Home, health and car · UK

How often should you…? The UK home, health and car schedule

The NHS recommends an eye test every 2 years, and your dentist sets your check-up between 3 months and 2 years. A car needs an MOT at 3 years, then yearly. HSE advises a gas appliance service at least annually, and GOV.UK says test smoke alarms at least monthly. The table has the rest.

Last updated 17 Oct 2026 · Joel Lister, founder of Radar

Who this is for: anyone in the UK who wants the regular checks for their home, health and car in one place, with the official source beside each.

Who it is not for: medical advice for your own circumstances, which is your GP’s, optician’s or dentist’s to give, or the rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where the NHS screening pages describe England.

WhatHow oftenSource
Eye testEvery 2 years, or sooner if your optometrist advises itNHS
Dental check-upYour dentist decides: from 3 months to 2 years, and no more than a year apart if you are under 18NHS
ToothbrushEvery 1 to 3 months, or sooner if worn; a child’s every 3 months, or sooner if the bristles get damagedNHS Norfolk and Suffolk, NHS
Cervical screening (England)Every 5 years from 25 to 64; from 65 only if a recent test was abnormalNHS
Breast screening (England)Every 3 years for women from 50 up to their 71st birthday; first invitation between 50 and 53NHS
Bowel cancer screening (England)A home test kit every 2 years from 50 to 74; from 75 you can ask for one every 2 yearsNHS
AAA screening (England)Once, for men in the year they turn 65, unless an aneurysm is foundNHS
MOTBy the third anniversary of registration, then every yearGOV.UK
Tyre pressures and fluid levelsAt least weekly, with the tyres coldHighway Code
Car serviceNo official interval: it is the manufacturer’s schedule, in the handbook—
Gas appliances (home owners)Serviced at least annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer, as HSE strongly advisesHSE
Landlord’s gas safety checkEvery year, within 12 months of the last; it can be done up to 2 months early and keep the dateHSE
Smoke alarmsTest at least monthly; a one-year battery changed every year; a ten-year alarm replaced every ten yearsGOV.UK
Driving licence photocardRenewed every 10 yearsGOV.UK
Child passport (under 16)Valid for 5 yearsGOV.UK

Health: what the NHS says

  • Eye test. The NHS recommends having your eyes tested every 2 years, or more often if your optometrist advises it (NHS).
  • Dental check-up. It is not every 6 months for everyone. Your dentist suggests when your next check-up should be, based on your oral health: as short as 3 months or as long as 2 years, or up to a year if you are under 18. People with good oral health will probably need to go only once every 12 to 24 months (NHS).
  • Toothbrush. Replace it every 1 to 3 months, or sooner if worn (NHS Norfolk and Suffolk); a child’s every 3 months, or sooner if the bristles get damaged (NHS).
  • Screening. In England you are invited by letter while you are registered with a GP: cervical screening every 5 years from 25 to 64, breast screening every 3 years from 50 up to the 71st birthday, a bowel screening kit every 2 years from 50 to 74, and AAA screening once for men in the year they turn 65. The intervals and ages above are the NHS pages’ own; you can be invited sooner for some of them, and the invitation says when.

The car

The MOT is due by the third anniversary of the car’s registration and then every year; you can have it up to a month (minus a day) early and keep the same renewal date (GOV.UK). The Highway Code says to check tyre pressures and fluid levels at least weekly (Highway Code). No official page sets a service interval: it is the manufacturer’s schedule, in the car’s handbook or service book. The weekly and winter checks are on our car maintenance checklist, and keeping the MOT in date is on MOT reminder.

The home

HSE strongly advises home owners to have gas appliances serviced at least annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer (HSE); a landlord must have a gas safety check done every year (HSE). More on both in boiler service. Smoke alarms are tested at least monthly (GOV.UK): how, and why one chirps, is in how to test a smoke alarm.

Documents

A driving licence photocard is renewed every 10 years, and DVLA sends a reminder before it ends (GOV.UK); see driving licence renewal. A child passport is valid for 5 years (GOV.UK); fees and forms are in passport renewal.

What Radar does with this

  • Life setup asks: “When is your next eye test due?” Every two years is typical for adults, sooner if your optician says so. Radar reminds you 21 days ahead.
  • Life setup asks: “Any regular check-up, screening or review to keep on top of?” For you or anyone you look after. Keep it general: “Check-up” is enough, with no need to say what it is for or who. Radar reminds you 21 days ahead.
  • Life setup asks: “When is your car’s next MOT due?” It’s on your last MOT certificate, or on gov.uk’s MOT checker by registration. Radar reminds you a month ahead so there’s time to book. Radar reminds you 30 days ahead.
  • Life setup asks: “When does your driving licence photocard expire?” The photo needs renewing every 10 years. The date is in section 4b on the card. Radar reminds you 60 days ahead.
  • Life setup asks: “When is the boiler next due a service?” An annual service keeps many boiler warranties valid, and engineers book up before winter. Radar reminds you 21 days ahead.
  • Life setup asks: “When should Radar next remind you to test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms?” Pressing the test button once a month is the usual advice.
  • Life setup asks for each date once and puts it on your Radar ahead of time; when you mark it done, it moves on by its interval, so the next one is already there. If your dentist or optician gives you a different interval, change the repeat on the item to match.

Radar reads the calendars, task lists and CRM you connect, and the dates you give it. It writes back only when you press a button, and it never sends anything by itself.

Limitations and status

  • Radar keeps the dates you give it; it does not book appointments, and it does not know when the NHS will invite you for screening.
  • Your dentist, optician and car handbook set your own intervals: put in the date they give you.
Put the year’s dates in your calendar — free, no accountLook at a sample radar — no login

Also free: Radar Lite, the habit tracker on its own, for you and anyone 13 or over in the family.

Questions

How often should you have an eye test?

The NHS recommends every 2 years, or more often if your optometrist advises it. (NHS)

How often should you go to the dentist?

Your dentist decides, based on your oral health: from 3 months to 2 years, and no more than a year apart if you are under 18. (NHS)

How often should you change your toothbrush?

Every 1 to 3 months, or sooner if worn; a child’s every 3 months, or sooner if the bristles get damaged. (NHS Norfolk and Suffolk, NHS)

How often should you service your car?

No official page sets an interval: follow the manufacturer’s schedule in the handbook. The MOT is a separate test, due at 3 years and then every year. (GOV.UK)

How often should a boiler be serviced?

HSE strongly advises home owners to have gas appliances serviced at least annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. (HSE)

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Sources

Written by Joel Lister, founder of Radar · first published 17 Oct 2026. Radar is made by Neos Technologies Ltd.