Life Admin: Staying Organised · Lesson 5 of 8 · 11 min

Managing your accounts and recovery details

By the time you leave school you probably have dozens of accounts. Knowing which ones matter, and making sure you can always get back into them, saves a lot of stress.

Your email is the master key

The NCSC warns that if criminals get into your email they could reset all your other account passwords and get access to all your other online accounts.
That is why the NCSC recommends a strong and separate password for your email, and 2-step verification (2SV) on important accounts such as email and banking.
For strong passwords, password managers and 2SV set-up, see the AI and Digital Skills module. This lesson focuses on organising and maintaining your accounts.
Choose one long-term personal email as the recovery address for important accounts, not a school or university email that may close.

Make an account inventory

List your important accounts in your password manager or a private note (without passwords): email, bank, university portal, phone provider, government services, health insurance, cloud storage, social media and shopping.
For each, record which email and phone number it is linked to and whether 2SV is switched on.
The NCSC says a password manager can store passwords safely so you can use a unique one for each account, and it will only autofill on the correct website, which helps against fake sites.
The NCSC also advises you never save passwords in the browser on shared or public computers, such as library or lab machines.

Keep recovery details current

2SV codes are often sent by text or email, so if you change your phone number your codes go to the old number. Update your accounts before you stop using a SIM.
Moving abroad and getting a new local number? Add the new number to key accounts while you still have the old one, then remove the old one.
If you hold a UK visa, GOV.UK says you should update your UK Visas and Immigration account when your passport, name, phone number, email or address changes, because out-of-date details can cause delays when you travel.
Save backup or recovery codes that services offer when you switch on 2SV, and keep them somewhere safe that is not your phone.

Close what you no longer need

Old, forgotten accounts still hold your data. Delete accounts for apps and shops you no longer use, using the account settings of each service.
Before you leave school, move anything you want to keep out of your school account, such as projects, references and certificates. Ask your school when the account will close.
If an account is ever hacked, the NCSC's steps include contacting the provider, changing passwords, logging out all devices, switching on 2SV, warning your contacts and checking bank accounts.

Practise in real life

Tick each one off when you have done it.

Write an account inventory of your 10 most important accounts, noting linked email, phone number and whether 2SV is on.
Update the recovery phone and email on your three most important accounts if any are out of date.
Download or move any work you want to keep from a school account.

Remember

Your email unlocks everything else, so protect it most.
Keep a list of important accounts and what they are linked to.
Update recovery phone numbers before changing SIMs or moving abroad.
Delete accounts you no longer use.

Note: The point about schools closing student accounts after you leave is general; policies differ, so ask your school. Steps for deleting accounts vary by service. UKVI rules apply only to people with UK immigration status and were checked in October 2026.

Check yourself

1. Why does the NCSC say your email password is especially important?

2. You are moving abroad and getting a new phone number. When should you update your accounts?

3. Which email is best as the recovery address for your bank and main accounts?

4. According to the NCSC, where should you never save passwords in the browser?

5. GOV.UK says UK visa holders should update their UKVI account when which of these changes?