This post may contain affiliate links, from which we earn an income. Click here to read our affiliate policy.
For most people, giving up the house isn’t the scary part.
It’s the paperwork.
“What address do I use for my bank?”
“What about my driving licence?”
“Will my insurance still be valid?”
“Can I even register to vote?”
When we sold our house in 2018 and moved into our motorhome full time, this was one of the biggest logistical challenges we faced. Eight years later, we’ve travelled across Europe, bought and registered vehicles, renewed passports, dealt with banks, insurers and government departments, all without owning a home in the UK.
It’s absolutely possible. You just need a plan.
Do You Actually Need a Permanent UK Address?
In short, yes.
Almost every organisation will ask for a residential or correspondence address, including:
• Banks and credit cards
• Driving licence
• Vehicle registration (V5C)
• Vehicle insurance
• HMRC
• NHS and GP
• Electoral Roll
• Passport renewals
• Pension providers
• Investment accounts
You don’t necessarily need to own or rent a property, but you do need somewhere reliable where post can be received.
Option 1: Use a Family Member’s Address
This is by far the most common solution, and it’s the one we use ourselves.
When we sold our house in 2018, we changed the address on everything to my Mum’s house. That includes our driving licences, vehicle registration (V5Cs), financial accounts and motorhome insurance policy.
Using a family member’s address also helps maintain a UK credit footprint, which can make applying for financial products much easier in the future.
You’ll also need someone who doesn’t mind receiving the occasional letter and letting you know when something important arrives. Most mail, apart from physical debit/credit cards, antiquated DVLA refunds by cheque and some obscure HMRC documentation, can be sent electronically, and most institutions are urging people to go paperless.
Option 2: Use a Trusted Friend
If family isn’t an option, a trusted friend may be willing to help.
The same principles apply. They need to be comfortable receiving your post and ideally be settled at that address for the foreseeable future.
For many organisations, the address simply needs to be somewhere official correspondence can reliably reach you.
How Options 1 and 2 Can Affect Your Vehicle Insurance
If you’re living in your motorhome or van full time, it’s important to tell your insurer. Most specialist motorhome insurers understand that full-timing is a legitimate lifestyle and will happily insure you using a family member’s address for correspondence and registration. What you should never do is use a relative’s address to make it appear that you still live there if you don’t.
If your insurer discovers that you deliberately withheld the fact that you’re living full time in the vehicle, you could risk your policy being voided or a future claim being refused. While everyone has to make their own decision, insurers will look closely at the details of any significant claim, so it’s always better to be upfront from the outset.
RELATED POST: The Essential Guide to Full-Timing Motorhome Insurance
Option 3: Mail Forwarding or Virtual Address Services
There are several companies offering mail forwarding services.
Typically, they receive your post, scan it, forward it or store it until you need it. For general correspondence, subscriptions and many banks, these services can work well.
However, they aren’t a complete solution.
The DVLA does not normally accept virtual offices, correspondence addresses, PO Boxes or commercial addresses for driving licences or vehicle registration.
According to the DVLA: “We do recognise that there will be occasions where individuals cannot provide a postal address at which they reside and, in certain circumstances, we do allow an alternative address to be used. However, because of the potential risks, we will only agree to such arrangements on a case-by-case basis, and we expect a robust reason and evidence that compels a driver to use such an address.”
Option 4: Managed Residential Address
One alternative is to use a managed residential address service, like Residential Address. Unlike a PO Box or commercial mail forwarding company, these services provide a genuine UK residential street address where your post is received, stored, scanned or forwarded according to your instructions. Because the address is a real residential property, it will usually pass standard address checks and can receive official correspondence, including mail from the DVLA.
However, there is an important distinction. Although the address itself is residential, you do not actually live there. The DVLA’s requirements relate to where you reside, not simply where your post is delivered. Many people successfully use managed residential addresses, as well as family members’ or friends’ addresses, but if the DVLA becomes aware that you don’t live at the address, it may ask for further information or clarification. As with any address arrangement, it’s worth understanding the rules before relying on it.
Your Address and the Electoral Roll?
Many people assume you can’t register to vote if you don’t have your own home.
In our experience, that’s not the case.
We’re registered on the electoral roll at my Mum’s address, even though we don’t live there.
One thing we did have to sort out was council tax. During the first year after selling our house, we paid the additional council tax because Mum had previously received the 25% single-person discount.
Once we’d explained to the council that we no longer lived there, they accepted this and she now once again receives the single-person discount.
It’s worth speaking to your local council about your own circumstances rather than making assumptions.
Your Address and the GP Surgery
Many people worry they’ll lose access to an NHS GP if they no longer have a permanent home.
In practice, most full-time travellers stay registered with the GP they already know, usually using their family member’s correspondence address. This works well if you return to the same area from time to time and need continuity of care.
If you need medical treatment while travelling in the UK, you can usually register as a temporary patient with another GP practice for up to three months, or access urgent care through NHS services.
It’s worth checking with your own surgery before you leave, as each practice manages registrations slightly differently.
A couple of points to bear in mind:
We stayed registered with our existing GP after selling our house by updating our correspondence address to my Mum’s. We haven’t had any issues, but it’s worth discussing your plans with your own practice before you leave.
Before You Sell Your House
Don’t wait until moving day to think about your address.
Before you leave, make a list of every organisation that needs your details updating, including:
While you’re at it, switch as many accounts as possible to paperless statements. Eight years into full-time travel, we receive very little physical post because almost everything arrives by email instead.
Our Experience
Looking back, managing our address felt like a much bigger problem than it actually turned out to be.
Once everything had been updated, it became something we rarely think about. The occasional letter still arrives at Mum’s house, but most of our life is now paperless.
If you’re planning to live in a van or motorhome full time, sorting your address is one of those jobs that’s worth getting right before you leave. Once it’s done, you can get on with enjoying the freedom you’ve been planning for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I live in a van without a UK address?
Realistically, it’s very difficult. Most government departments, banks and insurers require a UK address for correspondence.
Can I use my parents’ address?
Yes, and many full-time travellers do exactly that, provided your parents are happy to receive your post.
Can I use a PO Box?
Not for everything. The DVLA does not normally accept PO Boxes, virtual offices or commercial correspondence addresses for driving licences or vehicle registration.
Is a mail forwarding service enough?
It can be for some organisations, but you should check carefully before relying on one for anything relating to the DVLA or vehicle registration.
More Motorhome Living Tips to Explore
How to Choose a Reliable Motorhome (Without Regretting It)
Motorhome Travel Costs in Europe: What You Can Expect in 2026
Tolls for Heavy Motorhomes >3.5T in Europe: Country by Country Guide
15 of the Most Scenic Motorhome Routes in Europe
Motorhoming in Ireland: Your Complete Guide
ACSI Camping Card: 2026 Review & Step-by-Step Guide
Love it? Pin it!
