How to Change GP Address in 2026
When you move house in the UK, you need to update your address with your GP or register with a new practice if you’re moving outside your current GP’s catchment area. Your GP holds your medical records, manages your prescriptions, and provides essential healthcare, so keeping your details current is crucial.
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about changing your GP address in 2026, including what happens if you don’t update, how to find a new GP if needed, and how long the process takes.
Understanding GP Registration and Catchment Areas
Your GP (General Practitioner) is your first point of contact for NHS healthcare. Every GP practice serves a specific geographic area called a catchment area. If you move within this area, you can simply update your address with your
current GP. If you move outside the catchment area, you’ll need to register with a new GP practice.
Key facts about GP registration:
- Catchment areas – Each GP practice defines the geographic area they serve.
- Automatic deregistration – When you register with a new GP, you’re automatically removed from your old practice.
- Medical records transfer – Your records transfer automatically via NHS systems (typically 1-2 weeks).
- NHS number – Stays with you for life, regardless of which GP you’re registered with.
- Free registration – NHS GP registration is always free.
When you move house, the first step is checking whether your new address falls within your current GP’s catchment area. If it does, you can simply update your address. If not, you’ll need to find and register with a new GP practice near your new home.
What Happens If You Don’t Update Your GP Address?
Failing to update your GP address or register with a new practice can lead to serious healthcare access problems, prescription issues, and disrupted medical care.
Loss of Healthcare Access
If you move outside your GP’s catchment area and don’t register with a new practice, you lose access to primary NHS care in your new area. This means:
- No routine appointments – You can’t book GP appointments near your new home.
- No prescription access – You can’t get repeat prescriptions locally.
- Disrupted ongoing treatment – Chronic condition monitoring and specialist referrals may be interrupted.
- Emergency care only – You can still use A&E, but you have no local GP for routine care.
Prescription Continuity Problems
One of the biggest issues when moving is prescription continuity. If you don’t update your address or register with a new GP promptly, you may face gaps in medication access:
- Can’t collect prescriptions locally – Your old GP may be too far away to collect from
- Repeat prescriptions delayed – New GPs need your medical records before issuing repeats
- Medication gaps – The transfer period between GPs can leave you without essential medication
- Pharmacy issues – Pharmacies near your new home can’t access your prescription history
Medical Records and Treatment Delays
When you don’t update your GP details, your medical records don’t transfer to your new area.
This causes:
- Incomplete medical history – New healthcare providers don’t have access to your records.
- Delayed diagnoses – Doctors can’t see your medical history, test results, or previous treatments.
- Repeated tests – You may need to repeat tests that were already done.
- Specialist referral disruption – Ongoing specialist care may be interrupted or delayed.
In our experience helping over 75,000 UK movers update their healthcare details since 2019, we’ve seen customers struggle to access prescriptions, miss chronic condition monitoring appointments, face delays in specialist referrals, and
experience gaps in essential medication during the transition.
How to Update Your GP Address or Register with a New GP?
current GP’s catchment area or moving to a new area.
Option 1: SlothMove (The Stress-Free Solution)
When you move home, updating your GP address is just one of many essential notifications. You also need to update your driving licence, V5C, HMRC, council, water company, utilities, and dozens more.
SlothMove handles all of it in one go.
Through a single 15-minute form, SlothMove updates your address with your current GP (if you’re staying within their catchment area) and notifies you if you’re moving outside the catchment area so you know you need to register with
a new practice.
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).
Important: If you’re moving outside your GP’s catchment area, you’ll need to register with a new GP practice yourself. SlothMove will alert you to this so you can prioritise finding a new GP while we handle all your other address updates.
Option 2: Contact Your Water Company Directly
If you’re staying within your current GP’s catchment area, you can update your address directly with your practice.
- Online: Log into your GP practice’s online system or the NHS App and update your address in your account settings.
- By phone: Call your GP practice reception and provide your new address. They’ll update your records immediately.
- In person: Visit your GP practice and update your address at reception.
- The catch: This only updates your GP. You still need to separately update your driving licence, V5C, HMRC, council, water company, utilities, bank, insurance, and 20+ other organisations.
Meter Readings and Billing Dates
If you’re moving outside your current GP’s catchment area, you’ll need to register with a new practice near your new home.
How to find a new GP:
1. Use the NHS website – Search for GP practices near your new postcode at nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp
2. Check they’re accepting patients – Many GP practices have closed lists due to capacity.
3. Confirm catchment area – Make sure your new address falls within their catchment area.
4. Register online or in person – Most practices offer online registration via their website or the NHS App.
What you’ll need:
- Your NHS number (found on prescriptions, the NHS App, or by calling your current GP)
- Your new address
- Proof of address (not legally required, but some practices request it)
- Photo ID (not legally required, but some practices request it)
The catch: Finding a GP accepting new patients can be difficult in some areas. You may need to contact multiple practices. Once registered, you still need to update all your other organisations separately.
When to Update Your Address With Your Water Company?
You must notify your water company about your address change. There’s no specific grace period, so you should update it as soon as possible after you move.
The Practical Timeline:
Best practice: Update your GP address or register with a new practice within the first week of moving. Here’s why:
- Maintain healthcare access – You need a local GP for appointments and prescriptions.
- Avoid prescription gaps – The sooner you register, the sooner your records transfer and you can access repeat prescriptions.
- Continue ongoing treatment – Chronic condition monitoring and specialist referrals need continuity.
- Emergency situations – Having a registered local GP ensures you can access care quickly if needed.
Before moving (if possible):
- Check if your new address is within your current GP’s catchment area.
- If not, research GP practices near your new home and check they’re accepting patients.
- Request a final prescription from your current GP to cover the transition period .
Within the first week of moving:
- Update your address with your current GP (if staying in catchment area).
- Register with a new GP (if moving outside catchment area).
- Inform your new GP of any urgent prescriptions or ongoing treatments.
After registration:
- Your medical records transfer automatically within 1-2 weeks.
- Check with your new GP after 2 weeks if you haven’t received confirmation of records transfer.
Making Your Move Stress-Free
Updating your GP address doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you update with your current practice or register with a new GP, the important thing is getting it done quickly to avoid healthcare access gaps and prescription problems.
The SlothMove difference: While updating your GP address directly is free, you’ll still need to separately update your driving licence, V5C, HMRC, council, water company, utilities, and other organisations. For just £30, SlothMove updates your GP address (if you’re staying in catchment) and handles all your other essential updates through one simple form. If you’re moving outside your GP’s catchment area, we’ll alert you so you can prioritise finding a new GP while we handle everything else.
Over 75,000 people have already made their moves stress-free with SlothMove.
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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.
Disclaimer: This information is accurate as of January 2026 and is intended for general guidance about updating your GP address. For specific advice about GP registration or catchment areas, visit nhs.uk or contact your GP practice directly. SlothMove is not affiliated with the NHS.