You are required to carry out house-to-house enquiries throughout the year1 you should have the necessary staff in place to carry out these visits.2   

The visits can be used for: 

• making enquiries with individuals who have not responded to an ITR
• identifying any changes to properties, such as new buildings or alterations to existing properties to help you to update your property database
• providing help to electors who need additional support or assistance to make an application to register or to respond to your enquiries

Data protection training should be included in training for all staff and canvassers who are carrying out house to house enquiries. This will help you to embed the data protection principles in your work and demonstrate compliance with data protection legislation.

More information on planning, training and the recruitment of staff, including canvassers can be found in planning for staffing to deliver the annual canvass. 
 

Encouraging participation

You have a duty to take such steps as you think appropriate to encourage the participation of electors in your area in the electoral process. In doing this, you must have regard to any guidance issued by the Electoral Commission.1  

Throughout the year you should work to identify people who are not registered and encourage them to register. You should also have specific plans to carry out registration activity in advance of scheduled elections or referendums.

You should have a public engagement strategy and registration plan which sets out your approach to identifying and targeting potential new electors.
 
Further information about encouraging participation is contained in our guidance on planning for registration and public engagement throughout the year. 
 

Role as a data controller

As ERO, you are a data controller with a statutory duty to process certain personal data to maintain the electoral register. Under data protection legislation you will need to be able to demonstrate that you comply with the principles of processing personal data, ensuring that it is processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner. 

Advice from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is that all data controllers will need to ensure that they are registered with the ICO. This means that EROs must be registered separately to their council. Under data protection legislation, a public authority must appoint a data protection officer (DPO) to advise on data protection issues. 

As ERO, you are not included in the definition of a public authority contained in Schedule 1 to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and you are therefore not required to appoint a DPO for the conduct of your duties; however, your appointing council must have a DPO in place and you should liaise with them over good practice in relation to data protection. A key element of data protection legislation is the increased focus on accountability and transparency when processing personal data. 

You must be able to demonstrate that you comply with your obligations under data protection legislation, ensuring that you process personal data lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner. The key to achieving this is to have and maintain written plans and records to provide an audit trail. You can find more information in our guidance What are the data protection considerations for an Electoral Registration Officer?

What resources do Electoral Registration Officers need to carry out their role?

It is important that you are supported to fulfil your role, given the range of statutory duties, and the seriousness of any breaches.1

The local authority that appointed you must provide the resources needed to discharge your statutory functions. Any expenses properly incurred by you in performance of your functions must be paid by the local authority that appointed you.2

Appointing a Deputy

You should ensure that your council approves the appointment of one or more Deputy EROs who can carry out the duties and powers of the ERO if you are unable to act personally.

Any deputies appointed should have the skills and knowledge required to carry out the functions that they have been assigned. Appointments should be made in writing and include clear details of the full or particular powers that the deputy is authorised to exercise on your behalf. In particular, it may be useful to appoint deputies to undertake quasi-judicial procedures, such as hearings of registration applications, objections and reviews. The acceptance of any such appointment should also be made in writing.

Unlike Returning Officers, the ERO cannot appoint a deputy themselves, unless the power to do so has been delegated to them by the council.3

If the position of ERO is vacant or the ERO is incapable of acting, any of the duties and powers of the ERO may be carried out by the proper officer of the council.4

The electoral registration team

The council that appointed you must provide officers to assist you in your statutory functions.5 You should consider how the council can provide the support required for your registration plans to be delivered. In particular, you should ensure that you have enough staff with the right skills in your team. For guidance on planning, training and recruitment of staff, see planning for registration throughout the year.

Budgeting for registration activity

As part of your annual planning process, you will need to consider what budget you require in order to carry out your statutory functions. The budget for registration should be settled between you and the council which appointed you, and that should be sufficient to allow you to fulfil your duty to maintain the register. 

This should include all activity involved in conducting the annual canvass. For further details on the necessary activities see our guidance on delivering the annual canvass.

You also need sufficient resources to maintain the register throughout the year to ensure that it remains complete and accurate. For further details see our guidance on planning for registration throughout the year.

You should properly account for the expenses of registration you incur and liaise with the council to agree a suitable accounting process and budget.

While we recognise the increasing budget pressures facing local authorities which force difficult choices between competing statutory services, a lack of resources does not exempt you from complying with the law. 

Your public engagement strategy and registration plan

This section of the guidance covers the need to put together a public engagement strategy, what your public engagement strategy should include and how you should go about implementing it. It also covers considerations for putting together a registration plan.

Why having a public engagement strategy and registration plan is important

You have a duty under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act 1983 to take all necessary steps to comply with the duty to maintain the electoral register and to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that all those eligible – and no others – are registered in it. To ensure that the quality of the register is maintained throughout the year it is important that you:

• identify and target any unregistered residents
• process any amendments to an elector’s current registration details 
• take steps to remove electors who are no longer eligible

Maximising the number of voters registered relies on an effective local public engagement strategy with robust processes behind it. A proactive approach is required throughout the year to identify people who are not registered and encourage them to register.

By encourage, we mean doing everything you can to encourage an application to be made before or after formally inviting someone to register.

In particular, you should have plans in place to carry out registration activity in advance of scheduled elections or referendums to reach electors and encourage them to register to vote.

Your public engagement strategy and registration plan should set out your approach to identifying and targeting potential new electors.

It is important that they remain living documents and you use all available data to keep them under review. 

The challenge of maximising registration takes place in the context of wider challenges for electoral registration, including voter disengagement, transient populations and the other registration challenges that exist in your area. The lessons you have learnt in addressing these challenges to date should be reflected in your updated public engagement strategy.

Public engagement includes:

• any forms, letters or emails you send directly to individuals or households
• phone calls, e-mails and direct face-to-face conversations with individuals
• local activity with partner organisations 
• contact with organisations such as schools, universities, landlords, housing associations and hostels
• press releases, media work and use of social media
• public awareness activity, including local advertising and publicity directly aimed at residents 

An effective local public engagement strategy should reduce the need for follow-up activity, free up resources and help to maximise the number of voters registered. You will need to build and maintain relationships with other teams from across the local authority for your public engagement work to be as effective as possible. These include: 

• IT
• communications and engagement professionals 
• other teams in the local authority who have contact with those residents less likely to be registered

You will also need to work with external partners. You should consider who these partners can help you to reach and how. You will need to ensure that they are engaged, have all the information they need, and understand the timings for any planned engagement work.  

What should my public engagement strategy include?

Your strategy should include:

• how you will identify and engage with potential target audiences (including hard to reach groups)
• details of the communication channels you will use to engage residents
• how you are going to work with internal and external partners to reach target audiences
• how you will raise awareness through advertising and the media
• how you will measure the success of your strategy

Identifying potential target audiences for public engagement

You should use data sources, such as data from your local authority and the census, to build a detailed profile of the make-up of your registration area. You should review this regularly and consider any additional data.

Your local authority may hold and regularly update demographic information about residents including:

• the sorts of activities they take part in
• the services they use
• their attitudes
• their communication preferences
• where different groups are clustered geographically

Some authorities also use consumer classification systems to identify the types of people in their area so that they can use their resources effectively to target groups with relevant information. 

Target groups may be distributed evenly across the authority, for example attainers, while others, such as students or private renters, may be concentrated in particular wards or neighbourhoods. 

This information may also be useful in your planning for the canvass. 

Research carried out by the Commission indicates that people from the following groups are less likely to be registered:

• younger people (under 35) 
• private renters
• people of Black, mixed or other ethnicity groups
• citizens of the European Union and Commonwealth
• those considered to be at the lower end of the social economic scale grades

Our research also shows that the registration of young people and, in particular, attainers, remains a challenge. The inspection of local authority education services data may provide you with information which could assist with the identification of potential electors who may be eligible to be registered as attainers.

Your engagement strategy should include how you will engage with attainers in your area. Working with schools and colleges in your area to target these potential electors should be a key area of your public engagement activity. You may also be able to draw on your own or others experiences of engaging with young people to date and use any lessons learnt to inform your future plans.

It might be helpful to contact other authorities with similar target groups in order to share experiences and understand what has worked for them in practice. You should continually review the demographics of your registration area to identify further groups that are under-registered.

Communication channels for engaging residents

You should consider whether the communication channels you use during the canvass, at scheduled polls and in your wider registration work, enable you to reach your target audience(s) effectively. 

You should regularly evaluate these channels to determine what worked well and what was less successful.

Direct contact with residents

Direct contact is an important element of your public engagement strategy and you should promote the channels residents can use to contact you including:

• letters
• telephone conversations
• text messages
• emails
• door-to-door visits
• social media channels

Your experiences during the last canvass and your ongoing wider registration work will have given you a good indication of which areas respond quickly to written communications and which are more likely to require personal visits. You can use this information to inform your plans for the canvass. For example, in areas that do not respond well to written communications it might be a better use of resources to undertake personal visits earlier in the process compared to other areas.

Any letters and emails you send must be easy to understand and carry clear messages about what the recipient needs to do and how they can do it. 

You should use the template wording that the Commission provides in its forms and letters guidance which reflects results of user testing.

You can give an invitation to register by electronic means, including by email. This means that rather than sending potential electors an invitation to register with a voter registration form and a return envelope. You can (where you have an elector’s email address) encourage them to register online by emailing them an ITR with a link to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

This option should be reflected in your strategy and wider registration plans.

For your public engagement strategy and registration plan, you will need to have established the practical process for writing out to residents for the canvass, including timings. You will also need to consider timings for your public engagement activity that supports the canvass, which should include any potential opportunities to link to any wider national or local voter registration activity

For example, National Democracy Week, which aims to increase the number of people who understand and take part in the democratic process, is one such opportunity. Depending on when you issue your canvass communications, you may be able to capitalise on this and the accompanying national publicity, to drive canvass responses and raise awareness among under-registered groups. 

We will keep you updated with our plans for National Democracy Week via our EA Bulletin. You should also ensure that you are subscribed to our Roll Call newsletter which contains the latest information about promoting voter registration and our partnership work. 

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government  has made available resources that you can use to promote registration activities you have planned during this year. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Education make secondary schools resource available and has a Youth Engagement Toolkit for parliamentarians to use with young people in their areas.

Managing responses and enquiries from individuals

Your public engagement strategy and registration plan need to address how you will sufficiently resource all the methods that the public can use to contact the local authority.

You should review the effectiveness of your resourcing throughout the year to inform future planning. 

The canvass and other public engagement activity that residents come into contact with will prompt higher levels of queries and questions, so it’s important that you provide sufficient support for residents who make contact by telephone, by email or in writing.

Providing telephone support is important because many residents will have difficulties accessing the internet or understanding written material. Residents will also expect to be able to e-mail queries, talk to someone face-to-face or write letters to the ERO. Face-to-face contact may include speaking to local authority frontline such as in libraries or leisure centres or the corporate contact centre. 

If you provide other methods for residents to contact you, such as Facebook, Twitter, web-forms, and text messages, you should review how effective these channels have been in responding to queries, and also the volume of queries you have received through these channels. A high volume of queries received through one channel could require additional resources in the future or if, for example, you received a significant number of queries through certain channels such as web forms, this could indicate high usage of your local authority website but may also suggest that the information provided there could be clearer in order to mitigate queries.

How to plan resources needed to respond to enquiries

To plan levels of resourcing you should consider:

• the peaks for demand for public information which are likely to occur following public engagement activity, for instance following the issue of canvass communications and in the run-up to registration deadlines
• what level of enquiries you received during peaks in registration activity
• increasing resources at your existing call centre or outsourcing responses, for example, using a specialist call centre
• the effectiveness of your approach during the last canvass and scheduled polls, and whether you need to do anything differently
• what contingencies you can put in place if enquiries are much higher than expected (you should test your contingency arrangements to ensure that they are robust)

Directing residents to online registration (www.gov.uk/register-to-vote) and providing clear and easy to navigate information about registration on your website will help to reduce the burden on your public information response lines. 

The better the information available and the easier it is to access, the less people should reach for the telephone. 

You should regularly review the volume of queries you receive through each channel.

Establishing an agreed response time for enquiries

You should establish a fixed timeframe in which responses will be made where queries cannot be dealt with immediately, so you can let the enquirer know when they may expect to receive an answer. 

For example, you could set up an automatic response to e-mails letting the enquirer know you will get back to them within 48 hours. You could also include answers to frequently asked questions with this automated response, together with links to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and to the absent voting forms on your website. 
 

Working with partners to reach target audiences

Working with partners, inside and outside the local authority, is key to delivering your registration plan and promoting public awareness. Internal and external partners may be able to identify residents who are entitled to be registered, but do not have an entry in the register. 

External partnerships can be established at every level, from individual community leaders to national businesses. 

Partnerships also need to be built internally within the local authority and with organisations that provide services for the local authority. Council departments or organisations that are in regular contact with residents, for example those delivering meals on wheels or providing domestic care, could be approached to promote the completion of applications. It is important to identify and build relationships with the correct point of contact in each case.

Partnerships should be free, with each side getting a mutual benefit for entering the partnership. However, some costs may be incurred for example, for the production of materials for partners to use with residents.

Approaching partners about supporting registration

You will need to approach potential or existing partners about the possibility of them supporting your registration work. To an extent, you will need to ‘pitch’ your request to them to ensure that it has the highest chance of getting them on board, particularly as they may have requests from other organisations. 

First, research the best time for your approach – will they, for example, be busy at a particular time with another priority?  

You will also need to ensure your proposal contains ideas of how they could help, and how helping would be beneficial to them and to the people they work with. This will have a higher chance of getting them on board, particularly as they may have requests from other organisations. 

Not all organisations and individuals will be in a position to get involved; it’s important to accept this and where possible consider alternatives.

You will also need to support partners throughout any activities to increase the likelihood of them remaining engaged.

