What to include on a Change of Address card: the complete UK checklist

1) The essential details (don’t skip these)

At minimum, your card should make it effortless for someone to add your new contact details to their phone or address book. Keep the essentials clean, unambiguous and easy to scan.

The must-haves

• Your names — List the household as individual names (“Alex Chen & Priya Nair”) or as a collective (“The Chen-Nair Family”). This prevents mix-ups if people store contacts by first name or family name.
• Full postal address — Include house name/number, street, locality (if needed), town/city, county (optional), and POSTCODE IN CAPITALS. This is what billers, banks and delivery drivers rely on.
  Example:
  Flat 3B, 28 Kingfisher Court
  St Margaret’s Road
  Twickenham
  TW1 1AA
• Primary phone number(s) — Add the best number for day-to-day contact. If numbers are unchanged, a simple “Phone numbers unchanged” line avoids confusion.
• Email address — The address you actually monitor (work/catch-all addresses can cause missed messages).

Quick formatting tips

• Put the postcode on its own line for clarity.
• Avoid punctuation within the address; use line breaks instead.
• Use a clear type size (at least 10–11pt on A6) and strong contrast for legibility.

2) Helpful optional extras (when you have the space)

If you’ve room—on larger formats like A5, 5″×7″ or a square card—these additions make life easier for your recipients and reduce follow-up messages.

• Moving date — “New address from 14 March 2026.” This helps contacts know when to switch to the new details, and can reduce parcels going to the old place during overlap.
• Previous address (short form) — A discreet “Previously: 12 Whitfield Place, SW1A 1ZZ” can be useful for older address books or business contacts who file by locality.
• QR code to a map — A small QR linking to your new location (Google/Apple Maps) is brilliant for guests and couriers. Utterly Printable’s online designer supports QR code generation, so you can drop this in neatly without extra software.
• Photo — A small portrait of the household or a snapshot of the new front door adds warmth. For styles that showcase an image beautifully, see our curated selection of change of address cards with photos.
• Household members — First names of everyone (including pets, if you like) help friends with children remember who’s who.
• Preferred contact method — If you’d rather people text than call, say so: “Best by text or WhatsApp.”
• Short greeting or note — One or two lines keeps things friendly: “We can’t wait to host once the boxes are unpacked!” Keep it brief to preserve hierarchy.
• Social handles — Handy for younger recipients who rarely use email. Place these away from the main address block so they don’t compete.
• Access pointers (for rural or new-build estates) — A subtle “Entrance on Oak Lane” can save repeat courier queries.

3) Layout, wording and style tips

A great Change of Address card balances clarity with character. These pointers help you strike that balance on any size.

Keep hierarchy obvious

• Lead with “We’ve moved” or “New address”, then your names, then the address block.
• Put optional items (QR, greeting, social) in secondary areas so the address remains the visual anchor.

Choose the right size for your content

• A6 (105 × 148 mm) — Ideal for a minimalist layout with essentials only.
• 5″ × 7″ (127 × 178 mm) or A5 (148 × 210 mm) — Better if you want a short note, QR code and a photo.
• Square 148 × 148 mm — Great for image-led designs with a clean address panel.

Utterly Printable offers all of the above formats in portrait or landscape, plus an easy online editor to personalise text, fonts, colours and photos with live preview. Cards are available as high-quality printed stationery or a digital download for e-sharing or home printing—handy if timing is tight.

Pick a style that suits your message

• Prefer a stripped-back look? Try our collection of simple change of address card styles.
• Want to raise a smile? Explore lighthearted options within our funny or quirky change of address cards.
• Got a favourite photo to showcase? Head to the with-photos range for layouts built around imagery.
  Whichever route you choose, you can always return to the main gallery of change of address card designs to compare styles side-by-side.

Wording that works (and fits)

Use short, conventional phrases that aid scanning. A few examples you can adapt:

• We’ve moved.
  Alex Chen & Priya Nair
  Flat 3B, 28 Kingfisher Court
  St Margaret’s Road, Twickenham
  TW1 1AA
  New address from 14 March 2026
• New address
  The Chen-Nair Family
  5 Oak House, Penryn Gardens, Bristol BS8 1AB
  Phone numbers unchanged • Best by text
• Come and find us
  Previously: 12 Whitfield Place, SW1A 1ZZ
  (Scan for map) [QR code spot]

Less is more (especially on A6)

If your card is small, prioritise the essentials and move extras elsewhere (e.g., add the moving date to the envelope flap, or share a map link by message). A crisp, high-contrast font and generous line spacing will do more for readability than squeezing in a sixth line of copy.