Moving out of Downing Street – what happens when a PM has to leave and when will Rishi Sunak be expected to depart

With the general election just around the corner, it’s looking more and more likely that current Conservative PM Rishi Sunak will be saying goodbye to Number 10, following polls forecasting a Labour supermajority.

According to the government’s website, Downing Street has been the official residence of British prime ministers since 1735 and has three functions – the home of the prime minister and his family, their office, and a place for them to entertain guests, which have included various world leaders. 

But what’s the procedure for moving out of Downing Street, and how long does it take? In this article, we’ll answer some of the burning questions you have about how long Sunak will have to vacate Number 10.

While there’s no legal timeframe on how long Sunak and his family will have to leave, it’s expected to happen within a few days following the election. As Sunak has a number of properties elsewhere in the UK and overseas, the process should be relatively quick and easy.

Indeed, he may have already begun to discreetly move various items out of the property, as Norma Major did in 1997 after anticipating a Labour victory over her husband, Conservative PM John Major.

According to the Guardian, an advisory note from 2000 written by Alex Allan, who had been principal private secretary to John Major, said that Major was insistent no removal van should be seen on or near Downing Street.

It isn’t yet clear which removal company will have the honour of helping the Sunak family leave Downing Street for the final time. In July 2016, former Conservative PM David Cameron chose Movecorp, Simply Removals, and Harrow Green to assist in his departure. 

One workman had left the job sheet exposed to photographers, revealing that 330 boxes, 30 rolls of tape and three rolls of bubble wrap had been ordered by ‘Rosie’ (assumed to be Rosie Lyburn, Samantha Cameron’s assistant at the time).

When Sunak moved into Downing Street in 2022, vans from the company Bishop’s Move were spotted at the residence, with staff carrying various items through the door. Sunak and his family weren’t strangers to Downing Street, having previously lived there when Sunak was Chancellor under Boris Johnson.

Whether or not Sunak will make use of Bishop’s Move’s services again this week is anyone’s guess. It is likely that he won’t be staying at the property regardless, with him splitting his time between his family home and the official residence in his final few months as Chancellor as he wanted to be closer to his daughter’s primary school, in order for her to be able to walk to school by herself every day.

Despite Sunak and his family almost certainly having to move out, one resident who will be staying put is Larry the cat, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, who has resided at Downing Street since 2011 and is cared for by Downing Street staff.