Does Your Employer Change Your HMRC Address? | SlothMove
Your employer does not update your HMRC address when you move. Here’s why it matters and how to do it yourself in minutes with SlothMove.
For more information see our guide here for updating HMRC.
Employer Change of Address HMRC
Does your employer change your HMRC address when you move?
When you move house, it is easy to assume your employer will handle the admin. After all, they deal with HMRC on your behalf every month through the PAYE system. But when it comes to your address, the responsibility sits firmly with you. This guide explains why your employer cannot update your HMRC record for you, what happens if you leave it, and the quickest way to get it sorted alongside the rest of your move.
Does my employer tell HMRC about my change of address?
No. Even though your employer deducts income tax and National Insurance from your wages under the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system, they cannot update your personal address on HMRC’s records.
HMRC’s files are separate from the payroll information your employer submits. Even if your employer updates their own records with your new address, and even if they file an up-to-date P14 with HMRC, your address on HMRC’s system will not change. Your employer simply does not have write access to your personal HMRC account.
It has always been your individual responsibility to notify HMRC of a change of address. If you are an employer and a member of staff tells you they are moving, you should encourage them to contact HMRC directly.
It is worth noting that some NHS services, including individual dental practices and NHSBSA records for prescription prepayment certificates, hold their own separate records and may not update automatically. For those, a direct contact is still needed.
Why does it matter if your HMRC address is wrong?
HMRC uses your registered address to send important correspondence. If your address is out of date, you risk:
- Missing your tax code notice. HMRC sends your tax code each year. If it goes to your old address, your employer may use the wrong code, and you could end up over- or underpaying tax.
- Missing self-assessment reminders. If you are self-employed or have other income to declare, HMRC sends reminders about your return deadline. Missing these can lead to an automatic £100 penalty.
- Missing a tax refund. If HMRC owes you money, they may send a cheque to your registered address. A cheque going to a previous address is a frustrating and avoidable problem.
Identity fraud risk. Tax documents arriving at your old address give a stranger access to sensitive personal information. Updating your address promptly reduces this risk.
Does your employer change your tax code when you move?
Your tax code is separate from your address. Your employer uses a tax code to calculate how much income tax to deduct from your pay. This code is usually issued by HMRC or taken from your P45 from a previous job.
HMRC updates your tax code when there is a change in your income or circumstances, not when your address changes. If you start a new job and provide the correct details from your P45, HMRC will update your code accordingly. But moving house alone does not trigger a tax code change, and your employer plays no role in updating your address with HMRC when you move.
How do you change your address with HMRC?
There are three ways to tell HMRC you have moved. All are free and can be done without a phone call if you prefer.
Online via your Personal Tax Account
The quickest method. Sign in to your Personal Tax Account at gov.uk using your Government Gateway user ID. If you do not have one, you can create it during the process you will need your National Insurance number and two of the following: a P60, payslip, UK passport, or tax credit details. Once signed in, go to your personal details and update your address.
By phone
Call HMRC on 0300 200 3300 (Income Tax helpline). Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. Have your National Insurance number ready before you call.
Using SlothMove
SlothMove lets you update your HMRC address at the same time as your other services — council tax, water, energy, DVLA, electoral roll, and more in a single session. We route your update through the correct channel so the change reaches HMRC’s records without you needing to log in separately.
How long does it take HMRC to update your address?
Changes made online through your Personal Tax Account are usually processed within a few working days. HMRC may send a confirmation letter to your new address. If you update by phone, the adviser can confirm the change is made during the call. Allow up to two weeks for any subsequent correspondence to begin arriving at your new address.
What if you are self-employed?
If you are self-employed, you deal with HMRC more directly than an employee does — but the address update process is the same. Sign in to your Personal Tax Account or Self Assessment online account and update your personal details. Your address on your Self Assessment record and your business address (if different) are updated separately, so make sure you check both.
Self-employed people face a higher risk from an out-of-date address because more correspondence — payment on account reminders, Self Assessment statements, penalty notices — comes directly to you rather than via an employer.
Update your HMRC address alongside the rest of your move
Moving house means updating your address with dozens of organisations, not just the NHS. SlothMove is a home-moving concierge that lets you change your address across multiple services in a single session: council tax, water, energy, DVLA, HMRC, electoral roll, and more.
Here’s why over 75,000 people have chosen SlothMove:
- Save 14+ hours of admin time: based on data from over 75,000 completed moves.
- One form updates everything: DVLA, NHS, HMRC, councils, utilities, and more.
- Cheaper than mail redirection: Just £30 versus up to £87 for mail forwarding.
- Secure and trusted: ICO-registered, GDPR compliant, with 256-bit SSL encryption, backed by Taylor Rose MW (one of the UK’s largest conveyancing firms).
SlothMove handles your GP address update along with all your other essential updates. No chasing, no forgotten providers, no stress.
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Frequently asked questions
Will my employer notify HMRC when I move house?
No. Your employer submits payroll information to HMRC through the PAYE system but does not have the ability to update your personal address on HMRC’s records. Even if you tell your employer your new address and they update their own systems, your HMRC record will not change. You need to update HMRC directly, either online through your Personal Tax Account, by phone, or through a service like SlothMove.
How do I change my address with HMRC after moving?
You can change your address with HMRC online through your Personal Tax Account at gov.uk, by calling the HMRC Income Tax helpline on 0300 200 3300, or by using SlothMove’s change of address service. The online route is fastest. You will need your Government Gateway user ID, or you can create one using your National Insurance number during the process.
What happens if I don't tell HMRC I've moved?
If you do not update your address with HMRC, tax correspondence including your tax code notice, Self Assessment reminders, and any refund cheques will continue to go to your old address. This can result in missed deadlines, financial penalties, and, in the worst case, documents containing your personal information reaching someone else. There is no specific grace period; you should update HMRC as soon as possible after moving.
Does updating my employer's records update HMRC?
No. Updating your address with your employer only changes their internal payroll record. HMRC maintains its own separate record for each taxpayer, and your employer does not have the access needed to update it on your behalf. You must contact HMRC directly to change your registered address.
About SlothMove
SlothMove has helped over 75,000 UK residents update their address across government and private organisations since 2019. We are an ICO-registered data controller, GDPR compliant, and backed by Taylor Rose MW, one of the UK’s
leading conveyancing firms.