The electoral register

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote, unless they have registered to vote anonymously.

We update the electoral register on the first working day of every month, except October and November. The electoral register is published on 1 December each year.

There are two versions of the register:

• the electoral register
• the open register

The electoral (full) register

The electoral register is used to run elections. It lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote.

It can also be used for other purposes, like checking credit applications or calling people for jury service.

The open (edited) register

The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but it is not used for elections. This version is available to anyone who wants to buy it, such as businesses or charities.

We contact all households in Southwark each year to ensure that the electoral register is updated. This is called an annual canvas. 

Copies of the electoral register are maintained by the Electoral Commission.

Credit referencing

If you're on the register and apply for credit, credit referencing agencies will use the electoral register to verify your address. 

If you're not on the electoral register, it may affect your ability to:

• obtain credit 
• get a mortgage 
• access other financial services

If you've been denied credit or are told you have a low credit score because your name is not on the register, we cannot contact credit reference agencies directly.

Data collection

Find information about the data we collect, how the data is used and who the data is shared with on our Electoral services data privacy notice page.