Why is it important to register on the Electoral Roll?

The Electoral Roll might make you immediately think about voting and elections, so you may not expect it to be uttered in the same breath as credit score. But believe it or not, keeping your details accurate on the Electoral Register will actually benefit your score.

Many organisations use information from the Electoral Roll to verify your personal information. That includes lenders and credit card companies – but also some employers and utility providers too. By checking the name and address on your application against the Electoral Register, these organisations can easily validate the details.

Both lenders and credit reference agencies see being registered on the Electoral Roll as a plus point, so it can really help your credit score. An up to date Electoral Roll listing can also speed up your credit application process as it removes the need for a separate verification process.

Let’s look at how the Electoral Roll can help with your credit score, and how it assists third parties with identity verification and credit checks on the whole.

How does the Electoral Roll impact your credit score?

Registering or updating your Electoral Roll information is not the most exciting of tasks, but it does more than just allow you to vote. It also benefits your credit score by validating your details and reinforces a stable credit history tied to your address. Having a current Electoral Roll registration also helps to:

• Speed up your credit card applications - To prevent identity theft and other fraud-related problems, lenders take steps to verify your information. If your Electoral Roll listing is incorrect, or non-existent, the lender will likely ask for further proof of identity. Some may even reject your application outright.

• Get easier access to services - Aside from credit card companies, other organisations will also use the Electoral Roll to confirm your identity. This might make it easier (and quicker) to get a mobile phone contract for example.

• Prevent identity theft - Updating your Electoral Roll details each time you move address can help reduce the risk of identity theft. Anyone trying to impersonate you using your old address details will likely fail because your information will no longer match with the Electoral Roll.

• Help with job applications - Some employers confirm electoral details of potential candidates for security reasons. These employers can verify the details they hold are accurate if you’re showing on the Electoral Roll there.

When can you expect the Electoral Roll to improve your credit score?

The credit reference agencies don’t have a schedule for updating your credit score. This means you can’t expect your credit score to improve a day after registering on the Electoral Roll. It can take a little longer depending on when in the year you update your details.

Between January and July is known as the “rolling registration period”. Any changes to your Electoral Registration during this time typically get published in the next month’s update. Keep in mind that registering mid-month may mean your details won’t be published until the month after the next.

Between August and December is known as the “annual canvass period”. Any registrations or changes made during these months aren’t published until 1 December. Local councils need time to audit and update their voting records with newly added electors. So you won’t usually see the updated register until January.

In some cases, it can take up to three months from the Electoral Roll publish date for your registration to show on your credit report.

How do you know if you’re on the Electoral Roll?

You can see if you’re confirmed on the Electoral Roll in the Addresses & Electoral Roll section of your Checkmyfile credit report. If you’ve recently moved and you’re unsure if your local electoral office has updated your details, you can contact them by phone or email. You can use the Gov.uk or The Electoral Commission website to find your local electoral office’s contact details; both will ask you for your postcode.

What if there’s a problem with the Electoral Roll information on your credit report?

Mistakes happen; so it’s important not to panic if there is an issue with the Electoral Roll information. Here’s what you can do, depending on the problem:

My Electoral Registration isn’t on my credit report - If you’ve just registered, allow one month from the date your listing was published for it to show. If it’s been over a month, you can usually provide proof of your Electoral Registration to the credit reference agencies. If they have proof, they should be able to update their records manually.

My Electoral Registration shows a wrong or old address - Contact your local electoral office to confirm your name and address with them. If they have your details recorded correctly, send written confirmation of your listing to the credit reference agencies.

I’ve changed my name, but my new name isn’t appearing - Make sure you have registered on the Electoral Roll in your new details. You cannot change an existing registration, you instead need to re-register.

There’s a mistake in my Electoral Registration details - If it’s just a typo made by one of the credit reference agencies, provide them with proof of your listing so that they can update your details. If all three agencies hold the incorrect listing, contact your electoral office to confirm that what they have is correct.

What if you’re not eligible to vote?

As outlined on the Gov.uk website, eligible voters must be at least 16 years old in England (14 in Scotland and Wales) and be one of the following:

• A British citizen.

• An Irish or EU citizen living in the UK.

• A Commonwealth citizen who can enter or stay in the UK, with or without a visa.

• A citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales, with or without a visa.

If none of these apply to you but you still want to maintain good credit health, don’t fret. Although not being on the Electoral Roll can affect your credit score, lenders can still verify you and your address by other means.

You can also ask the credit reference agencies to add a Notice of Correction to your credit report to explain that you’re not eligible to vote. Lenders would then be able to see why there’s no Electoral Roll listing for you. But it’s important to carefully consider adding a Notice of Correction as it can slow down your application and draw attention to unfavourable details.

Recap: why is it important to be on the Electoral Roll?

Aside from being able to vote in important elections and referendums in the UK, being on the Electoral Roll helps solidify your credit report and boost your credit score. Your Electoral Registration allows lenders and other providers to validate your details.

Being on the Electoral Roll associates your credit history with the correct address, especially if you’ve moved a few times in the past. Organisations like utility providers and employers can use your Electoral Roll listing to make sure the details you’ve provided are valid.

Electoral Roll data is the hook upon which all other data is hung – if the data is wrong or missing at an agency, chances are the lender will not see your full credit report.