Change of Address / Surname in the UK – How to Change Your Personal Details with HMRC?

Life for Poles in the United Kingdom changed considerably when the transition period following the approval of the UK’s exit from the European Union came to an end. Many rules, especially those concerning taxes and how they are settled, were changed, taking advantage of the opportunity presented by Brexit. The legislation containing the method for avoiding double taxation in Polish-British relations underwent a significant transformation. In practice, this means that Polish tax residents who earn money in the United Kingdom have to pay tax twice. Who do these changes affect? How much tax should you pay? Let’s find out.

What changes to your personal details must be reported to HMRC?

All changes to personal details, and to any information that could affect your tax situation, the way you settle with the tax office or your entitlement to benefits, must be reported to HMRC. The obligation therefore covers:

• a change of surname,

• a change of address,

• a change in the amount of your taxable income,

• a change of gender,

• changes in your relationship or family, e.g. marriage or the death of a partner.

Who informs HMRC about a change of personal details?

This obligation applies both to self-employed people and to employees. Importantly, employees must remember that informing their employer of a change of details is not enough - a new address in documents submitted to HMRC by the employer does not automatically update the information on the employee’s individual tax account. To do this, the employee should contact the tax office and report the changes personally.

Your personal details can also be updated by a tax agent authorised by you, for example an accounting office in London.

When should you inform HMRC about a change of personal details?

You should only inform HMRC of a change of address and/or surname once the change has actually taken effect. This means you should only contact the tax office after you have moved or changed your surname.

How do you report a change of personal details to HMRC?

Changes to personal details in the United Kingdom can be reported by phone, by calling the HMRC department where you want to provide your new details, or by using the government’s online platform, Government Gateway. This means the whole process can be completed efficiently and without leaving home.

Once you have submitted the change online, HMRC will enter your new details on your personal account, which will be accessible to all the departments dealing with your affairs, e.g. income tax, national insurance, child benefit, etc.

Changing your address with HMRC

After moving home, you must report your new address to HMRC. To do this, you can:

• call the department responsible for your matter (phone contact is possible during the office’s working hours: Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm, excluding public holidays. Before you call, have your National Insurance number ready, or your UTR in the case of Self Assessment)

• log in to the Government Gateway platform using your username and password and enter your new details.

Changing your surname with HMRC

Just as with a change of address, you can inform the office of a change of first name and/or surname by phone or online. HMRC may contact you to obtain additional documents confirming the change of details before accepting the notification.

If you change gender, your name will be changed automatically.

Will I receive confirmation from HMRC that my details have been changed?

Yes, after your details have been changed, HMRC will send a confirmation of the changes to your email address. It is possible, however, that for some reason the notification will not be accepted; in that case, the office will get in touch to obtain additional information, e.g. documents that will resolve any doubts and allow your personal details to be updated.

Summary

As you can see, changing your address/surname in the UK does not have to be time-consuming or complicated! It is therefore worth making sure your details at the tax office are always up to date - this matters because if, through our own oversight, official correspondence or a reminder fails to reach us, the consequences of not responding or of missing a response/payment/filing deadline will fall on our shoulders.