Living in a van does not remove the need for a workable relationship with a GP practice. Discuss where you are living or staying, how the practice can contact you and how care will work while you travel. A mailing address alone does not answer every question about a practice's catchment area or home visits.
England: registration does not require proof of address
The NHS registration guide for England states that ID, proof of address, proof of immigration status and an NHS number are not required to register. It explains that someone without a permanent address can use a temporary address or the surgery's address.
Contact a suitable practice and explain your circumstances. Ask how to complete the form, receive correspondence and confirm that registration has been accepted. The NHS page describes reasonable grounds for refusal and where to seek help if you have difficulty registering.
It also explains temporary registration and out-of-area registration. Discuss what an out-of-area arrangement means for home visits, urgent GP care and community services instead of assuming the same access is available everywhere you park.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Use the guidance for the country where you need care. NHS inform's Scottish registration guidance describes permanent and temporary arrangements and says a lack of identification or proof of address should not delay or prevent registration. Contact the practice about its process and the area it serves.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board's Welsh guidance likewise explains access without a fixed address or ID and how to approach a practice. For Northern Ireland, NI Direct's GP information describes checking the catchment area, registration forms and the Business Services Organisation's role if you cannot find a practice. Do not assume England's online form or administration applies unchanged across all four systems.
Prepare for continuity before a long trip
Ask your existing practice how to manage planned reviews, prescriptions, test results and appointments while away. Keep your contact details current and agree how sensitive correspondence should reach you. Do not wait until a medicine has run out or a result is overdue before discussing a travel plan.
If you are changing practice, give accurate information about the previous surgery so records can be matched. Keep useful details accessible to you without leaving medical information visible in a parked vehicle.
Registration is not an emergency-care plan
Know how to access urgent and emergency help where you are staying. Ask the practice about arrangements outside its opening hours and use the relevant local health-service guidance if you become unwell away from home. Do not delay urgent assessment while trying to resolve registration paperwork.
Sources checked on 25 October 2026. This guide explains administrative planning and links to national guidance; it does not determine eligibility or replace advice from the practice about your own care.
