Register to vote
If you want to have your say in national and local elections then you need to register to vote. Not being registered to vote can also have a negative effect on your credit rating.
You can register to vote if you are 16, a British or Irish Citizen or meet other qualifying criteria. See the Government’s website for more information on who can register to vote in elections in the UK.
You can register to vote on the Government's website - This is the fastest way of registering.
Before you register you will need to know your national insurance number. If you do not have a national insurance number, or have lost it, please contact us.
Usually within three to six weeks of the Electoral Registration Officer receiving your application your name will be added to the Register of Electors as long as your details can be correctly verified.
We will write and confirm that your name has been added to the Register.
Your name and address will appear on the ‘Open Register’ which can be viewed by members of the public, unless you choose to opt out during the registration process.
If you change your name or move house then you will need to re-register to vote on the Government’s website.
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are required to keep the register of eligible voters up to date. From July each year, they contact every household to find out if the details on the electoral register are correct. This is called the annual canvass.
Your household may be contacted in different ways, such as by:
- post
- phone
- knocking on your door
If you need to update your details on the electoral register, it’s important that you respond as soon as you can. This means reminders don’t have to be sent, and someone does not need to visit you to get this information.
Online notification of changes can be made on the household response website. You will need the security codes from our email or forms to complete this.
Please note, adding your name, or the name of someone else, to the Canvass information we send does not count as a registration. You, and anyone else added, will still need to register to vote separately.
For information about our communication for the Annual Canvass 2026, read our Annual canvass 2026 page.