How to set up a new partnership

When setting up a partnership you may want to have a telephone conversation or face to face meeting particularly for larger partnerships, where the following points should be addressed:

• explain why the partnership is beneficial to both parties 
• agree the level of support the partner will offer
• understand the mechanisms they will use for reaching their audience
• agree whether any materials will be needed and, if so, who will be producing them
• agree what messages they will use in communicating with their audience
• agree what information they will provide on how the audience can respond or where they can get more help
• agree who at the local authority will be available to answer the partner’s questions
• be clear about timings and when messages need to change
• establish regular communications 
• ensure that if things are not going as planned they are open to stopping the activity and, where relevant, returning materials
• agree an approach to evaluation of the activity

Working with existing partners

As well as identifying potential new partners, it is important to build on any existing partnership arrangements you have established. This could include those who:

• have previously supported registration work
• are in regular or significant communication with your target audiences
• have good relationships with target audiences and have previously worked with the local authority, but not on registration
• have good relationships with target audiences and have never worked with the local authority
• have a high profile in the local area among broad audiences

Where you identify that you wish to continue working with an existing partner, you should review the partnership and identify whether there is anything you could do differently with them to achieve better results. If this partnership activity has resulted in an increase in the registration levels of your target group, you should feedback success to your partners, which may encourage them to undertake further work with you.

Some examples of partners you may want to consider include:

• Service providers - for example, housing associations, home care services, schools, further education colleges.
• Other governmental organisations and local authority teams – for example, parish councils, housing services, social services.
• Influential individuals – for example a prominent student landlord, local celebrities, politicians, political parties and candidates.
• Community groups and charities – for example, a boxing club, Neighbourhood Watch, over-60s social groups
• Private companies and organisations – for example, a large local employer, gym, dentist, estate agent.

You won’t be able to work with everyone, so as well as evaluating the value added by existing partners during the last canvass and at scheduled polls, you should consider:

• who will best reach your target groups
• the practicalities of working together
• any other local factors

It may be beneficial to categorise your list of partners, identifying which partners will require help to deliver detailed activity, and those who have agreed to simply relay or promote registration messages.

Partnerships that may take a large amount of time to set up and reach a small number of people may still be worthwhile if the people they reach are high on your target list and are unlikely to be engaged in other ways. 

Similarly, an organisation that works with residents who are not on your target list, but reaches a huge of residents and is committed to taking time to spread your messages could at least be considered.

It is also important to plan for working with politicians and political parties throughout the year so that they understand how the registration process works. Candidates and their supporters can extend your registration reach by promoting registration during their electoral campaigning. If candidates, parties and politicians are not engaged, there is a risk that the messages and information they provide could be wrong or incomplete.

Partnership risks

Risks should not stop you working with partners, but they should be captured in your risk and issues register and you need to identify mitigations against these risks. 

Some potential risks include:

• The partnership results in wide-scale complaints – for example, if a partner engages in political campaigning there may be a perception that the ERO is not politically neutral
• The partner misrepresents your message - do they understand the relationship and their responsibilities? Do they understand and keep to the message you want to get across to residents and to what extent does it matter if they don’t? Are they clear when the work ends, or when the message changes?
• The partner does not carry out the work they agreed - is this risk more significant because you have put time and money into the relationship? Perhaps they misunderstood the workload, or find themselves with an unexpected priority, or perhaps they start to incur additional costs and expect re-imbursement
• Registration fatigue – initial enthusiasm might fade so it will be important to try to maintain momentum in any partnership work, including by keeping up communication and providing feedback
• The cost outweighs the benefits - you may produce comprehensive materials and the organisation does little to help support your registration work

You should consider developing lines to take in the event a partnership organisation attracts negative press which might implicate your local authority.

You should evaluate how effective you were at mitigating any risks when working with partners. These learning points should be reflected when updating your engagement strategy to help inform your approach to future partnership working.

Data protection considerations when working with partners

You need to be able to demonstrate that all information obtained, whether from internal or external partners, complies with the principles of processing personal data, ensuring that it is processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner.

You should ensure that any partners assisting electors to complete applications are aware of data protection principles before handling any personal data. 

External organisations from whom you are obtaining personal data, for example, universities and care homes, will hold personal data on their students and residents respectively and are likely to be data controllers in their own right. 

Although data protection legislation does not require a written agreement when sharing data between data controllers, it is strongly recommended that you agree with your partner a data sharing agreement to help you both demonstrate that you are acting in accordance with data protection legislation

Our guidance on data protection for EROs and ROs contains further information on data protection considerations and a checklist to support you in developing a data sharing agreement.

Raising awareness using advertising and media

Public awareness activity, such as advertising and working with the media, is an important part of public engagement. As ERO, you have a general duty to promote participation and you will need to undertake advertising of your own as far as is possible. 

Your public engagement strategy should ensure that your public awareness raising activity is co-ordinated to take place at key points during the canvass and in the period leading up to scheduled polls and should document any planned use of:

• local authority newsletters
• website
• bus shelters
• poster sites or notice boards
• social media
• media relations tools

Getting the public to take action

If the communications you produce are aimed at getting people to do something, a call to action is fundamental to success. A call to action is a statement that lays out what you want the audience to do next – for example, register online. Without it, people won’t understand what they should do, or if it is unclear or buried in other information it may well be ignored. 

Calls to action should:

• be written succinctly, clearly telling people what to do
• use active instructive language (‘Visit www.bigtown.org.uk for more information' is better than 'interested parties can find further relevant details at the Council’s website')
• be visually prominent in the document - for example, in larger text, a different colour and with space around it to draw people’s attention to it

The Commission previously undertook research with the public, led by Ipsos Mori, to establish which communication messages best motivated and engaged people to take action. 

The research findings showed that the following key elements were motivating:

• 'Voting matters' (many people do not distinguish voting from registering)
• loss aversion (the implication that you stand to lose something if you don’t register)

Timing is crucial to ensuring that people don’t get so accustomed to messages that they switch off, so you may want to consider limiting the use of some channels to the periods where they will have most impact.

Using local authority owned media channels

You should continue to consider the best places to display your advertising. Buying media (advertising space) such as outdoor poster sites and press advertisements can be prohibitively expensive. More inexpensive options such as community newsletters or local listings magazines may also be out of reach.

You may, however, have a range of local-authority-owned channels available to you, for example:

• local authority residents’ magazine
• internal staff newsletters
• local authority-owned vehicles
• local authority-owned poster sites
• local authority buildings
• bus shelters and billboards
• notice boards
• social media channels

You should undertake an audit of potential owned media and consider the reach and frequency for each option. This will help you to establish how much of your target audience would be exposed to the activity and the number of times they would be exposed to the activity.

You should keep any information up to date and relevant and check for any changes since activities were last undertaken.

Your local authority website can also be used as an additional low-cost media channel. You should ensure that your web content is up-to-date and includes links on key pages to external websites, such as www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.

How could I make use of social media channels?

Social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and others provide an inexpensive opportunity to raise awareness and can be used for responding to public queries.

Ongoing promotional work is required to build the numbers using your social media channels.

Interesting, amusing, urgent or engaging messages are more likely to be shared by users and reach a wider audience. Posts should be made at key times, for example, at the start of the canvass, to ensure maximum impact.

Think about how external events could provide a hook for social media activity. For example, we have previously made a series of electoral registration Valentine’s Day-themed tweets on 14 February.

Social media also offers opportunities to immediately see the impact of your work. For example, how many times a Facebook post is liked or shared, or how often a tweet is retweeted.

However, social media has limitations – for example, social media channels may in many cases be limited to those who are already engaged with the local authority.

Events and street marketing opportunities

You should consider holding events that involve face-to-face contact with people, for example at an event such as a road show or at a stall in a shopping centre, to boost awareness. Novel activities at existing community events can draw attention and you can promote them in advance. Notify the press ahead of events to attract their attendance and achieve further media coverage.

Events and street marketing can be useful for targeting under-registered groups by bringing information to them. 

You could supply posters and leaflets to draw attention to your stand. Then forms can be collected on the spot or facilities provided to make online applications. This also gives the public opportunity to ask about anything they do not understand. 

It has been shown that an individual is more likely to take action if they can do so straight away. 

Think about the locations that provide an opportunity for people to register then provide information at those points to influence people into taking action to register. 

For example, you may want to display reminders on library computers, at job clubs where computers for CV writing are provided, or in free computing skills classes.

Using paid for advertising

Media is typically bought in the weeks and months before a campaign is due to go live. 

You will need to hold conversations early on to establish the deadlines for buying advertising media, and for supplying artwork. There are also likely to be technical requirements for the supply of artwork.

You may buy individual sites from media owners, or work with a media buying agency to select the best media to meet your objectives and target audiences. 

What are the channels and who could they reach?

• Radio – reaches lower income residents and young adults, as well as those in more rural areas; segmented audience can be reached by appropriate stations
• Online – less useful for lower income households; reaches under-24s and students particularly through social media. Most capable of targeting specific groups
• Newspaper – potential to reach lower incomes, particularly in certain titles
• Magazines / newsletters – target specific local areas or community groups
• Advertorials (promotional articles) for local press and websites – could be used to carry more detailed information
• Outdoor – useful to reach target audiences by locating in areas with high density and passing footfall; potential to reach students; billboards and buses can provide high frequency of views
• Mobile advertising vans – can deliver messages to geographic areas with high densities of your target audience
• Event sponsorship – potential to reach young people and BMEs

What are the other considerations when using paid for advertising?

Buying advertising space is expensive so you should consider the following factors:

• Total reach – the number of relevant people expected to be exposed to an advertiser’s message at least once in a specified time
• Frequency – the number of times a member of the audience is exposed to a message in the specified time
• Cost – The cost of reaching one thousand people or of reaching your target market

When establishing the reach and frequency you may, for example, want to consider if it’s better to have fewer adverts on a larger radio station than lots of adverts on a small radio station and whether a high reach campaign in a local newspaper running for one day is better than a low reach campaign in a community magazine that lasts a month.

Think carefully about your target audiences before accepting any special offers from media owners. Ask why the price is reduced – it may be that the space does not have a proven ability to reach your audience.

Getting others to spread the message (earned media)

By actively working with the media, you have greater influence on the types of messages they carry. 

People’s likelihood to register will be affected by the messages they hear in the press and news. Media relations activity provides an opportunity to get your message on the news agenda and raise the profile of your work. 

You may not be able to control public opinion, but you can supply messages that are more likely to reassure people and reduce negative coverage that could deter people from registering. 

Suggested activity may include:

• issuing press releases ahead of key events, such as at the start of the annual canvass 
• giving interviews for radio and television
• holding publicity-generating events

Ensuring communication materials are accessible and impactful

When producing communication materials you should ensure that they emphasise key messages and have a layout that supports clarity and impact. Clear and concise writing has a much higher chance of reaching as many people as possible and ensures the recipient will understand what they need to do.

Communications that provide information in the way the reader wants to receive it are more likely to have greater impact.

You should identify whether there is someone in your local authority who has expertise in writing for the public, plain English or website accessibility, or if possible staff could undertake relevant training.

Not everyone will understand the communications and may need further help or reassurance, so contact details of where the reader can get help should be included.

For further information, see our factsheet on producing accessible communications.

Monitoring and evaluating the success of your public engagement strategy

Evaluations are essential for measuring the effectiveness of a project and demonstrating achievements

Your engagement strategy and registration plan needs to be updated to reflect findings of your monitoring and evaluation. You should update it to reflect lessons learnt from work you have already undertaken and to include any new information about your registration area.

This information will help to continue to refine the picture you have of the demographics of your area, confirm what the key challenges for engaging with your residents are and measure which activities are most effective in engaging with different target audiences

You should outline how you will monitor and evaluate how effective your public engagement activity and tactics to engage your target groups were during the last canvass, at scheduled polls, and in your ongoing activity to maximise registration. Did you reach your target audience?

Measuring the success of your engagement activities

In order to evaluate the success of an activity, it is important to have clear, measurable objectives and any evaluation measures should relate back clearly to the initial objectives.

It is likely that a variety of methods will be needed to evaluate a project. To identify the most appropriate methods to use for evaluation you should define the questions to be asked to form the evaluation and consider how these questions might be answered. 

There are a variety of methods that can be used to assess the effectiveness of your activity, some of which might be behaviour-based (what people have done, what has actually happened) and some of which might be perception-based (what people believe to have happened). 

The following are some mechanisms for collecting evidence to support your evaluation:

• recording feedback from the public at events or via your website
• recording the level of responses as a result of the activity
• recording the number of enquiries on the subject
• recording the number of hits to the website requesting information 
• recording any feedback provided on social media
• distributing evaluation questionnaires or feedback forms at the end of an event
• conducting a public opinion survey to determine whether the public were aware of your activity, their thoughts about it and whether they took action as a result
• conducting pre-activity and post-activity surveys to determine whether people’s knowledge and awareness of registration and the process has increased as a result of the activity
• interviews with stakeholders to determine what they thought of the activity
• focus groups held with residents to gather feedback – potentially as part of other events 

It is also important to attempt to measure:

• environmental factors or background noise: to what extent is increased participation the result of your activity or of some other factors?
• the base case: i.e. what would have happened in the absence of the activity?
• the number of relevant people who were exposed to the activity
• the number of times people were exposed to the activity
• any increases in the number of people taking action, such as registering to vote
• any positive feedback from participants in a scheme
• whether people’s understanding of the process has increased
• any increase in requests for information

The evaluation plan needs to set out who will participate in the evaluation and who is responsible for the various parts of the evaluation.

Monitoring of progress and evaluation should be carried out at the end of each key stage of registration activity to ensure activities are effective and remain appropriate. 

While it is important to undertake evaluation as extensively as possible, consideration should be given to the resources allocated and the cost of evaluation should be proportionate to the cost of the project. 

