A UK traveler selling their inherited house to travel long-term faces a practical problem: where should their bank address be when they don't have a UK home? The dilemma highlights challenges nomads face with banks that won't accept PO boxes, concerns about putting relatives' addresses down, and the hidden administrative barriers to location-independent life.
Posting to r/digitalnomad, the traveler explained their situation: after years as a live-in carer for their father, he passed away in 2024. The inherited house is now sold, and they're finally pursuing long-delayed travel plans. But without a UK home, where should their bank address be?
The options seem limited:
1. Use a sibling's address — but what are the legal implications? 2. Get a virtual mailbox service — but will banks accept it?
Both options create complications.
The Sibling Address Problem
Using a relative's address isn't illegal, but it creates potential issues:
Council tax: UK local councils charge based on occupancy. If mail suggests someone else lives at the address, it could trigger questions about whether the property should be taxed as multi-occupant.
Electoral roll: Registering to vote at an address where you don't live is technically illegal (though rarely enforced for mail-only registration).
Credit applications: If you apply for credit using your sibling's address, lenders may contact residents to verify you live there, creating awkward situations.
Insurance implications: Your sibling's home insurance might be affected if they're receiving mail for a non-resident.
One commenter noted: "My brother let me use his address and it was fine until he tried to remortgage and the bank asked why someone else had credit cards registered there."
The Virtual Mailbox Problem
Services that scan and forward mail seem perfect for nomads, but UK banks often reject them. Financial Conduct Authority regulations require banks to verify customers' residential addresses, and many explicitly prohibit PO boxes and mail forwarding services for individuals (though they accept them for businesses).
Some nomads use services like UK Postbox which provide a physical street address, not a PO box. These have higher acceptance rates, but banks can still reject them if they identify the address as a mail forwarding service.
The Revolut Question
The traveler mentioned already having a Revolut account and being told to rely on digital banks. But there's a critical limitation: Revolut and similar neobanks aren't protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the same way traditional UK banks are.
If Revolut fails, your savings may not be protected. For long-term travel savings, most financial advisors recommend maintaining at least one traditional bank account.
What Actually Works
Experienced UK nomads shared their solutions:
Parents' or siblings' addresses with clear communication: "I use my mum's address. I told her upfront, she knows I don't live there, and she just forwards important mail. It's been five years with no issues."
Maintaining a UK residence for part of the year: Some nomads return to the UK for 2-3 months annually and rent a room during that time, using it as their official address.
Professional mail forwarding services with street addresses: These cost £150-300/year but provide legitimate addresses banks usually accept.
Full transparency with banks: Some nomads inform banks they're traveling long-term, update their address to a relative's, and set up online banking exclusively. As long as they're reachable and can verify identity, banks often accommodate.
The Bigger Issue
This isn't just about banks. The same address problem affects:
- Health insurance (many policies require a UK residential address) - Driver's license renewal - Voting registration - Pension contributions - Government correspondence
One commenter summarized: "The system assumes everyone has a fixed address. If you don't, you're essentially invisible to bureaucracy — which sounds freeing until you need healthcare or to renew your passport."
The traveler's situation is increasingly common as remote work enables location-independent lifestyles. But the infrastructure hasn't caught up. Until governments and financial institutions create pathways for the officially homeless-by-choice, nomads will continue navigating grey areas between creativity and compliance.
