Registering with a GP when you move for work
When you move for work, plan how to register and find local services before you need a routine appointment.
Registering
- Use the NHS GP finder to check individual practices near where you will live. Check their catchment area and whether they accept registrations.
- Follow the NHS registration guidance. You do not need ID, proof of address or immigration status, or an NHS number to register. Extra details can help match records.
- For a short work stay, ask about temporary registration for up to three months if you want to keep your usual GP.
Other health services
- Use the NHS pharmacy finder and NHS dentist finder; confirm current services and NHS patient acceptance directly.
- For urgent advice that is not an emergency, use NHS 111. In an emergency call 999.
GP registration guidance checked 29 October 2026 against the NHS page linked above. Registration and service arrangements depend on the individual practice.
Settling in
Add it to your first-week list; see moving into a rented room and starting a new job. If you feel low, see feeling homesick.
Admin to do? See the moving-for-work admin checklist.
This is general information, not medical advice. See how renting with us works.
Common questions
Can I register with a GP in a new area?
Everyone in England can register with a GP surgery for free. Check individual practices: they may refuse if they are not accepting new patients or you live outside their area.
Do I need to tell my old GP?
No. NHS guidance says your existing surgery is told automatically when you register with the new one.
What if I need help urgently?
Call 999 in an emergency, or use NHS 111 for urgent advice when it is not an emergency.