Local authorities have a legal requirement to conduct an annual ‘canvass’ in order to prepare and publish a revised Register of Electors by 1 December (each year).

From July, every household will receive some form of Canvass Communication to find out if the details on the electoral register are correct.

Your household may be contacted in different ways, such as by:

  • post
  • email
  • phone
  • personal visit on the doorstep

If you need to update your details on the electoral register, it’s important that you respond as soon as you can.

What do I need to do?

  • Please read your letter carefully to check if you need to respond or not. Your Canvass Communication will state on the letter if a response is required. If any details are incorrect please respond as soon as possible.
  • If you have been sent a canvass communication which asks you to make any changes, you need to respond by law, and provide the information requested on the form.

The easiest way to respond is online.

If all the details on the canvass communication are correct, you can confirm there are no changes via householdresponse.com/fylde, phone 0800 884 0701 or by texting NOCHANGE with your security code to 80212.

To confirm no changes by any of these methods you will need your security code which can be located on the front of your canvass communication.

If someone needs to be added or removed visit householdresponse.com/fylde. You will need your security code which can be located on the front of your canvass communication.

Additions

The Canvass Communication you receive is for information and is not a registration form; anyone added will also need to register individually.

Follow the instructions after confirming the details on the website or register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Alternatively, we will send the individual a further form to complete which will be addressed to them directly.

Removals

If someone has left the property, completing the changes online or returning the form will begin the process of removing their details from the register.

We may need to send some further correspondence to the person to confirm that we will be removing their details from the Register.

Name Change

Once you have amended the details via the online form, or returned the completed paper form, you will be required to supply evidence of the name change, for example marriage certificate or deed poll. Copies of these documents are acceptable and we can accept a scanned and emailed version via electoral@fylde.gov.uk

There is a criminal penalty for failing to provide the information required by the canvass form to the Electoral Registration Officer of a maximum of £1,000.

The penalty for providing false information to an Electoral Registration Officer is imprisonment of up to 51 weeks in England, (on summary conviction) an unlimited fine.

Please note being registered for Council Tax does not automatically mean you’re on the register of electors.​

Any new additions will need to register individually online. They can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Unless your name appears on the electoral register, you won’t be able to vote in an election. If you’re not on the register, you may also find it difficult when applying for mortgages, loans or credit as credit reference agencies use the register to check addresses of applicants.

Anyone in the property aged 16 or over?

Please register via gov.uk/register-to-vote or call 01253 658549 as soon as you get your National Insurance Number (you will not be able to vote until you are 18).

Is your property a second home / holiday home?

You still need to respond to this Canvass Form, please tick second home under option 2 or respond “no change” online. Electors can register at a holiday home / second home and their main residential address, but this is optional, you cannot vote twice in a national election. If you include any names on your return, you will be sent an Invitation to Register.

I pay Council tax so am I registered to vote?

No: Council tax records and the electoral register contain different information. Council tax records hold the name of the bill payer, but not necessarily all the people who live at the property. For this and many other legal reasons, the electoral registration officer is not allowed to take names from council tax and add them to the electoral register.

Will my credit score be affected if I’m not on the register?

The electoral register is often used for credit referencing purposes to counteract fraud. If you are not registered you may be refused credit, or have problems opening a bank account or taking out a mobile phone contract. The main credit reference agencies receive information from us each December, and monthly updates between January and September, but it can take them a few weeks to update their records after each update. If you are registered and are still having problems you should contact one of the agencies to get a copy of your credit file, so that you can check the details they have for you.

Do I need to register again each time an election is called?

Once you are registered you will be able to vote at all elections you are eligible for. Your registration lasts for as long as you live at the address you are registered at. If you move home you need to apply to register at your new address.