EQUIFAX ELECTORAL ROLL LOADING REVEALS SMALL RISE IN ADULTS REGISTERED TO VOTE ACROSS THE UK
Number of voters choosing to ‘opt out’ of their data being used for marketing continues to increase
London 8th January 2008 – Leading credit and business information specialist, Equifax, has recently completed uploading the latest electoral roll data from local councils nationwide, providing a crucial tool in reducing the risk of identity fraud. Equifax’s analysis of the data has revealed an increase in the number of people registered to vote, as well as an indication that consumers are taking a greater interest in how their personal data is used.
The overall size of the Electoral Roll has increased marginally from 2006 to 2007 and Equifax believes there could be several factors responsible for this uplift. “We have seen the number of adults registered to vote increase by just under 1%, with the London Boroughs showing some of the highest rises”, confirmed Neil Munroe, External Affairs Director, Equifax. “One reason for this uplift could be the Electoral Administration Act, combined with local councils making greater efforts to encourage people to register to vote over the last couple of years. A rise in the immigrant population registering to vote could be another factor in the increase, with all Commonwealth and EU citizens eligible to vote in the UK.”
The analysis also showed an increase in the proportion of adults choosing to opt out of the Edited Electoral Roll, which is available to commercial organisations for purposes other than credit checking. Year on year, this has increased by 3%, going from 36.68% in 2006 to 39.75% in 2007, possibly reflecting a greater consumer interest in how personal data is used. However, Equifax is warning that consumer misperceptions about the Edited Electoral Roll could have an impact on their ability to make purchases online.
“Many consumers believe that by opting out of the Edited Electoral Roll they are reducing their chances of receiving unwanted mail,” explains Neil Munroe “However, the best way to achieve this is by registering with the Mailing Preference Service.
“Consumers need to be aware that there are some risks in opting out of the Edited Electoral Roll. This is especially the case if they are planning to do more of their shopping online, as it is used by many companies for identity verification purposes in order to combat identity fraud. If an individual’s name is not on the Edited Electoral Roll they may have trouble shopping online or completing important identity verification processes, such as for money laundering checks, which are required by many organisations today.”
More Voters Register in London Boroughs
There have been some good increases in voters registered in the London Boroughs, possibly in preparation for this year’s Greater London Authority elections. In particular the City of London, Hounslow, Islington and Richmond saw increases of more than 4% whilst just Barking, Lambeth, Southwark and Sutton saw drops in the number of voters registered.
| Year on Year increase/ decrease in registered voters | |
|
-2.41% |
|
+2.79% |
|
+0.79% |
|
+2.63% |
|
+0.75% |
|
+0.32% |
|
+4.44% |
|
+1.55% |
|
+2.01% |
|
+2.20% |
|
+1.61% |
|
+3.63% |
|
+1.25% |
|
+2.34% |
|
+1.56% |
|
+0.68% |
|
+1.57% |
|
+5.58% |
|
+6.17% |
|
+1.36% |
|
+3.07% |
|
-2.75% |
|
+1.12% |
|
+1.58% |
|
+1.63% |
|
+2.36% |
|
+4.74% |
|
-1.24% |
|
-0.08% |
|
+1.46% |
|
+2.73% |
|
+1.20% |
|
+2.90% |
Regional Picture of Opt Outs
The largest increase in opt-out rate occurred in the Test Valley, followed by the Forest of Dean with increases of 18.99% and 18.44% respectively. However, there doesn’t appear to be any regional bias when it comes to the councils that saw relatively high increases in opt outs in 2007. These include Blackpool, Caerphilly, Cotswold, Fareham, Portsmouth, Rushmoor, South Bedfordshire, South Gloucestershire, South Northamptonshire, Stroud, Tewkesbury and Weymouth & Portland.
In contrast, Ryedale has the largest decrease in opt-outs at 27.55%. The Scottish Borders and Tower Hamlets also recorded high drops in opt outs.
Richmond Upon Thames at 75.20% and Bridgend at 74.39% have the highest proportion of voters opting out whilst Lanarkshire has the lowest proportion at 7.47% of voters.
For further press information please contact: Wendy Harrison, Elinor Puzey or Louise Fowler at HSL on 020 8977 9132 / Fax: 020 8977 5200 or Email: louise@harrisonsadler.com
About Equifax
Equifax empowers businesses and consumers with information they can trust. A global leader in information solutions, we leverage one of the largest sources of consumer and commercial data, along with advanced analytics and proprietary technology, to create customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.
Customers have trusted Equifax for over 100 years to deliver innovative solutions with the highest integrity and reliability. Businesses – large and small – rely on us for consumer and business credit intelligence, portfolio management, fraud detection, decisioning technology, marketing tools, and much more. We empower individual consumers to manage their personal credit information, protect their identity, and maximize their financial well-being.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax Inc. employs approximately 6,900 people in 14 countries through North America, Latin America and Europe. Equifax is a member of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500® Index. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX.
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