Running electoral registration - Scotland

The exceptions and attestation processes for postal vote applications

You should require applicants to provide additional evidence where you consider it is necessary to verify the applicant’s identity.1  This may be because either:

  • they are unable to provide their NINO
  • the personal identifiers cannot be matched against DWP records 

This additional evidence may be in the form of supporting documents verifying that they are who they say they are, known as the exceptions process, or failing that, by providing a statement from another individual confirming the applicant’s identity, known as the attestation process

The types and quantities of documents and the content of attestations that are acceptable to establish an applicant’s identity vary depending on the category of elector the applicant is registered as. 

Last updated: 12 December 2023