Moving home is one of several changes that can affect Child Benefit records, alongside changes to bank details, family circumstances, immigration status or income.

What if you file a Self Assessment tax return?

If you file Self Assessment returns, you should still report your personal address change to HMRC. GOV.UK states that your Self Assessment details are updated once the name or address change has been reported.

Updating your address does not replace the separate obligation to file and pay your Self Assessment correctly. If you still need to complete your return, see Helpydo's guide to filing your Self Assessment tax return online with HMRC.

Do business tax records update automatically?

No. The personal address-change service and business tax records are not the same thing.

HMRC states that there is a different process for updating business tax details. If you run a business, you may also need to update records connected with Corporation Tax, VAT, PAYE for employers, Self Assessment, the Construction Industry Scheme or other registrations that apply to you.

For VAT-registered businesses, HMRC separately states that certain VAT registration changes must be reported within 30 days. That deadline relates to business VAT records, not the ordinary personal home-address update covered by this procedure.

Does changing your address with HMRC update DVLA or your council?

No. Updating your address with HMRC updates the relevant HMRC personal records, but it does not automatically update unrelated government or private-sector records.

Depending on your circumstances, you may separately need to notify DVLA, your local council, electoral registration services, banks, insurers, pension providers, utility companies and other organisations.

For example, your V5C vehicle log book has its own DVLA address-change process, and the electoral register also has a separate update route.

Does HMRC charge to update your address?

HMRC does not list an application or administration fee for using its personal address-change service.

Use the official HMRC service or HMRC app rather than paying a third party merely to submit a personal change that you can make directly.

How long does the address update take?

HMRC does not publish a standard processing-time commitment on its personal address-change service.

Because no fixed official timeframe is stated, do not rely on an assumed number of working days. After submitting the change, you can use your personal tax account to manage and review your HMRC details.

What if you cannot update the address online?

HMRC provides contact routes for taxpayers who need help with personal tax details. The appropriate contact method can depend on the tax or service involved.

For example, HMRC's Income Tax and self-employment contact guidance allows people to report changes to personal details and advises checking whether the relevant online service can be used before calling.

If you have difficulty using HMRC digital services, use the contact guidance for the specific tax or benefit involved rather than sending personal details to an unofficial service.

What if you are moving abroad instead of to another UK address?

A move abroad can create additional reporting obligations, particularly for tax residence, Child Benefit and other benefits. The simple home-address change covered here should not be treated as a complete overseas-move notification.

For Child Benefit specifically, GOV.UK says you must report relevant overseas circumstances, including certain absences of more than 8 weeks and situations where you or your partner intend to move abroad for more than a year.

Common mistakes to avoid after moving

• Submitting the new address before you have actually moved, even though HMRC says to wait until afterwards.
• Assuming your employer, council or another government department will automatically update HMRC for you.
• Updating HMRC but forgetting separate DVLA, electoral register or local council records.
• Assuming a personal HMRC update also changes every business tax registration you hold.
• Ignoring an HMRC identity-verification request when creating or accessing your personal tax account.
• If you receive Child Benefit, asking someone other than the claimant to report the change.
• Failing to update a Child Benefit address and risking payments stopping because HMRC cannot contact the claimant.

What should you do after updating HMRC?

Once you have submitted your new address, keep your personal tax account details current and check the HMRC services relevant to you.

Your personal tax account can be used to manage or review areas such as Income Tax, National Insurance information, Child Benefit and State Pension records.

If the move also affects a tax claim, refund or other separate issue, complete that process independently. For example, changing your address is not the same as applying for a repayment if HMRC owes you money; Helpydo has a separate guide to claiming an Income Tax refund from HMRC.