Collection

Individual Electoral Registration (IER)

This collection brings together all documents relating to Individual Electoral Registration.

In 2014 we replaced the outdated ‘household registration’ system to give each individual control over their own registration – the new system is called Individual Electoral Registration (IER). You can now register to vote online in as little as 3 minutes. All you need is your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number.

Voting is our democratic right and we want to make sure that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to vote. The new register will be more accurate and we can verify that everyone on the register is who they say they are. This will ensure that there is greater trust in the legitimacy and fairness of our elections.

There are 2 versions of the electoral register – the ‘full’ and the ‘open’ version. If you want to opt out of the open register, contact your local Electoral Registration Office.

What you need to know

Progress on transition

Legislation

Research and evaluation

Updates to this page

Published 11 October 2013
Last updated 12 August 2015 + show all updates
  1. Added 'Individual Electoral Registration hits major milestone'.

  2. Added press releases on funding for local authorities and student organisations.

  3. Added press release on new campaign to encourage under-registered groups to register to vote.

  4. Added press release: £10 million boost for voter registration.

  5. Added information about opting out of the open register.

  6. Added research report: Using data matching to confirm electors in Great Britain.

  7. Added information on interim evaluation of confirmation: using data matching to confirm electors.

  8. Added press release on electoral registration in Scotland.

  9. Added press release on 100,000 more people join electoral register and the Maximising Electoral Registration evaluation report.

  10. Added new press release on 1 million voters applying to register to vote.

  11. Added 'Biggest change to voter registration in a generation' press release.

  12. First published.