How to register
How you register to vote has changed. Previously one person in every household was responsible for registering everyone else who lives at that address. Under new government rules each person is responsible for making sure that they are registered to vote.
Registering to vote means that you have a right to vote in elections and can also improve your credit rating.
Who can register to vote?
To be able to register to vote you must be
- Over 16 years or age (but you cannot vote until you are 18)
- A British, Irish, European Union or qualifying Commonwealth Citizen. For a ‘qualifying citizen’, this means a citizen who has leave to remain in the UK or do not require such leave.
A full list of eligible nationalities and which elections/referendums you can vote in can be found on the Electoral Commission website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.
How do I register to vote?
Everybody is responsible for registering themselves. If you are not registered, or have moved home recently you can register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
In order to register you need to provide your National Insurance Number and Date of Birth, so that your identity can be confirmed against Department of Work and Pensions records. This makes the electoral register more secure.
You can find your National Insurance Number on your National Insurance letter or number card, on official documents, such as payslips or P60s, or on letters about benefits or tax credits.
There are special arrangements for registration if you
- Are a patient in a mental hospital
- Are a remand prisoner
- Are a homeless person
- Wish to apply for anonymous registration (subject to a court order or attestation)
If this is applicable to you, you can find out more information on the Electoral Commission website or please contact us.
When will my name be added to the Electoral Register?
The electoral register is updated monthly between December and September; this is known as rolling registration.
The rolling registration process is regulated by a rigid timetable and there are deadlines for each month's alterations. This can mean you may be too late to be added in time to vote at an election.
There are no updates made to the register in October and November during the annual canvass period.