You may not be able to evaluate everything in the detail you would like and you should set out any limitations to the evaluation in your plans, including any potential risks to the reliability and validity of the evaluation and findings.

Your evaluation plans should identify relevant stakeholders, such as other local authorities, who may be interested in the evaluation and with whom the findings should be shared. 
 

What is the relevant date?

You must determine applications for registration based on whether an applicant meets the requirements for registration and whether or not they are disqualified from registration on the relevant date.1 The relevant date varies depending on the way the application is made:

• for an application on a paper form it is the day the application is made,2 i.e. when the form including all the required information is completed by the applicant 
• for online applications it is the date the IER Digital Service records the application as being made, the electronic date stamp will be included on the information sent to you
• for telephone and in-person applications (which are allowed at your discretion) it is the time that all the information required for the application has been recorded and the applicant has declared the truth of the information

Regardless of the relevant date on a paper application, you must have received the application to register form by the appropriate deadline for it to be determined and included in the next update to the register. 
 

What are the residency requirements for registration purposes?

A person must be resident, on the relevant date, at the address at which they want to be registered.1 Residence has a particular meaning in electoral law and is not equivalent to residence for other purposes such as income tax or council tax.

Normally a person is resident at an address for electoral purposes if it is their permanent home address.

When making a determination on someone’s residence, you need to consider the circumstances of the applicant, including the purpose they are present at a particular address for and/or the reasons they are absent.

What is a qualifying address for electoral registration purposes?

The qualifying address is the address a person is entitled to be registered at. The applicant or elector must be deemed resident at this address in accordance with electoral legislation.

The register must include the qualifying addresses of those persons registered in it,2 subject to certain exceptions, including overseas and anonymous electors. More detailed information on these exceptions is available in our guidance on special category electors.

Which electors are exempt from the residency requirement?

Certain categories of electors have special provisions entitling them to register despite not meeting the residence requirement. These electors include:

• service voters 
• anonymous electors
• overseas electors

On submission of the relevant declaration together with their application to register to vote, such electors will be deemed to meet the residence requirement. Our guidance on special category electors provides further information on these types of electors and the process by which they can register.

Does unlawful occupation of grounds or a property prevent registration?

Unlawful occupation of grounds or a dwelling does not disqualify a person from registering there if it is determined that this is their permanent residence. As a result any issue regarding tenancy, ownership or legal occupation of the property by the applicant must be disregarded in determining whether or not the residence requirement has been met.

Does temporary absence or presence affect residency?

Being resident for registration purposes does not require actual occupation of the qualifying address on the relevant date.1

Being away on holiday    

Going away on holiday does not affect a person’s residence qualification for electoral registration purposes as long as the qualifying address remains their permanent place of residence and they intend to return to that address after their time away. 

Working away from home

Someone being away due to any office, service or employment, will not affect their residence qualification, as long as either:2  

• they intend to resume actual residence within a period of six months from when they gave up residence, and the reason for their absence will not prevent them from doing so, or
• the property is a permanent place of residence for the applicant alone or with others and the only reason the applicant is not currently at the property is because of the duty they are undertaking

Residents in temporary accommodation

A person in temporary accommodation with no other home elsewhere may, depending on the circumstances, be considered to be resident at that address. If, however, the person does have a permanent home elsewhere, they may not be deemed to be resident at the temporary address.3  

Guests

A guest staying at a property does not become resident if they have a permanent home elsewhere. The guest will be deemed to be resident at their permanent home. However, a guest who does not have a permanent home elsewhere may, depending on the circumstances, be regarded as being resident for electoral purposes at that address. 
 

Can electors register to vote at more than one address?

Some electors may be entitled to register at more than one address. When considering an application to register a person at a secondary address you should take into account the purpose for which the elector is present at that address, to establish if they may be deemed resident there. You should consider each case on its own merits.

When coming to a determination you need to consider that:

• a person may have more than one home, but property ownership is not sufficient to establish that someone is resident at an address - it is unlikely that owning a second property which is visited only for recreational purposes would meet the residency qualification
• owning and paying council tax on a property alone is not sufficient to satisfy the residence qualification, this may give an indication of connection to an address but is not evidence of residence 
• how the second home is used will affect whether or not someone may be considered to be resident at an address, i.e. is this where the ‘main business of life’ is being conducted? 
• temporary presence at an address does not make a person resident there
• temporary absence does not deprive a person of their residence

In each case, a person would need to be able to demonstrate their degree of permanency at both addresses. Each decision must be made on a case-by-case basis. 

Students

Students often live at two different addresses, one during term time and one during the holidays. Students are entitled to register in respect of both addresses if you consider that they have their permanent home at both places.1
 


  

Can a patient in a mental health hospital register to vote?

A person admitted as an in-patient in a mental health hospital or other establishment maintained mainly for the reception and treatment of persons with a mental health problem may be registered at the hospital/establishment, if the period they are likely to spend there is sufficient for them to be regarded as resident there.1
 
Patients in mental health hospitals are also entitled to be registered by making a declaration of local connection at:2  

• the address at which they would be living if they were not a patient 
• an address where they used to live before they became a patient

A person in a mental health hospital may still be considered resident at their permanent home if their stay in hospital is not long enough for them to be able to be regarded as resident there or for them to be able to register through a declaration of local connection.3  

More information on making and processing declarations of local connection can be found in our guidance on special category electors. 

Patients in mental health hospitals who are convicted offenders and are legally incapable of voting are not entitled to be registered.4  
 

Can prisoners register to vote?

Convicted persons detained in penal institutions are not entitled to be registered because they are legally incapable of voting. However, it is possible that in some limited circumstances, a prisoner may meet the criteria to register to vote.

Can a prisoner on remand register?

A person who has been remanded in custody (but is not a convicted prisoner) who is detained in a penal institution or some other place for custodial purposes, may be deemed to be resident there for registration purposes, if the period of detention is sufficient to enable them to be regarded as being resident there.1
 
A remand prisoner may also choose to register by making a declaration of local connection at:2

• the address at which they would be living if they were not a prisoner on remand
• an address where they used to live before they became a prisoner on remand

A remand prisoner may still be considered resident at their permanent home if their stay at their place of custody is not long enough for them to be able to be regarded as resident there or for them to be able to register through a declaration of local connection.3

Can a convicted prisoner released on temporary licence register?

Convicted persons detained in penal institutions are not entitled to be registered because they are legally incapable of voting. However, it is possible that in some limited circumstances, convicted prisoners who have been released on temporary licence may meet the criteria to register to vote. In these cases, the person’s place of residence should be determined in the ordinary way. 

Our guidance provides further information on the registration options available for prisoners on remand and patients in mental hospitals.
 

What are the nationality requirements to register to vote?

General provisions

An individual’s citizenship is one of the factors that determines which, if any, elections in the UK a person is entitled to be registered to vote at.

If an applicant is unsure regarding any aspect of their nationality, they should be advised to contact the Home Office. You should point out to them that they need to be sure of their nationality before applying – knowingly providing false information on an application is an offence, punishable on summary conviction by up to six months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.1

Registration of British citizens

British citizens fulfil the nationality qualification for registration in respect of all elections in the UK.1
 
Marriage to a British citizen does not automatically mean someone becomes a British citizen. Being born in the UK does not automatically confer British citizenship either. If an applicant is unsure whether they are a British citizen, they should contact the Home Office to make sure that they meet the nationality qualification before applying.

Citizenship ceremonies

Citizenship ceremonies are the final stage of attaining British citizenship. However, an invitation to a citizenship ceremony is not in itself proof of citizenship.
 

Can a Commonwealth citizen register to vote? 

Qualifying Commonwealth citizens are entitled to register as Parliamentary and as local government electors provided that on the relevant date they also fulfil the age and residence requirements for registration and are not subject to any other legal incapacity.1  

Citizens of Commonwealth countries other than the United Kingdom are not eligible to register as overseas electors.2  

Qualifying Commonwealth citizen3  

A person is a qualifying Commonwealth citizen if they do not require permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man or they do require permission to enter or stay in the UK but have been granted such permission, or are treated as having been granted such permission.

Any type of permission to enter or stay is acceptable, whether indefinite, time limited or conditional.

Commonwealth citizens temporarily in the UK and pending removal

The Home Office have advised that Commonwealth citizens who are temporarily in the UK pending removal, are not in the UK legally whilst arrangements for their removal are being made. As these citizens do not have permission to enter or stay they are not eligible to register to vote.

*Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in respect of all elections held in the UK.

Citizens of Commonwealth countries that have been suspended from the Commonwealth retain their voting rights. Their voting rights would only be affected if their country was also deleted from the list of Commonwealth countries in the British Nationality Act 1981 through an Act of the UK Parliament.
 

How do you process an application from a citizen of Cyprus?

For registration purposes, the whole of Cyprus is considered to be a Commonwealth country and you should not be concerned with the political situation of the island. If there is any doubt as to whether a person from Cyprus should be registered, they should be asked to provide confirmation that they are Cypriot, such as a Uniform Format Form (Opens in new window) with a UK visa, UK residence permit showing Cypriot nationality, or other appropriate evidence. Registration as a Cypriot national cannot be based solely on a Turkish passport.

Can a citizen from the British Crown Dependencies register to vote?

The British Crown Dependencies consist of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands including Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Herm and the other inhabited Channel Islands.

Citizens of the British Crown Dependencies who are resident in the UK are considered to be Commonwealth citizens for the purposes of electoral registration. However, unlike Commonwealth citizens, they may register as overseas electors. 

Data protection considerations for the provision of nationality information 

Data protection legislation does not affect the requirement for nationality information to be provided on an application. However nationality data is classed as special category of personal data because it may reveal an individual’s racial or ethnic origin. 

Data protection legislation prohibits the processing of special categories of personal data unless an additional lawful basis beyond those for the main purposes of processing data are met. The appropriate lawful basis for processing special categories of personal data for electoral purposes would be that it is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest and with a basis in UK law.

Additionally, the Data Protection Act 2018 requires that in order to process nationality data – whether as part of an application to register, or in relation to staff appointments – you must have in place a ’Policy Document’ which, amongst other things, must explain:

• the procedures for complying with the data protection principles
• the policies for retention and erasure

Your policy document will need to reflect your local procedures and policies for the processing, retention and erasure of personal data. 

This policy document must be:

• kept until six months after the processing ceases
• reviewed and updated at appropriate times  
• made available to the ICO on request

Our data protection guidance for EROs and ROs contains further information on special categories of data and the need for a policy document. The guidance also highlights the need to ensure that a Privacy Notice is published on your website before carrying out any collection of data.

Your powers to request further information

If you are not satisfied that an applicant or elector is eligible to be registered, you have the powers to request documentary evidence from them in regard to their residency, date of birth and/or nationality.

You also have the general power to require any third party to provide information about any aspect in relation to a person’s entitlement to be registered.1

You separately have the power to require information from any other person for the purposes of maintaining the register.2  Failure to respond to a request for information could lead to a £1,000 fine.3 Where you formally request information you should make clear the maximum fine they may incur if they do not respond.

If any fee is payable in connection with the production of the evidence you require, you must pay the fee and treat it as part of the registration expenses paid by the local authority.4

Guidance on the use of this power to verify applicants who cannot provide any of the information required on an application is contained in our guidance on the exceptions process.
 

Requesting evidence of residency at a particular address

If you are not satisfied that an applicant or elector is resident at a particular address, you can ask them to provide further information.1 For example, you may have local knowledge that suggests that the applicant is not resident. While it will be in the interest of the elector or applicant to respond, you cannot require them to provide you with this information. Where they do not respond and you cannot obtain this information through other means, you may put their application on hold or review their registration.

You could also use your power to require information from any other person for the purposes of maintaining the register2  in regard to an applicant or elector’s residence in some circumstances, for example, you could require those in charge of multiple occupation establishments to provide you with information on residents. 

Requesting evidence of someone's date of birth

Date of birth checks form part of the application verification process. 

If you are not satisfied as to any applicant or elector’s age, you have the power to require the applicant or elector to provide documentary evidence confirming their date of birth.1  You can ask for the following evidence that will help you decide whether or not someone satisfies the age criterion:2  

• a birth certificate
• a certificate of naturalisation
• a document showing that a person has become a citizen of another Commonwealth country (although this may, in some cases, not include a date of birth)

If someone does not know their date of birth, there are certain documents you can require them to submit to you under the exceptions process. You also have the power to request additional evidence in order to verify the identity of an applicant.

How does legal incapacity affect the right to register to vote?

A person subject to a legal incapacity to vote cannot be included on the register of electors.1

Peers

Peers who are members of the House of Lords2 are disqualified from voting at UK Parliamentary elections and therefore are not entitled to be registered in the UK Parliamentary register of electors. They do, however, qualify to be registered in the local government register of electors as they are not disqualified from voting in local government elections.3

A full list of members of the House of Lords can be found on the House of Lords website. Alternatively, the Information Office at the House of Lords will be able to assist with enquiries by email or can be contacted by telephoning 0800 223 0855 or 020 7219 3107.

Detained convicted prisoners

Detained convicted prisoners who have been found guilty of an offence (excluding contempt of court) and are detained in prison (except for detention in consequence of non-compliance with a non-custodial sentence) are not legally capable of voting and therefore not eligible to be included in the register of electors. This applies whether the person is in prison or unlawfully at large.4

It is possible in some limited circumstances, convicted prisoners who are released on temporary licence may meet the criteria to register to vote, given that such prisoners may not be detained within the meaning of section 3 RPA 1983.

