The electoral register

I'm confused, have they made being registered to vote mandatory? It never used to be.

I got a letter saying "the way you register to vote is changing" but since H and I are already registered it wasn't really an issue.

I think so. The letter that came asking me for all these documents is somewhat vague, but the gov.UK website states that you "must register if asked" and that you'll be fined if you don't. I'm sure we were both already registered as we've had voting cards for local elections in the year-and-a-bit we've lived here... I dunno. It's started to feel like the council are making veiled accusations that we're on the run or something (we're not).

It is a legal requirement to be on the electoral register and has been for many years, and yes you can be fined if you don't allow yourself to be registered but I don't know of many councils that enforce it.

It is coming to that time of the year where you will get the dorr knockers if you haven't registetred . I used to door the knocking for the council to get people to complete the forms. We never had to ask for ID etc but as you say the rules have changed so it may be a new requirement. X

Oh, the list and combinations of accepted ID is crazy. I'm gonna end up having to send a council tax bill (shouldn't they already have this on file..?), a bank statement, a credit card statement and my P60. Debating whether I can black out my account numbers from the financial documents - I cant find the answer online, and i know from work that ringing councils is a frustrating and often fruitless experience, so I really don't wanna have to do that.

I has no idea it was changing, I don't think we have had a letter but we are both registered anyway.

What do you do for id without a D/L or a passport?! What can you use to give notice?

I has no idea it was changing, I don't think we have had a letter but we are both registered anyway.

What do you do for id without a D/L or a passport?! What can you use to give notice?

To give notice of marriage, my birth certificate is fine. I'm not sure how it is in England but it seems like the process is more laid back in Scotland. I called Gretna register office to check a couple bits of info and the guy was super nice and said they don't even need me to send my deed poll. However, for this electoral thing I suspect supplying my birth certificate will only make things worse, as the name on it isn't the one i use now and they already seem to think I'm some sort of international fraudster. There is no mention on the letter they sent me of deed polls being accepted (or not) as ID.

Ah I see. I'm always amazed by people with no id- I see it in my job now and then and it baffles me. Have you ever had a passport or D/L?

I had a provisional driving licence in 1992, which was in my old name and my parents' address. I never took a test so I've never had a full one. The only time I've been abroad was with my school in 1988 and we were on a group passport, so never had a passport of my own either. I get that these days most people have one or the other, but I get the increasing sense that you're treated as not a 'real person' if you don't. I have considered in the past getting a passport for just this reason, but at the moment I can ill afford the £100-odd a first one costs, especially when I have no plans to go abroad!

I work for MCC, and additionally as a poll clerk - and its been a saga for me to get registered, too! Apparently even if you are already registered, the new system matches the details with the DWP records, and if they don't match, you have to re-register. So, I had to re-register but my h2b doesn't.. I didn't open the first letter they sent as i assumed it would be the same as h2bs, then got a second letter threatening a fine. I registered online but then they buzzed our flat saying i was still showing up as unregistered. I showed him the email saying i'd submitted my registration, but he still made me do it again, and I havent yet received confirmation that i am registered. ID, the council guy will have buzzed in with one of your neighbours and then stayed in the building, as he will have had multiple people on his list. he knocked on my neighbours door after i buzzed him in. I was shocked that canvassers only get paid £1 per residence they visit, and have to visit a minimum of 500 homes!

Yeah, true. I'm wary of it cos I think sometimes people gain access by waiting on the street for a resident to come in and following them through the door - I worry that anyone could just walk in the building! But like I said, he did have ID. It was only a minor annoyance til this stuff telling me I have to prove my identity to an organisation who are quite happy to take my council tax money every month!

We had the letters last year. We never replied to them because we forgot. The council knocked on our door and asked a couple questions and that was that all sorted :-) glad they did otherwise that would have c*cked up my credit report and we would have gotten a fine!

With the bank statements, just photocopy it and cross out any senstive info like account numbers and any private transactions you really dont want to share with a marker pen. They are just interested in your name and address being on there.

Perhaps a few utility bills/council tax bill and birth certificate maybe enough to prove your identity, along with your nhs card and your payslip, as your NI number is on there, so it all matches.

Hth

NHS card isn't on the list of accepted forms of ID, sadly. Utility bill is, but my name isn't on the elec bill and we don't pay water, and they don't accept mobile phone bills *sigh*. I could send my birth certificate, I'm just worried about it just prompting further questions, as it isn't the name I use now.

I definitely wouldn't sent the birth certificate without the Deed Poll otherwise they'll get confused. Actually, they'll probably get confused anyway.

Bank statement, CT bill, P60, anything from HMRC...

I'm impressed that you've managed so far without a passport! it might be worth investing in one if you're worried about sharing personal information with institutions. I think the fees gone down to £72, which is still a lot, but saves you having to hand over so much of your personal information.

Well, you know, I've never wanted to go anywhere so it never occured to me to get one

I've sent them my P60, council tax bill, and a bank and credit card statement with the account numbers blacked out. I'm waiting for there to now be an issue cos the bank and credit card statement are from the same issuing bank. If there is I literally have no other acceptable ID from their list. We'll see.

Here's the list of ID they accept by the way, in case anyone was wondering...

Agree with this.

Even if you're not planning on going abroad it might be worth getting one for admin purposes if you're not keen on sending other info.

Then you never know.... If you have a passport you might be tempted to travel & then get the travelling bug and fill your passport with lots of different countries stamps! :-).

Ha, I can't afford to do that but H2B and I are planning a honeymoon of some sort at some point when finances allow, so I guess I will get one sometime next year. I maintain you shouldn't need to have one if you don't want one, but you know, that's just life sometimes.

This is in no way helpful, sorry, but I'm slightly baffled by how a police bail form got on that list - I 'm willing to bet that people must give fake names and addresses to the police?! Perhaps it means in case you've just been released and haven't had time to amass bills?

Anyway, back on topic - good luck with it. I filled out the form sent through our door as it said if one of us registered online it wouldn't include the other - hopefully that has worked as I have heard nothing.

I am going through this situation at the moment. I moved in April and registered online to vote. Got a letter saying I needed to register, so filled out the letter and sent it back. Then have got a letter this week threatening me with a fine if I don't register. Have filled this letter out again and written on the front I keep filing this letter in and returning it.

I also don't have a passport and people do seem to get snotty with you for not having a passport.