London’s councils are reminding households of the need to complete and return their electoral registration forms or risk facing a £1000 fine and a criminal record. The forms are used to ensure the electoral register is as accurate and up to date as possible and are sent out every year to all households.
To encourage residents to register councils are pointing out that failure to do so can also lead to difficulty in obtaining credit, as most credit agencies check the electoral register before agreeing loans or issuing credit cards.
According to Bromley council more than a quarter of all households in the borough have failed to return a completed form. Carol Ling, head of electoral services in the borough, said: “You are required by law to register although whether you vote is entirely up to you.”