Convicted offenders detained in a mental health hospital 

Convicted offenders that are detained in a mental health hospital (or are unlawfully at large) are not legally capable of voting and therefore cannot be included in the register of electors.5

Persons found guilty of electoral offences

Persons found guilty of:

• the corrupt practice of personation
• found guilty of a corrupt practice relating to applications for postal and proxy votes

are legally incapable of being registered to vote for five years from the date of the conviction or the report of an election court.6

Persons found guilty of:

• knowingly voting or applying to vote when subject to a legal incapacity to vote
• knowingly appointing a proxy who is subject to a legal incapacity to vote
• knowingly voting as proxy on behalf of someone who is subject to a legal incapacity to vote
• multiple voting (both as an elector or a proxy)

are legally incapable of being registered to vote for three years from the date of the conviction or election court report:7

There may be some occasions where a court does not impose any further incapacity to register to vote or mitigates or ends any existing incapacity. You will therefore need to make a determination on a case-by-case basis, having regard where possible to any judgments or court reports. A successful appeal against a conviction would also remove the legal incapacity.

How does mental capacity affect the right to register to vote?

A lack of mental capacity is not a legal incapacity to vote.1 Persons who meet the other registration qualifications are eligible for registration regardless of their mental capacity.

Voting rights

While electors with any level or no level of mental capacity may be registered to vote, the decision as to whether and how to vote at an election must be made by the elector themselves and not by any other person on their behalf. Those who care for or who otherwise make decisions on behalf of a person may not make decisions on voting.

For more information on the registration of patients in mental hospitals see our guidance.

This section contains guidance on who can make an application to register as an overseas elector and how an application can be made.

To be eligible to register as an overseas elector an individual must meet either the previously registered or previously resident eligibility conditions and pass identity verification checks.

The previously registered condition applies to a person who was previously registered to vote in the UK, either before they left the UK or as an overseas elector and the previously resident condition applies to a person who was previously resident in the UK (including those who left the UK before they were old enough to register to vote).

The guidance covers the actions you should take as ERO to carry out both stages of processing these applications. It includes guidance on how to carry out checks of further information to be able to be satisfied that an elector meets the eligibility conditions for overseas electors and passes the identity verification checks, through use of the IER digital service, local data matching, and where necessary the exceptions and attestation processes.

It also covers absent voting arrangements for overseas electors and how overseas electors will be shown on the register of electors.

The Representation of the People (Overseas Electors) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 commenced on 16 January 2024. 

In addition to the expansion of the franchise for British citizens living overseas and changes to eligibility conditions, the new provisions also change the renewal cycle for overseas electors. 

Following commencement, transitional arrangements will be in place to cover the change to the renewal cycle from every 12 months to every 3 years for existing overseas electors. 

You should ensure that applications and renewals received while the transitional arrangements are in place are date stamped to enable you to tell when an overseas elector application or renewal has been received. Overseas elector applications made online will be electronically dated and time-stamped when received into the ERO Portal (EROP). You should date stamp paper applications upon receipt so that you have an audit trail of which applications were received.

This will enable you to process the application or renewal in line with the guidance contained in this section.

Overseas electors with existing postal votes

Postal voting arrangements in place for overseas electors made before the 31 October 2023 will end no later than the period of registration remaining on their existing declaration (which will not exceed 12 months). You will need to contact the elector before their declaration expires to advise them that they will need to reapply for a postal vote. Our guidance on Absent vote applications made outside of the overseas elector renewal cycle has more information.

Individuals can make a new application to register as an overseas elector:

• online via the central government website - www.gov.uk/register-to-vote 
• by providing the necessary information in writing (e.g. on a paper form)
• telephone (if you offer the service)

Online applications

The online application portal is hosted on GOV.UK. If you have an email address for a potential elector you could, in the first instance, use it to encourage them to submit an online application or issue an application by electronic means.

Existing overseas electors who are renewing their registration can provide their declaration in any format, so a letter, email or paper application form are acceptable.1 Our guidance on the renewals process for existing overseas electors has more information on this.

Paper applications

We produce printable overseas elector application forms which you can use. They are published on our website and on GOV.UK. We also provide versions of the forms in a range of accessible formats, such as large print and easy read.

Telephone applications

For the benefit and convenience of electors, you should offer this service wherever possible. This will also help you meet your duties under the Equalities Act 2010, as people who may have difficulties completing a paper or online application will have the opportunity to apply without the need to provide the information in writing.

If you are unable to provide telephone applications for all, you may allow these at your discretion in certain circumstances, and you should do so to assist disabled applicants in order to help as many electors as possible register to vote and to meet equalities obligations.
 

An application to register as an overseas elector must contain all of the following:

• the applicant’s full name1  
• the applicant’s date of birth or, if they are unable to provide this, the reason why and a statement as to whether the applicant is under 18 years old or aged 76 or over2
• the applicant’s National Insurance number or, if they are not able to provide this, the reason they are not able to do so3
• an indication of whether their name should be omitted from the edited register4
• if the application is accompanied by an application for an anonymous entry, a statement of that fact5
• a declaration that the contents of the application are true6
• the date of the application7
• the appropriate declaration (the details of the content of the declaration are listed below).

The declaration must include:8

• the full name of the person making the declaration9
• the applicant’s present address (to be used for correspondence)10
• a statement that the applicant is a British citizen11
• a statement that the applicant is not resident in the UK on the date of the declaration12
• a statement as to whether the applicant is seeking to be registered based on the previous registration condition or the previous residence condition13
• a statement that the applicant believes the matters stated in the declaration to be true14
• if they have a British passport which describes their national status as a British citizen, the number, date and place of issue of that passport – even if that passport has expired15
• if they do not have such a passport but were born in the UK before 1 January 1983, a statement of that fact16  
• if they do not have such a passport and were not born in the UK before 1 January 1983, a statement of when and how they acquired British citizenship, together with the date, place and country of their birth17
• the date of the declaration18   

If an applicant's has a correspondence address that is different from their present address they may provide both addresses in their declaration. You may maintain a record of both the present and correspondence address but only the present address is published on the list of overseas electors.  For more information, see our guidance on How should overseas electors be listed in the register?  

A declaration received later than three months after it is dated must be rejected.19 The applicant should be informed and invited to submit a fresh declaration.

Depending on the qualifying condition the applicant is applying under, the application must contain additional information either related to the previously registered or previously resident condition as appropriate.

Applicant is using the previously registered qualifying condition

If the applicant is using the previously registered qualifying condition, the declaration must also include the following:

• the last UK address at which they were registered20  
• when they were last included on a register there21  
• a statement that the applicant’s entry in that register ceased to have effect and that they have not been included in any electoral register since (whether in respect of that or any other address)22   
• if they have changed their name since they were last registered, their previous name and the reason for the change of name23
• an indication if the applicant was previously registered via:24  
  • an overseas elector’s declaration
  • a service declaration 
  • a declaration of local connection

If an applicant states on their declaration that they were simultaneously registered in respect of two addresses before they left the UK, you should advise the applicant to nominate one of these as part of their application to register.

Applicant is using the previously resident qualifying condition

If the applicant is using the previously resident qualifying condition, the application must also include the following:

• the UK address at which they were resident25
• when they were last resident there26  
• a statement that since being resident at that address, the applicant has not been resident at any other address in the UK27   
• if they have changed their name since they were last resident, their previous name and the reason for the change of name28  
• If they were younger than 18 when they left the UK29 (the applicant may provide documentary evidence or information as evidence as part of their declaration)30  

If the applicant is using the previously resident qualifying condition, on the basis that they could have made a declaration of local connection in respect of an address,31 the following information must be included in the declaration:

• the address in respect of which the applicant could have made a declaration of local connection on the last day on which the applicant was resident32  
• a statement as to which category of declaration of local connection applied33  and, if the category of declaration of local connection was as a mental health patient, the name and address of the hospital34
• if they have changed their name since they were last resident at the address at which they could have made a declaration of local connection, their previous name and the reason for the change of name35

A person may apply to be an anonymous overseas elector if they meet the qualifications for both overseas and anonymous elector registration1

Anonymous domestic electors must reapply to register on an annual basis. However, as an overseas elector entitlement lasts for three years, overseas electors who wish to register anonymously may reapply for an anonymous entry on the register each year without having to reapply to register as an overseas elector.2

Anonymous electors must provide their qualifying address for their overseas application in their application to be registered anonymously.

Anonymous registration applications may be submitted electronically (by email) but cannot be submitted via the online application portal. However, all anonymous renewals must still contain a wet-ink signature. Digital signatures, as written by a stylus or similar device, may not be used.

Anonymous overseas electors will be listed differently in the register to other overseas electors. For more information, please see our guidance on how anonymous electors appear in the register.

For more information on the requirements of anonymous registration, please see our guidance on anonymous electors. 
 

This section contains guidance on the actions you should take as ERO to process a new application to register as an overseas elector. 

There are two types of verification that must be carried out before you can determine an application. 

You must:

• verify that the applicant meets the condition of being previously registered or previously resident at the address provided in their application
• verify the applicant’s identity 

The applicant will either have provided an address at which they were previously registered or an address at which they were previously resident. You can find further information in our guidance on Eligibility conditions for registering as an overseas elector.

This section provides guidance on the information you can use to be satisfied that the applicant qualifies under either condition, and on how you should verify an applicant’s identify.

All applications and declarations including any documentary evidence should be processed as soon as possible after receipt.

If you receive an application where the qualifying address falls outside your area, you should forward it to the relevant ERO without delay.

There is no legal requirement for an application to be acknowledged, although you do have discretion to send an acknowledgement if you wish. In all cases, you are required to send a confirmation of whether the application is successful or not. Our guidance on confirming applications and declarations has more information on this. 
 

For an applicant to qualify to register under this condition, they must have been previously resident in the UK and not have been previously registered. 

If you have reason to believe that an applicant may have been previously registered at any time then a residency application should be rejected and the elector should be advised to apply in respect of the last address at which they were registered, even if they have since been resident elsewhere.  

If you are satisfied the previously resident condition applies, rather than the registration condition, an applicant is required to provide the last address at which they were resident in the UK. This is in addition to the need to verify the applicant’s identity.

You must be satisfied that an applicant was previously resident at that address.1 You can use any additional information available to you to assist you in being satisfied that the applicant meets the previously resident condition. Our guidance on Carrying out checks of further information to satisfy the eligibility conditions for overseas electors has more information. 

If after you have carried out the checks of other information available, you remain unable to be satisfied that the applicant meets the previously resident condition, you can reject the application.
 

This section contains guidance on the other sources of information you can use to check that an applicant meets the eligibility conditions.

The sources of information you can use include:

• the results of the automated match against DWP records
• other locally-held records
• any documentary evidence provided by the applicant at the time of application, or requesting evidence where it hasn’t already been provided
   

In order to complete the identity check that is also required for an overseas elector to register to vote, information contained in an application to register is sent to the DWP for matching.

This will include a check of the postcode for the address at which the applicant was previously registered or previously resident.

A positive DWP match may therefore provide you with sufficient evidence to be satisfied that the applicant can be linked to the previous address provided in their application, as well as providing verification of their identity. 
 

Local data matching can provide you with further information which you can use to make a decision as to whether to allow a new application.

Matching against local data allows you to use data sources to:1

• inform your decision as whether you are satisfied that an applicant meets either the previously registered or previously resident conditions
• verify an applicant’s identity

Local data-matching should only be used if you are satisfied that the data sources available to you can satisfy the requirements of the task. 

Our guidance on Deciding whether to use local data for verification and Potential data sources for local data matching contains more information about local data matching. 
 

If you request further documentary evidence from an applicant, you should list the types and quantity of evidence that can be provided. You may also set a deadline date for the applicant to respond. A deadline will be helpful when deciding to reject an application because no response has been received. The time given to respond is at your discretion; however, it should allow the applicant reasonable time to locate and provide the relevant documents.

If an applicant cannot provide the quantity and types of documentary evidence you have requested, they should be asked to provide an address attestation in support of their application.
 

You may use documentary evidence to determine an applicant’s entitlement to register under the previously registered or previously resident condition.1

Different evidence is required for applicants who left the UK before turning 18.

You may also require documentary evidence of any name changes from when an applicant was previously registered or previously resident.

Documentary evidence can be provided by an applicant at the point of their application or in response to a request from you when you are processing their application. 

You must be satisfied that an applicant satisfies the criteria of having been previously registered or previously resident under which they have applied before you consider any evidence to support the application. For example, if you have reason to believe that an applicant applying using the residency condition should be applying under the previously registered or residency condition in a different local authority area, you should reject their application and tell them to reapply in the area that meets the legislative criteria.

Documentary evidence may be uploaded alongside an online application or delivered to your office by hand, by post or as an attachment to an email. Any copies of documents provided by applicants should be stored securely in the same way as application forms. For more information see our guidance on the retention of information submitted with applications.

You should be satisfied that copies provided to you appear to be genuine. Where you have doubt as to whether a document is genuine, you may ask the applicant to provide original documents or alternative documentary evidence. Where original documents or alternative documentary evidence is not available, you should direct the applicant to the address attestation process or reject the application.

Where documentary evidence does not appear to be genuine, you should advise the applicant of the penalties for supplying false information and inform your police Single Point of Contact (SPOC) where you suspect that false information may have been supplied.

For more information, see our ERO guidance on document authenticity checks.
 

If you decide that additional evidence is needed for you to be satisfied that an overseas applicant was previously registered or resident in respect of the relevant address given in their application, you may request the applicant provides a document which meets the evidential requirements.1 The evidential requirements are that the document must show the full current or previous name of the applicant2 and the relevant address.3  

You may choose to accept any document that meets the evidential requirements if you are satisfied that it demonstrates that the applicant was previously registered or resident. Where the document provided is a copy (or original, if requested) of any of the documents listed here, and meets the evidential requirements, you must accept them.4 These documents are:

• a driving licence granted in the UK (including an expired licence)
• an instrument of a court appointment, such as a grant of probate or letters of administration
• a letter from the Office of the Public Guardian confirming the registration of a lasting power of attorney
• a letter from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
• a council tax demand letter or statement
• a rent book issued by a local authority
• a statement of benefits or entitlement to benefits, such as a statement of child benefit, within the meaning of section 141 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, or a letter confirming that the applicant is entitled to housing benefit, within the meaning of section 130 of that Act
• a letter from the DWP confirming the applicant’s entitlement to a state pension
• a letter from a school, college, university or other educational institution which confirms the attendance of, or the offer of a place for, the applicant at that institution
• a letter from the Student Loans Company
• an official copy of the land register entry for the relevant address or other proof of title for the relevant address
• a solicitor’s letter confirming the purchase of, or confirmation of the land registry registration of, the relevant address
• a Form P45, Form P60, reference or payslip issued to the applicant by their employer or former employer
• a bank or building society passbook or statement, or a letter from a bank or building society confirming that the applicant has opened an account with that bank or building society
• a credit card statement
• a utility or mobile telephone bill
• a letter from an insurance provider

There are some categories of applicants who can provide alternative documents that meet the evidential requirement. These are:

• applicants who were previously registered or resident (or could have been) through a declaration of local connection
• applicants who were previously registered as a service voter or merchant seaman
• applicants who were previously registered as the spouse or civil partner of a service voter
• applicants who were previously registered as an overseas elector and, prior to leaving the UK, were registered through a declaration of local connection, as a service voter or as a merchant seaman

Applicants who left the UK before turning 18 are required to provide different evidence to demonstrate that they qualify to register as an overseas elector. For more information see our guidance on using information or documentary evidence to check qualifying condition of applicants who left the UK before turning 18. 
 

You may require an applicant to provide an address attestation where you consider that additional evidence is necessary to be satisfied that an applicant has a previous connection to the relevant address.1

An address attestation must:2

• confirm that the applicant was resident at the relevant address3
• give an indication of the dates between which, to the best of the qualifying attestor’s knowledge, the applicant was resident at that address4
• be in writing and signed by the qualified attestor5  
• state the qualifying attestor’s full name, date of birth, occupation, residential address and (if different) the address at which they are registered as an elector6  
• state7
  • where the qualifying attestor is registered as an overseas elector, the attestor’s British passport number together with its date and place of issue or
  • where the qualifying attestor is registered as a domestic or service voter, the attestor’s electoral number [or, if the qualifying attestor is registered in Northern Ireland, the applicant’s Digital Registration Number (DRN)]
• include an explanation that the qualifying attestor is able to confirm the applicant met the relevant requirement, including (but not limited to) the qualifying attestor’s connection to the applicant and the length of time that that connection has existed8
• include an indication that the qualifying attestor is aware that it is an offence to provide false information to the registration officer9  
• include a declaration by the qualifying attestor that all information provided in the attestation is true10
• state the date on which it is made11

Where you require an applicant to provide an address attestation, you should write to them to communicate the legislative requirements for an address attestation. You could either design a form containing the necessary legal statements and requirements for an attestation or set out the detail of the requirements in a letter to the applicant. The AEA have developed a template that you could use. 

You could set a deadline date for the applicant to respond. This will help you if you decide to reject an application because no response has been received. The period of time given to applicants to respond is at your discretion. However, you should allow a reasonable amount of time for the applicant to source and return their attestation.

An attestation may be delivered to your office by hand, by post or by electronic means, such as email. If the attestation is sent electronically, the signature of an attestor must be a photograph or scanned image of a handwritten wet signature attached to an email.

You can also require an address attestation for particular categories of elector where you consider that additional evidence is needed. Specific information needs to be included in the address attestations for these categories of elector:

• those who were treated as resident at a particular address as a merchant seaman12
• those previously registered as a service voter or overseas elector
• those previously registered via a declaration of local connection, or those who would have been entitled to register via a declaration of local connection, on the last day on which they were resident in the UK

For more information on the requirements of address attestations for these particular categories of electors, see our guidance on:

• Requiring additional documentary evidence as to a declaration of local connection
• Requiring additional documentary evidence from applicants who were previously service voters or non resident merchant seaman
• Requiring additional documentary evidence from an applicant who was previously registered as the spouse or civil partner of a service voter
   

Is the address attestation for an overseas applicant valid?  

When you receive an address attestation, you must assess whether it is valid.

You should do this by checking whether the attestation is complete and that the attestor meets the requirements to be a qualifying attestor.

Is an address attestation complete?

If the answer to all these questions is yes, then the applicant has provided a complete attestation. If one or more of the questions are answered with a no, then the attestation is not complete and the applicant must be directed to ask the attestor to supply the missing information.

If an attestor cannot supply the missing information, the applicant should be told that they must seek an attestation from another source, or their application will be rejected. You could set a deadline date for this. This will help you if you decide to reject an application because no response has been received. The period of time given to applicants to respond is at your discretion. However, you should allow a reasonable amount of time for the applicant to source and return their attestation.
 

For address attestations, qualifying attestors must:1

• be aged 18 or over2
• confirm they are not the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild of the applicant3
• be registered as an elector4
• not have already signed address attestations for two other applicants since either the last publication of the revised register or when the attestor was first added to the register, whichever is the most recent5  

Where an attestor is a domestic elector they must be:

• a person of good standing in the community6

You should advise the applicant that an attestor is not permitted to charge for providing an attestation.

Good standing

There is no precise definition of good standing; however, for the purposes of an attestation, you should consider it to mean someone who has credentials that can be checked and would suffer professional or reputational damage if they were to provide a false attestation. The list in the table below is not definitive but is intended to illustrate which professions could be described as of good standing:

It is important to note that an unemployed/retired person who is of good standing in the community is not precluded from attesting an application.

You must judge each attestation on its individual merits rather than apply a blanket policy.

Is the qualifying attestor registered to vote?

Attestors of an elector’s address must be registered to vote.7 If the attestor’s qualifying or registration address is in the same local authority area as the applicant, you should check your electoral register to confirm whether the attestor satisfies this condition.

If the attestor’s qualifying or registration address is not in the same local authority area as the applicant, you should contact the attestor’s ERO to check if the attestor fulfils the conditions.

Has the attestor already provided address attestations for two individuals within a prescribed period?

Attestors are limited to signing address attestations for no more than two individuals in any one electoral year (normally from 1 December to 30 November), or since their entry was added to the register in that local authority area, whichever is the shortest period.8 You must be satisfied that an attestor has not exceeded the limit. 

Where the limit has been reached, you should reject the attestation for this reason. This does not prevent the applicant from seeking another attestation from a different elector. You should process attestations in the order they are received.

If the attestor fulfils all the conditions, the attestation should be accepted, and you should record this against the elector’s record. This will then count towards this elector’s total allowable address attestations.
 

An applicant may choose to provide documentary evidence of their own previous residence at a qualifying address. Our guidance on Acceptable evidence for applications made under the previously registered or previously resident condition has more information about the type of documentary evidence that can be provided.

If you are unable to be satisfied by documentary evidence, you may require the applicant to provide an attestation. Our guidance on How to use the address attestation process for an overseas elector application has more information.

In addition to this, applicants who were younger than 18 when they left the UK may make an application under the previously resident condition by demonstrating their connection to their parent or guardian who must have been previously resident at their qualifying address on the last day. 

The applicant may include in their application:

• the full name of a parent or guardian of the applicant who was resident at the relevant address on the last day
  • if the full name of a parent is provided, the applicant must also provide a copy (or original, if appropriate) of their own birth certificate which includes their date of birth and their parent’s name
  • if the full name of a guardian is provided, you must request that they provide a copy (or original, if appropriate) of evidence that confirms that the person named was their guardian when they left the UK
• in respect of each parent or guardian, an indication that their parent or guardian was registered at the applicant’s qualifying address

Where an applicant provides a birth certificate or other documentary evidence demonstrating their connection to a parent or guardian and their name on that evidence differs from their current name (or their name at the point they were last registered, which will be supplied under a separate declaration requirement), you should require the applicant to provide an explanation as to the difference in name (if known). 

Where an applicant provides documentary evidence and the name of any nominated parent or guardian differs from the parent or guardian’s name at the point the applicant was last resident, you should require an explanation as to the difference in name (if known). 

You should use the information provided to carry out an electoral register check at the qualifying address to verify if the parent or guardian was registered there.

If you can locate the parent/guardian’s entry on the electoral register at the qualifying address and you are satisfied that the documentary evidence demonstrates the applicant’s connection to the named parent/guardian you can process the application.

If you are not able to find an applicant’s parent or guardian’s entry on an electoral register at the relevant address it doesn’t necessarily mean that the applicant was not resident. 

You may request further documentary evidence of applicant’s own previous residence at the qualifying address. Or if you are unable to be satisfied that the applicant’s previous residence at the qualifying address can be demonstrated via a register check for the parent/guardian or by documentary evidence, you may require the applicant to provide an attestation. 
 

This section applies where an applicant was previously registered via a service declaration1 or was registered on the basis that they were treated as resident at a relevant address (non resident merchant seamen).2

If after requiring the applicant to provide documentary evidence, you remain unsatisfied that an applicant was previously entered in an electoral register in respect of the relevant address, because either:

• the applicant has been unable to provide a document from the list of acceptable evidence3 that must be accepted
• you have received alternative documents that meet the evidential requirement but you remain unsatisfied

you can require the applicant provides either:

• additional documentary evidence
• an attestation of registration status made by a qualifying attestor 

Additional documentary evidence

This evidence must be either a copy (or original) of any documents which:

• show the full name of the applicant4
• can be used to confirm that the applicant met the registration status requirement5

Attestation of registration status

Alternatively the applicant may supply an attestation of registration status from a qualifying elector6 which must include:

• confirmation of which of the registration status requirements7 the applicant met
• an indication of the dates between which, to the best of the qualifying attestor’s knowledge, the applicant met the requirement8  

The registration status requirement is that the applicant had a service qualification because they were:

• a member of HM forces
• employed as a Crown servant or a British Council employee

or that the applicant was registered via a declaration of local connection as a merchant seaman. 

Attestation of relevant address connection

If you remain unsatisfied after requesting additional evidence or an attestation of registration status from a qualifying attestor, you may require the applicant to make an attestation of relevant address connection.

The attestation of relevant address connection must include:

• confirmation that the applicant met the address connection requirement
• an indication of the dates between which, to the best of the qualifying attestor’s knowledge, the applicant met the requirement.

The relevant address connection requirement is:

• they would have been residing in the UK if they had not been serving as a member of the armed forces
• they would have been residing at the relevant address but for their occupation as a merchant seaman or they commonly stayed at the relevant address which was a hotel or club for merchant seamen during the course of their occupation as a merchant seaman 

This section applies where an applicant was previously registered via a service declaration as the spouse or civil partner of a service voter.

If after requiring the applicant to provide documentary evidence, you remain unsatisfied that an applicant was previously entered in an electoral register in respect of the relevant address, because either:

• the applicant has been unable to provide a document from the list of acceptable evidence1 that must be accepted
• you have received alternative documents that meet the evidential requirement but you remain unsatisfied

you can require the applicant provides either:

• additional documentary evidence
• an attestation of registration status made by a qualifying attestor

Additional documentary evidence

This evidence must be either a copy (or original, if appropriate) of any document which:2

• shows the full name of the applicant3
• can be used to confirm that the applicant met the registration status requirement4

You may also, in addition to or instead of the documentary evidence or attestation of registration status, require5 the applicant to provide a copy (or original, if appropriate) of a document which confirms:

• the full current or former name of the service voter and their qualification as a service voter6
• that the service voter is or was (as the case may be) the spouse, civil partner, parent or guardian of the applicant7  

Attestation of registration status

Alternatively the applicant may supply an attestation of registration status from a qualifying elector8 which must include:

• which of the registration status requirements9 the applicant met
• an indication of the dates between which, to the best of the qualifying attestor’s knowledge, the applicant met the requirement10  

The registration status requirement is that the applicant had a relevant service qualification because their spouse, civil partner, parent or guardian was a member of HM forces.

Attestation of relevant address connection

If you remain unsatisfied after requesting additional evidence or an attestation of registration status from a qualifying attestor, you may require the applicant to make an attestation of relevant address connection which must include:

• confirmation that the applicant met the relevant address connection requirement
• an indication of the dates between which, to the best of the qualifying attestor’s knowledge, the applicant met the requirement

The relevant address connection requirement is that they would have been residing in the UK had their spouse, civil partner, parent or guardian not been serving as a member of the armed forces.11   

Where an applicant’s declaration states that their name has changed since they were they previously registered or previously resident, you may require that they provide:

• appropriate evidence that confirms the difference of name1
• where an applicant has provided a document as evidence that they meet the previously registered or previously resident condition2 and the name on the evidence is different from the name they provided on their declaration, an explanation as to the difference in name3
• appropriate evidence that confirms the name change4  

Where an applicant was too young to be registered before they left the UK and have provided a document as evidence5 and their parent or guardian’s name on the document is different from the one stated in the application or declaration, you may require they provide either:

• an explanation as to the difference in name6
• a statement that the reason for the difference is not known
   

Any person making a new application to be registered must provide personal identifiers which are used to verify the applicant’s identity against DWP records. 

The verification of identity process is in addition to the verification required as to whether an applicant meets the eligibility conditions as an overseas elector to have been either previously registered or resident at an address in the UK.

The following information contained in the application will be checked against DWP records:

• Name
• Previous name (where relevant)
• Date of birth
• National Insurance number
• Postcode of the applicant’s qualifying address

Applicants who are not able to provide their National Insurance number but have provided a reason why they are not able to do so should be contacted and asked to provide documentary evidence1 which verifies their identity. 

Regardless of when an application for registration as an overseas elector is received, you must send the relevant information for verification matching against DWP data and take the results into account when deciding whether to allow the application.2  

If the applicant’s identity cannot be verified using DWP records, their identifiers may also be checked against local data sources.

If you are still unable to verify the applicant’s identity using local data sources, you may choose to:

• use any documentary evidence provided by the applicant at the time of application to verify their identity
• request the applicant provides documentary evidence which verifies that they are who they say they are

If you remain unable to verify the applicant’s identity after using the documentary evidence provided, you may require the applicant to provide an identity attestation or, in some rare cases, more than one attestation, or an attestation combined with documentary evidence. For more information see our guidance on the identity attestations process. 

Documentary evidence can be provided by an applicant at the point of their application or in response to a request from you when you are processing their application.

You may use documentary evidence to verify the identity of an applicant when:

• their personal identifiers cannot be matched against DWP records or local data sources
• they cannot supply some or all of the required personal identifiers

Documentary evidence may be uploaded alongside an online application or delivered to your office by hand, by post or as an attachment to an email. Any copies of documents provided by applicants should be stored securely in the same way as application forms. For more information see our guidance on the retention of information submitted with applications.

You should be satisfied that copies provided to you appear to be genuine. Where you have doubt as to whether a document is genuine, you may ask the applicant to provide original documents or alternative documentary evidence. 

Where original documents or alternative documentary evidence is not available, you should direct the applicant to the attestation process or reject the application.

Where documentary evidence does not appear to be genuine, you should advise the applicant of the penalties for supplying false information and inform your police Single Point of Contact (SPOC) where you suspect that false information may have been supplied.

For more information, see our ERO guidance on document authenticity checks.

Evidence required to successfully establish an applicant’s identity should refer to the applicant by name.

The types of documents that can be provided to establish an applicant’s identity for an application as an overseas elector are as follows:

• any one document from table 1
• one document from table 2 and two additional documents from either table 2 or table 3
• four documents from table 3 – all documents in table 3 must have been issued in the UK or a Crown Dependency, and must bear the applicant’s full name1

Table 1: Primary identification documents

         
Table 2: Trusted Government Documents 

         
Table 3: Financial and social history documents

        
For information on the retention period for documents received as part of an application, including under the exceptions process, and for what should be reflected in your document retention policy, see our guidance on document retention.
 

If you request further documentary evidence from an applicant, you should list the types and quantity of evidence that must be provided. You may also set a deadline date for the applicant to respond. A deadline will be helpful when deciding to reject an application because no response has been received. The time given to respond is at your discretion; however, it should allow the applicant reasonable time to locate and provide the required documents.

If an applicant cannot provide the quantity and types of documentary evidence set out in this guidance to verify their identity, they should be asked to provide an identity attestation.
 

Where an applicant (excluding those previously registered as service voter, merchant seaman or overseas elector) cannot provide documentary evidence of the type and quantity required by the exceptions process to prove: 

• their connection to an address under the previously registered condition
• their connection to an address under the previously resident condition
• their identity1  

you should write to them to communicate the legislative requirements for the appropriate attestation. See our guidance for more information on address attestations. 

You could either design a form containing the necessary legal statements and requirements for an attestation or set out the detail of the requirements in a letter to the applicant. The AEA have developed a template that you could use. 

If an applicant submits an attestation which contains all the required information for that type of attestation, you should accept it as valid.

You could set a deadline date for the applicant to respond. This will help you if you decide to reject an application because no response has been received. The period of time given to applicants to respond is at your discretion. However, you should allow a reasonable amount of time for the applicant to source and return their attestation.

An attestation may be delivered to your office by hand, by post or by electronic means, such as by email. If the attestation is sent electronically, the signature of the attestor must be a photograph or scanned image of a handwritten wet signature. 
 

Attestation is the final option in the verification of identity process. Applicants can only use attestation to establish their identity once all the other verification stages of DWP matching, local data matching (where appropriate) and the exceptions process have been undertaken and it has not been possible to verify their identity.1   

An identity attestation for an application to register as an overseas elector must:

• confirm that the applicant is the person named in the application2
• be in writing and signed by the qualified attestor3
• state the qualifying attestor’s full name, date of birth, occupation, residential address and (if different) the address at which the qualifying attestor is registered as an elector4   
• state– 
  • where the qualifying attestor is registered as an overseas elector, the attestor’s British passport number together with its date and place of issue5 or
  • where the qualifying attestor is registered as a domestic or service voter, the attestor’s electoral number6 [or, if the qualifying attestor is registered in Northern Ireland, the applicant’s Digital Registration Number (DRN)]
• include an explanation that the qualifying attestor is able to confirm the applicant is the person names in the application, including (but not limited to) the qualifying attestor’s connection to the applicant and the length of time that that connection has existed7   
• include an indication that the qualifying attestor is aware that it is an offence to provide false information to the registration officer8   
• include a declaration by the qualifying attestor that all information provided in the attestation is true9  
• state the date on which it is made10   

Is the identity attestation for an overseas applicant valid?

When you receive an identity attestation, you must assess whether it is valid.

You should do this by checking whether it is complete and that the attestor meets the relevant requirements to be a qualified attestor.

Is an identity attestation complete?

                                   
If the answer to all these questions is yes then the applicant has provided a complete attestation. If one or more of the questions are answered with a no, the attestation is not complete and the applicant must be directed to ask the attestor to supply the missing information.

If an attestor cannot supply the missing information, the applicant should be told that they must seek an attestation from another source, or their application will be rejected. You could set a deadline date for this. This will help you if you decide to reject an application because no response has been received. The period of time given to applicants to respond is at your discretion. However, you should allow a reasonable amount of time for the applicant to source and return their attestation.

For identity attestations, qualifying attestors must: 

• confirm they are not the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild of the applicant1  
• not have already signed identity attestations for two other applicants since either the last publication of the revised register or when the attestor was first added to the register, whichever is the most recent2  
• be aged 18 or over3   
• be registered as an elector4   

Where an attestor is a domestic elector they must be:

• a person of good standing in the community5    

You should advise the applicant that an attestor is not permitted to charge for providing an attestation.  

Good standing

There is no precise definition of good standing; however, for the purposes of an attestation, you should consider it to mean someone who has credentials that can be checked and would suffer professional or reputational damage if they were to provide a false attestation. 

The list in the table below is not definitive but is intended to illustrate which professions could be described as of good standing:

It is important to note that an unemployed/retired person who is of good standing in the community is not precluded from attesting an application.

You must judge each attestation on its individual merits rather than apply a blanket policy.

Is the attestor registered to vote?

Attestors of an elector’s identity must be registered to vote. If the attestor’s qualifying or registration address is in the same local authority area as the applicant, you should check your electoral register to check that the attestor satisfies this condition.

If the attestor’s qualifying or registration address is not in the same local authority area as the applicant, you should contact the attestor’s ERO to check if the attestor fulfils these conditions.    

Has the attestor already provided identity attestations for two individuals within a prescribed period?

Attestors are limited to signing identity attestations for no more than two individuals, in any one electoral year (normally from 1 December to 30 November), or since their entry was added to the register in that local authority area, whichever is the shortest period.6 You must be satisfied that an attestor has not exceeded the limit.7  

Where the limit has been reached, you should reject the attestation for this reason. This does not prevent the applicant from seeking another attestation from a different elector. You should process attestations in the order they are received.  

If an attestor fulfils all the conditions, the attestation should be accepted, and the attestor’s ERO should record this against the elector’s record. This will then count towards this elector’s total allowable attestations.  

If an individual successfully applies to register as an overseas elector their declaration is valid for up to 3 years. Each declaration will expire on the third 1 November following the date the individual’s entry on the register first takes effect, unless the elector has successfully renewed their declaration. Our guidance on the renewal of overseas declarations has more information on this. 

Registrations can be removed earlier in the following circumstances:

• cancellation of the declaration by the elector1
• you determine the person is no longer entitled to be registered2
• you determine the person was registered, or that their entry was altered, as a result of an application made by another person (i.e., not the individual whose details are provided on the application and who has declared that the information provided is true)3
• if another entry is made in respect of the elector in any register of electors4

An overseas voter may cancel their declaration at any time.5 The cancellation of an overseas declaration will also cancel any absent voting arrangement made in connection with that declaration, even if the elector then registers as an ordinary elector at the same qualifying address.

For guidance on removing an elector from the register, see our guidance on deletions.
 

A renewal declaration will confirm that the details held on the electoral register are accurate and will also provide an opportunity for overseas electors to provide updated correspondence details.

You are not required to check the identity of an elector making a renewal declaration.

Once an overseas elector is registered, they are unable to make a fresh application, unless their entitlement to register as an overseas elector has expired. If a registered overseas elector makes a fresh application before their registration has expired, you should ask them to instead complete a renewal declaration.

A renewal declaration must be in writing and include:

• the applicant’s full name
• the applicant’s date of birth
• a statement that the applicant is a British citizen
• a statement that the applicant is not resident in the UK at the date of the declaration
• a declaration of truth
• their qualifying (registered) address
• their current (overseas) address
• a statement confirming that since they were registered in respect of their qualifying address, no other entry has been made in any electoral register at any address
• a statement confirming that they are aware that it is an offence to provide false information1
• the date of the declaration

A declaration received later than three months after it is dated must be rejected.2 The applicant should be informed and invited to submit a fresh declaration.

A renewal may also contain the applicant’s email address and telephone number, but they are not a requirement. A signature is not required.

Electors cannot use the online application service to renew their declaration.

A renewal made by letter, email or paper application form is acceptable. Renewal declaration forms are not prescribed, however they must contain all the required information. Electors are not required to provide a signature for a declaration renewal.

We produce printable renewal declaration forms which you can use. These printable renewal declaration forms are published on our website.

If you receive a written renewal declaration that is not on a renewal declaration form, you should check that it contains all the required information. If it is incomplete, you should contact the elector and request the missing information.

The renewal information can also be provided to you by the applicant over the telephone or in person. In these circumstances you must transfer the information provided to you by the applicant into a renewal declaration in writing.3

The renewal period will begin at the start of the last 6 months of an overseas elector’s existing entitlement.4

As long as a renewal declaration is made within the last 6 months of their existing declaration, an overseas elector’s entitlement can be renewed for another three years.

Existing overseas electors who make an application outside of the renewal period

If an existing overseas elector submits a new application outside of their renewal period, the application must be rejected. However, you should consider the reason why the application has been made - for example has the elector moved or changed their contact information, or do they need to change their absent vote arrangement, and contact them about what they can do to renew their registration. 

The three-year renewal cycle

Overseas electors declarations will expire on the third 1 November following the date when the person's entry on the register first takes effect.5 You will need to maintain a record showing when reminders are due to be sent.

By way of example, if a person is first included on the register on 1 March 2024, their declaration will expire on 1 November 2026. If they renewed within the last 6 months of their declaration expiring on 1 November 2026, it would next expire on 1 November 2029. If, however, they are first included on the register on 1 December 2024, their declaration would expire on 1 November 2027. If they renewed it within the last 6 months of it expiring, their entitlement would next expire on 1 November 2030. This table provides some worked examples:

Any renewal declaration must be received by the ERO within 3 months of it being made for it to be valid.6

Overseas electors cannot update or change their name as part of the renewal process. They must use the separate name change process. 
 

To remain registered, an overseas elector must complete a renewal declaration before their existing registration expires.

You must remind overseas electors of the need to make a renewal declaration1 by sending a notice during the relevant period. The relevant period begins with the 1 July immediately before the third 1 November on which their registration will end, and ends with that 1 November.2 The reminder should explain the requirements of a renewal declaration and include a paper renewal declaration for the overseas elector to complete.

You are required to send a second reminder if they have not responded to the first after a reasonable period of time.3 While a reasonable period of time is not defined in legislation, in our view this should be no longer than 28 days and may in some circumstances be shorter (for example, if an election is due to take place). The full renewal period is 6 months long and will overlap with annual canvass processes, so you should plan when you intend to send your renewal reminders alongside your canvass activity. More information can be found in our guidance on planning for the annual canvass.

You have discretion around how you issue renewal reminders. You could use post, email or other e-communications. 

You are not required to send a reminder where you have already received a renewal declaration4 or you have received information that the person is no longer entitled to make a renewal declaration.5  You are not required to inform an overseas elector that they have been removed from the register if they fail to renew their declaration. 

Sending reminders to anonymous electors who are based overseas 

The registration of an anonymous elector who is based overseas will end on the date which their entitlement to remain registered as an anonymous elector ends.6

If an anonymous elector who is based overseas wishes to remain registered this way, they must complete a fresh application for an anonymous entry on the register7 i.e., their entire registration will come to an end if they have not successfully re-applied to be registered. 

You must send a reminder to anonymous electors based overseas during the reminder period which begins 3 months before and ends 2 months before the date their entitlement to remain registered as an anonymous elector ends.

For example, if entitlement to be registered as an anonymous elector ends on 31 August, the reminder period begins on 31 May and ends on 30 June.

The reminder must explain that:

• if they wish to remain registered as an anonymous elector based overseas, they must make a fresh application to register8
• if they wish to remain registered as an overseas elector without an anonymous entry, they must make a fresh registration application and a fresh overseas elector declaration9

You are not required to send a reminder where you have already received a fresh application for an anonymous entry on the register.10

A reminder may be sent to the elector’s address by post, email or other e-communications.11  
 

An overseas elector’s postal voting arrangement is directly linked to their registration and will cease on the third 1 November, calculated from the original date of their addition to the register.

This table provides some worked examples:

There may be instances where an overseas elector renews their declaration and postal vote earlier in their renewal period than the 1 November deadline. 

Any postal vote arrangement for an overseas elector will expire when their electoral registration expires, regardless of the date the postal vote application was made. In these cases, the postal vote arrangement may be in effect for longer than the three-year maximum period because the postal vote arrangement is linked to the renewed declaration and will be in place until the expiry of the renewed declaration. This table provides some worked examples:

For more information, see our guidance on managing the renewal of overseas elector registration.

Absent vote renewals made alongside an overseas elector’s declaration

Overseas electors will be able to reapply or refresh their absent vote arrangements at the same time as renewing their declaration.

You may choose to combine absent vote renewals with declaration renewals, though this is not mandatory as not all overseas electors will have an absent vote arrangement.

If, during the renewal period, a new postal vote application is received separately from a renewal declaration from an overseas elector and a poll is not imminent, you should check to see if the elector has made a renewal declaration. If they have not, you should contact the overseas elector to confirm whether they want to renew their declaration and to prompt them to complete their renewal if they do. If they confirm that they do intend to renew their declaration, you should wait to receive the renewal and process it in advance of the postal vote application, as otherwise their absent vote arrangement would only be valid until their existing overseas elector’s declaration expires.

If you cannot get confirmation from the elector, you should process the postal vote application without the renewal and clarify to the elector that it will only be applicable until the end of the declaration period (i.e., up to the 1 November). If a renewal declaration is subsequently received, the overseas elector would be required to reapply for their postal vote if they wish their arrangement to continue to be in place after that date.

If a poll is called whilst you are waiting for the elector to respond or an election is already imminent, you should process any postal vote application you have received without delay. When you confirm the postal vote application has been processed, you should explain why you have done so and that they will need to complete a fresh application if they wish their postal vote arrangement to continue after their existing declaration expires.

Where an overseas elector applies for a postal vote after the 31 October 2023 but before the changes to overseas electors are implemented, then the postal vote may only be granted for the remaining length of time of their original 12-month overseas elector registration, calculated from the date they were added to the register. This table provides some worked examples:

Where an overseas elector’s existing declaration does not expire until after the 31 October 2023, but they have a proxy vote arrangement in place prior to this date their proxy arrangement will expire on 31 January 2024, not with their existing overseas elector declaration. At this point the signature requires refreshing, and both their overseas elector declaration renewal and the renewal of their proxy arrangement will be in line on a three-year cycle.

However, where an overseas elector on the existing 12-month declaration cycle submits a new proxy application within three months of the expiry of their declaration (and subsequently renews their declaration as an overseas elector), the proxy arrangement would not expire alongside their existing declaration but would instead be carried forward until the expiry of their new declaration i.e., the third 1 November after the date of the overseas declaration. 

Any overseas elector who applies for a proxy vote after 31 January 2024 will be required to refresh their signature refresh at the same time as the expiry of their overseas declaration, regardless of whether their declaration is under the 12-month or three-year cycles. This table provides some worked examples:

You can find more information in our guidance on the absent vote renewal process. 
 

Application confirmations

If you have determined that an applicant is entitled to be registered, you must confirm to them that their registration application has been successful.1 You can deliver the confirmation to the applicant by post or by email.2  

You should also include, alongside the confirmation, information on any absent voting arrangements that are in place. If no arrangements are in place, you should make clear what their absent voting options are and how to make an application. 

If you have rejected a registration application, you must notify the applicant and inform them of the reasons why.3

Renewal confirmations 

You must inform the elector of the outcome of a submitted renewal declaration.4 You may decide to communicate this by sending a confirmation letter, but this is not mandatory. You could also confirm that renewal has been successful by email.  

This communication could also include information on when their declaration will expire, how and when they will next be reminded to renew it, what absent voting arrangements they have in place and, if they have none, information on absent voting options.

You should make the elector aware of the general timings for dispatching postal votes ahead of an election and could advise the elector to appoint a proxy as an alternative if it is not realistic for their postal ballot pack to be dispatched, completed, and returned before the close of poll. It is, of course, the elector’s choice as to which method of voting they prefer, but it is important that they can make an informed decision.

The form and format of the confirmation will be at the discretion of the ERO. 
 

You may choose to conduct an annual check-in during year one and year two of the overseas electors’ registration period to ensure that their contact details remain correct.

Providing them with such an opportunity to update their contact details, can help to mitigate against the risk that you may not be able to contact the electors if an election is called.

If as part of this check in process, an overseas elector indicates to you that their correspondence address has changed you may update the overseas electors list to reflect the change. You are not required to publish a notice of alteration if you update the overseas electors list based on a change to an elector’s correspondence address.

If as part of this check in process, an overseas elector indicates to you that their name has changed, you should advise them to complete a change of name request form and provide documentary evidence if required.  Our guidance on Processing a change to an elector’s name has more information.

If the elector has an absent vote arrangement, you should make them aware that they will also need to update the details on their absent vote record and advise them on how they can do this.
 

Overseas electors should be listed as other electors at the end of each relevant part of the register and entries must be shown without an address. They must be grouped in alphabetical order together with any service voters and persons registered by a declaration of local connection. All overseas electors must have the letter F prefixed before their name. 

You must prepare and maintain a separate list of the names of overseas electors. The names must be listed in alphabetical order.1

The list must include the elector’s qualifying address and their present address.2

For anonymous overseas electors the list must only contain their elector number3 and the date on which their entitlement to remain registered anonymously ends.4  The elector numbers of anonymous overseas electors must be printed after the alphabetical list of names of ordinary overseas electors. 

The list of overseas electors must be made available for inspection (under supervision) at the same time as a revised version of the register is published.5
 

Individuals can make a new application to register as a HM forces service voter: 

• online via the central government website - www.gov.uk/register-to-vote 
• by providing the necessary information in writing (e.g. on a paper form)
• by telephone (if you offer the service)

Online applications

The online application portal is hosted on GOV.UK. If you have an email address for a potential elector you could, in the first instance, use it to encourage them to submit an online application or issue an application by electronic means.

Existing HM forces service voters who are renewing their registration can only do so using a paper renewal form which may be sent by post or by email. Our guidance on the renewals process has more information on this.

Paper applications

We produce printable HM forces service voter application forms which you can use. They are published on our website and GOV.UK. We also provide versions of the forms in a range of accessible formats such as large print and easy read. 

Telephone applications

For the benefit and convenience of electors, you should offer this service wherever possible. This will also help you meet your duties under the Equalities Act 2010, as people who may have difficulties completing the paper or online form will have the opportunity to apply without the need to provide the information in writing.

If you are unable to provide telephone registration for all, you may allow these at your discretion in certain circumstances, and you should do so to assist applicants with disabilities in order to meet equalities obligations.

Individuals can make a new application to register as a Crown Servant or British Council employee: 

• online via the central government website - www.gov.uk/register-to-vote 
• by providing the necessary information in writing (e.g. on a paper form)
• by telephone (if you offer the service)

Online applications

The online application portal is hosted on GOV.UK. If you have an email address for a potential elector you could, in the first instance, use it to encourage them to submit an online application or issue an application by electronic means.

Existing Crown Servant or British Council employee service voters who are renewing their registration can only do so using a paper renewal form which may be sent by post or by email. Our guidance on the renewals process has more information on this.

Paper applications

We produce printable Crown Servant and British Council employee service voter application forms which you can use. They are published on our website and GOV.UK. We also provide versions of the forms in a range of accessible formats such as large print and easy read. 

Telephone applications

For the benefit and convenience of electors, you should offer this service wherever possible. This will also help you meet your duties under the Equalities Act 2010, as people who may have difficulties completing the paper or online form will have the opportunity to apply without the need to provide the information in writing.

If you are unable to provide telephone registration for all, you may allow these at your discretion in certain circumstances, and you should do so to assist applicants with disabilities in order to meet equalities obligations.

Individuals can make a new application to register with a declaration of local connection either: 

•  by providing the necessary information in writing (e.g. on a paper form)
•  by telephone (if you offer the service)

Paper applications

We produce printable declaration of local connection application forms which you can use. They are published on our website and GOV.UK. We also provide versions of the forms in a range of accessible formats such as large print and easy read. 

Telephone applications

For the benefit and convenience of electors, you should offer this service wherever possible. This will also help you meet your duties under the Equalities Act 2010, as people who may have difficulties completing the paper or online form will have the opportunity to apply without the need to provide the information in writing.

If you are unable to provide telephone registration for all, you may allow these at your discretion in certain circumstances, and you should do so to assist applicants with disabilities in order to meet equalities obligations.
 

How long are declarations of local connection valid for?

A declaration of local connection is valid for 12 months from the date when the entry on the register first takes effect.1 Registrations can be removed earlier in the following circumstances:2  

• cancellation by the elector 
• you determine the person is not entitled to be registered
• you determine the person was registered, or that their entry was altered, as a result of an application made by another person (i.e. not the individual whose details are provided on the application and who has declared that the information provided is true)
• if another entry is made in respect of the elector in any register of electors 

For guidance on removing an elector from the register, see our guidance on deletions.

A declaration received later than three months after it is dated must be rejected.3 The applicant should be informed and invited to submit a fresh declaration.

Renewal of declarations of local connection

A person registered through a declaration of local connection is entitled to remain registered until the end of the 12 month period beginning with the date when the entry first takes effect, provided the other conditions for registration remain satisfied.

You will need to maintain a record showing when reminders are due to be sent. You must remind the elector of the need to make a fresh declaration if they wish to remain registered.1 The reminder must be sent between 9 and 10 months after the date when the entry first takes effect2 and should include a declaration for the elector to complete. If you do not receive a fresh declaration, you are required to send a second reminder not less than 21 days and not more than 28 days after sending the first reminder.3  

Reminders must not be sent where you have received information that the person is no longer entitled to make the relevant declaration.4
 
Where a declaration is not renewed within the 12 month period and the person is removed from the register, they will also lose any absent voting arrangement they had in place.

Further information about notifying electors of loss of entitlement to absent voting arrangements can be found in our guidance on absent voting.

You should consider the most appropriate method of obtaining a renewal from those who have registered through a declaration of local connection. It may be appropriate, in addition to simply sending a renewal notice by post, to make a personal visit to ensure the reminder and declaration reaches the elector.
 

Prisoners and detained mental health patients

Some remand prisoners or detained mental health patients may remain registered as ordinary electors if their absence from their home address is limited.

Longer term remand prisoners or mental health patients may register through a declaration of local connection, at an address where they would be living, if it were not for their circumstances, or where they used to live before becoming a remand prisoner or mental health patient.1
 
Some remand prisoners or mental health patients will qualify to register at a place of custody or hospital address, if their length of stay is sufficient.2

Our guidance on eligibility to register sets out the options that prisoners and patients in mental health hospitals have for registering.
 

Who may apply and how should applications be processed?

Prisoners on remand and patients in mental health hospitals who are registered at their place of custody or hospital must supply the same information as for an ordinary application.1  

Acknowledging applications

There is no legal requirement for an application to be acknowledged although you do have discretion to send an acknowledgement. In all cases, you are required to send a confirmation if the application is successful, as set out below.

Verifying applications

All applications and declarations should be processed and the applicant’s identity verified as soon as possible after receipt. 

If you receive an application where the qualifying address falls outside your area it should be forwarded to the relevant ERO without delay.

Any applicant who fails the DWP match must provide documentary evidence, or if they cannot provide documentary evidence, an attestation in the same way as people applying to register as an ordinary elector.

Confirming applications and declarations 

If you have determined that an applicant is entitled to be registered, you must confirm to them in writing that their registration application has been successful.2   

You should also include, alongside the confirmation letter, information on any absent voting arrangements that are in place. If no arrangements are in place you should make clear what the absent voting options are. 

If you have rejected a registration application, you must notify the applicant and inform them of the reasons why.

How long are registrations valid for?

Registration of remand prisoners and mental health patients lasts for 12 months from the day the entry is made on the register.1 Registrations can be removed earlier in the following circumstances:2  

• cancellation by the elector 
• you determine the person is not entitled to be registered
• you determine the person was registered, or that their entry was altered, as a result of an application made by another person (i.e. not the individual whose details are provided on the application and who has declared that the information provided is true)
• if another entry is made in respect of the elector in any register of electors 

For guidance on removing an elector from the register, see our guidance on deletions.
 

Individuals can make a new application to register as an anonymous elector either: 

•  by providing the necessary information in writing (e.g. on a paper form)
•  by telephone (if you offer the service)

Paper applications

We produce printable anonymous elector application form which you can use. They are published on our website and GOV.UK. We also provide versions of the forms in a range of accessible formats such as large print and easy read. 

Telephone applications

For the benefit and convenience of electors, you should offer this service wherever possible. This will also help you meet your duties under the Equalities Act 2010, as people who may have difficulties completing the paper or online form will have the opportunity to apply without the need to provide the information in writing.

If you are unable to provide telephone registration for all, you may allow these at your discretion in certain circumstances, and you should do so to assist applicants with disabilities in order to meet equalities obligations.

What are the deadlines for adding anonymously registered electors to the register?

The deadlines for anonymous applications are different from ordinary registration applications as there is no five day objections period for anonymous applicants. This is because their applications cannot be objected to.

The deadlines for receiving and determining anonymous registration applications are as follows:1

How should anonymous electors be listed in the register?

Persons registered anonymously must be included at the end of each relevant part of the register under the heading other electors without a name or address. The entry for each anonymously registered elector must consist of their elector number and the letter ‘N’.1
 
Anonymous entries must not be included in the edited register and all anonymous electors are automatically opted out.2  

You must keep a separate list – the record of anonymous entries. This will contain the elector number, full name, qualifying address, correspondence address (if any) and the date that the registration first took effect. If the person has a postal vote, the delivery address must also be kept on the record.3  You should ensure that the list is kept secure and prevent any unauthorised access.

Only the following persons and organisations are entitled to have access to the record of anonymous entries:4

• Returning Officers and referendum Counting Officers
• the Jury Service
• the security services, including Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
• the police, including the National Crime Agency (at the request of a senior officer, this means an officer a rank senior to that of superintendent, or, in the case of the National Crime Agency, the Director General of that Agency)

When a person is entered in the record, you will need to issue a signed ‘certificate of anonymous registration’. This must state the local authority area, the elector’s name, qualifying address, electoral number and the date on which the registration took effect. It must also state that the registration will end no later than 12 months from that date if a fresh application for anonymous registration is not made.5  

We have produced a template certificate of anonymous registration which you may wish to use.

Absent voting lists 

The absent voting lists for anonymous electors and their proxies, must contain only the elector’s electoral number and the period for which the absent vote is in effect, but not any name or address.6  At an election, the copy of the absent voting lists to enable postal vote issuing and marking the return of postal votes contains only the electoral number.7  The address to which the ballot pack will be sent must not be on that list and all correspondence must be sent in an unidentifiable envelope.8  

How long is an anonymous registration valid for?

Registration lasts for 12 months from the day the anonymous entry is first made on the register.1 Anonymous registrations can be removed earlier in the following circumstances:2  

• cancellation by the elector 
• you determine the person is not entitled to be registered
• you determine the person was registered, or that their entry was altered, as a result of an application made by another person (i.e. not the individual whose details are provided on the application and who has declared that the information provided is true)

For guidance on removing an elector from the register, see our guidance on deletions.
 

Renewal process for an anonymous registration

An anonymous elector is entitled to remain registered, provided the elector continues to satisfy the other conditions for registration during this period, until the end of the 12 month period beginning with the date when their entry first takes effect. 

You will need to maintain a record showing when reminders are due to be sent. 

You must send a reminder between 9 and 10 months after the date of the first registration (and each anniversary). The reminder must explain that a fresh application for anonymous registration must be made if the elector wants to remain registered anonymously.1  

Any renewal application must contain the same level of evidence as the original application. Applicants should therefore be advised to keep a copy of attestations or copies of court documents for subsequent applications. You should offer to copy any originals so that they can be returned and the copy kept for reference. If the elector loses their supporting documents, provided you have the appropriate safeguards in place, you could supply a copy of any document or attestation which is still in force to assist with any renewal.

Anonymous entries can be subject to the review procedures. Further consideration of the review process is contained in reviews, objections and deletions. The name and address of the person is not entered on the list of persons under review. 
 

Donations to registered political parties by anonymously registered electors

Anonymously registered individuals can donate to registered political parties but they must provide the party with a copy of their certificate of anonymous registration as proof of eligibility. A registered political party may ask you to confirm the validity of any certificate. The elector details cannot be confirmed but you may wish to confirm the format of their certificate and that the electoral number on that certificate matches the register entry for an anonymous elector. 

Guidance for Returning Officers on sending poll cards and postal votes to electors registered anonymously is contained in Part C and D of our guidance for Returning Officers.
 

This section contains guidance on who should be invited to register to vote and how the invitation should be made.

It also covers the follow up processes to undertake if someone does not respond to an invitation to register, what you can do to require them to register and information on issuing a civil penalty notice.

Any potential electors identified, for example by a successful response to a canvass communication, direct contact from individuals or by other local data matching, should be invited to make an application to register to vote. You should do this by sending an invitation to register (ITR) and an application form. 

The ITR must invite potential electors to make an application to register as soon as reasonably practicable and within 28 calendar days of the date that you identified that they may be entitled to be registered.  

Where the 28 day period ends on a weekend or bank holiday, the period is extended to the next working day.1

Your EMS should have a mechanism for keeping a record of the date on which you conclude that an individual may be entitled to be registered, which then starts the 28-day period. 

You should have a process in place to identify whether an application to register has been made before you give an invitation. You should not issue an ITR to an individual who has made an application to register, or if you identify that they are not eligible to register to vote. 

Your EMS may be able to automate a process to check for applications received through any allowed channels before you issue an ITR. 

Some manual checking of applications received against invitations issued may also be required, as the name on an application may not exactly match the name of the individual to whom you have given an invitation.

A manual check could be done by cross-checking the details on an application against your list of potential new electors to whom you have sent an ITR. On paper applications, this process could be facilitated by adding a barcode to the paper application form you are including alongside your ITR.

An ITR must be given either by delivering it to the individual (including by post) or by leaving it at the individual’s address.1  

The ITR may also be given by electronic means, including by email.2

An ITR cannot be given verbally, such as by telephone, although you can informally prompt applications to register by any suitable means before or after you have given an invitation.

When you have decided how to give an ITR, you should ensure that you have processes in place to create an audit trail of the deliveries. Before you can require an individual to make an application to register, you will need to establish that they have received at least one ITR. 

You may want to ensure that at least one of the ITRs is hand-delivered. This will provide you with assurance that an ITR was delivered. 

Your public engagement strategy and registration plan should reflect your considerations of the delivery method for ITRs. 

Envelopes

If you are delivering a paper ITR you should address the covering envelope to the named individual at the address you have identified. You must print the following information on the envelope.3

• a direction requesting that the envelope is not re-directed if it is incorrectly addressed
• a direction requesting that any other individual who receives the envelope and who is resident at the address inform you if the addressee is not resident there
• your contact details

You must also include with the ITR – except for any sent electronically – a pre-addressed, pre-paid reply envelope in which the form can be returned.4  

Suggested content for envelopes, which includes all required information, and accompanying guidance can be found here.
 

You can prompt an individual to make an application after you have given a formal ITR. There may be circumstances, such as immediately before an election, where you should encourage people to register informally and not wait to formally invite them to register.

Prompting and encouraging an application to be made, in particular an online application, has the potential to improve efficiency and reduce your costs because you will not have to start the formal ITR process, which would involve follow up activity if no response is received.

You can use contact information provided to you by individuals on canvass communications for any appropriate purpose in connection with that individual’s entitlement to be registered, or for the purpose of carrying out your duty to encourage electoral registration.1

If you do decide to informally prompt applications you should do so as soon as possible after you identify an individual, to allow time for them to make an application before a formal invitation is given.

You could prompt applications by:

• emailing a link to the online application form and providing information about the other available channels for registration if you have an e-mail address
• encouraging an application to register when following up a canvass communication using telephone canvassing, if you have identified potential new electors 
• providing information about how to register by phone or email to individuals who get in touch with the local authority contact centre about a change of address  

Any methods used to prompt applications should also enable you to identify and invite to register other potential new electors who may be resident at the same address. 

You should consider how you will evaluate your approach to prompting applications to understand how effective they are in encouraging registration and reducing the number of electors you formally invite to register. The outcome of any evaluation carried out may identify which approaches are most effective allowing you to tailor your approach to prompting applications across your local area.

You do not have to issue an invitation to an individual who, when informally prompted, makes an application before the end of the 28-day period in which an ITR must have been given.

If a prompt encouraging an individual to make an application to register does not lead to an application being made, you are still required send an ITR within 28 days of becoming aware of the potential elector. 

After an individual has been given an ITR, you are required to take certain steps to encourage them to make an application to register if they have not yet done so. You should have processes in place to identify whether an application has been made by any available channel before you send a reminder invitation. 

You may visit the address at which you delivered the first invitation at any time to encourage the individual to make an application.

You are not required to carry out the follow up steps if, since sending the first ITR, you are now satisfied that the individual in question is not entitled to be registered at the address where the invitation was given, or that the individual is registered at a different address.1  

If you have given an ITR and the individual does not make an application to register within a reasonable period of time, you must give them a second invitation.1  

If no application is made within a reasonable period of time following the second invitation you must give a third invitation.2  

There is no difference in the requirements for the content and delivery of ITRs at the second and third reminder stages. 

In practice, the second and third invitations are reminders to the individual to make an application to register. You should consider whether the use of a different delivery method for the second or third invitation could be more effective. For example if you have not received a response to an email ITR, you should consider giving the reminder invitations by post or by hand.

You are not required to send reminder invitations to special category electors. 

The notice requiring an individual to make an application for registration must state:1  

• the date by which the individual must make an application for registration 
• that, if the individual does not make an application by that date, you may impose a civil penalty 
• the amount of the civil penalty (£80) and the rate of interest payable if the penalty is not paid on time
• that, if the individual is not entitled to be registered, they must inform you of that fact before the date by which the application must be made and explain why they are not entitled, and that in such a case they are not required to make an application for registration
• that, if the individual is registered at another address, they must inform you of that fact before the date by which the application must be made and provide you with that address, and that in such a case they are not required to make an application for registration
• that the individual may make other representations as to why they should not be required to make an application to register by the date by which the application must be made, or why a civil penalty should not be imposed if they do not do so

A template requirement to register notice can be found here.

The date by which the named individual must make an application is not prescribed. When deciding on a date by which the individual must make an application, you should allow sufficient time for them to receive the notice, digest the information and submit an application. As with the recommended maximum period that would be considered reasonable in relation to an invitation to register, in most cases, 28 calendar days would provide sufficient time for the person to receive the notice, digest the information and submit an application. 

You must include an application for registration with the notice and the full name and address of the individual should be pre-printed on the application.2  You should also include a pre-paid and pre-printed return envelope alongside the application, as well as information on how to register online, or by telephone or in person (if you offer those services).

You must cancel a requirement to register if, as a result of direct communications from the individual or from other information, any of the following apply:1

• you are satisfied that the individual is not entitled to be registered at the address at which you gave the invitations to register
• you are satisfied that the individual is registered at a different address
• you discover that any of the requirements for sending a notice requiring an individual to register had not been met

You have discretion to cancel a requirement to make an application for registration if you consider it appropriate to do so.2 For example, you may consider it appropriate to cancel the requirement notice if an individual is ill and, as a result, will be unable to make a declaration of truth for the foreseeable future. 

However, the discretion to cancel a notice should only be used in very limited and special circumstances, and a decision to cancel should be taken on a case-by-case basis, with each case considered on its merits. You should maintain a clear audit trail of the decision and the reason(s) for it.  

There may be individual cases where you receive information that an individual who is subject to a requirement to register notice is unable to make an application within the specified timeframes. For example, if they are away from their address for an extended period. This in itself should not trigger a cancellation of the requirement to register process, however in such circumstances, you should instead consider extending the time allowed for the potential elector to submit their application.

Whenever you decide to cancel the requirement to register, you must give the individual concerned notice in writing of your decision.3  

The notice must explain that the individual must:1

• make an application to register within 28 calendar days from the date of the notice, or
• pay the full amount of the civil penalty within 28 calendar days from the date of the notice, or
• request a review of the decision to impose the civil penalty within 14 calendar days from the date of the notice

The notice must also state:2  

• the amount of the civil penalty (£80)3
• how to make payment 
• the rate of interest payable if the penalty is not paid on time (which is the daily rate of interest equivalent to 8% per year from the date that the civil penalty must be paid)
• that making an application to register by the date stated on the notice will prevent the person being liable to pay the civil penalty

An individual may ask you to review your decision to impose a civil penalty. There is a 14 calendar day period for you to review your decision which starts on the date of the notice.1 You should ensure that the civil penalty notice is issued on the day that it is dated.

Any request to review your decision to impose a civil penalty must be made in writing (which includes via email).2  

If you receive a request for a review within 14 calendar days of the notice, you must send an acknowledgement notice to the individual within 7 calendar days of receiving the request to tell them that they have up to 14 calendar days from the date of the acknowledgement notice to:3

• make representations explaining why they have not made an application to register or why the civil penalty should be cancelled
• submit evidence in support of such representations

You must also explain in the acknowledgement notice how any representations can be made and how any evidence can be submitted.4  

The acknowledgement notice should be dated and sent on the same day, as the date of the acknowledgement determines the start of the 14 day period for making representations.

If an individual makes a request for a review within the 14 calendar day time period from the date of the notice, you must carry out a review of your decision to impose a civil penalty.

This obligation is irrespective of whether the individual has submitted any representations or evidence to you. 

Your review must not start before the earlier of:1  

• the end of the 14th calendar day after the date of the acknowledgment notice 
• the receipt of any representations or evidence

This means that if you receive any representations or evidence before the end of the 14 day period, you may commence your review then. If not, you must wait until the end of the 14 day period before you can start your review process.

Considering representations and evidence

If any representations or evidence are submitted, you must consider them. 

There may be circumstances where you receive representations or evidence after you have already started the review, or indeed after you have completed it but before the penalty has been paid. In those cases, you should still take the representations and evidence into account and review your grounds for issuing the civil penalty notice in light of these.

In the absence of any representations or evidence, you should check whether there are any grounds for cancelling the civil penalty notice.

On completion of your review you must either uphold the decision to issue a civil penalty or cancel the civil penalty.1  

You must then inform the individual, in writing, of the outcome of the review.2 If you uphold the decision to impose a civil penalty, the notice confirming the outcome of the review must state:3  

• that they may appeal against that decision to the First-tier Tribunal and how to make such an appeal, and
• the date by which the civil penalty must be paid 
   

You must cancel a civil penalty notice if the individual makes an application for registration before the time for payment of the civil penalty,1 or if either as a result of direct communications from the individual or from other information:2

• you are satisfied that the individual is not entitled to be registered at the address at which you gave the invitations to register
• you are satisfied that the individual is registered at a different address
• you discover that any of the requirements for sending a notice requiring a individual to register had not been met

You have discretion to cancel a civil penalty notice if you consider it appropriate to do so.3  

For example:
An individual may have been away for the vast majority of the period between the requirement to register and the civil penalty notice. Depending on the circumstances, it may be appropriate to cancel the civil penalty and set a new deadline for receiving an application.

An individual may not have responded to your invitations and requirement to register on the grounds of a disability or an inability to read or write. Again, in these circumstances, you should consider cancelling the civil penalty and offer any assistance which may be necessary to enable the individual to make an application.

An individual may not have responded to your ITR because they had concerns that their safety could be compromised by providing you with personal information. In those circumstances, you should assess whether they would qualify for registering as an anonymous elector and, where appropriate, cancel the civil penalty and explain the anonymous registration process to them.

If an individual has made a request for a review of your decision to impose a civil penalty and is unsuccessful, the final course of appeal open to them is to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.