Londoners unaware of electoral roll changes may not be registered to vote for a new mayor
Equifax reports rise in consumer queries regarding electoral registration
Equifax, the credit information provider, has reported a rising number of consumers contacting the company after discovering they are no longer registered to vote. In 2014 the process for electoral roll registration changed so that instead of one member of the household being able to register every adult at their address, each individual must register themselves. For Londoners wanting to have their say in the London Mayoral Election on 5th May 2016, it’s important they check they are registered.
“Our figures show a like-for-like decrease in London elector volumes for 2016 of over 92,000,” explains Lisa Hardstaff, credit information expert at Equifax. “In addition, we’ve seen an increase in consumer enquiries about electoral registration. This suggests that some consumers don’t realise that they are no longer registered on the electoral roll, which means they won’t be able to have their say on who should be the new Mayor of London.”
Whilst the electoral register primarily allows people to vote, it can also have an impact when applying for credit. The electoral roll information appears on an individual’s credit report, and is used by lenders to verify an applicant’s address. This makes it a vital step in becoming credit ready, when shopping around for deals.
Lisa Hardstaff concludes, “It’s easy to register to vote online or by contacting your local authority.”
London residents can check if they’re registered to vote by contacting their local Electoral Registration Officer - details can be found on Gov.uk. Consumers can also check that they are registered at their current address on their Equifax Credit Report, as well as check other information that will be used by lenders when assessing credit applications.
The Equifax Credit Report is accessible for 30 days free simply by logging onto www.equifax.co.uk/Products/credit/credit-score. If customers do not cancel before the end of the 30 Day Free Trial, the service will continue at £14.95 per month, giving them unlimited online access to their credit information and weekly alerts on any changes to their credit file. It also includes an online dispute facility to help them correct any errors on their credit file simply and quickly.
ENDS
For further press information, please contact: Clare Watson, Cecile Stearn, Parm Heer or Wendy Harrison at HSL on 020 8977 9132 / Fax: 020 8977 5200 or Email: equifaxbtocteam@harrisonsadler.com
About Equifax
Equifax is a global leader in consumer, commercial and workforce information solutions that provide businesses of all sizes and consumers with insight and information they can trust. Equifax organizes and assimilates data on more than 600 million consumers and 81 million businesses worldwide. The company’s significant investments in differentiated data, its expertise in advanced analytics to explore and develop new multi-source data solutions, and its leading-edge proprietary technology enable it to create and deliver unparalleled customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates or has investments in 19 countries and is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500® Index. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. In 2015, Forbes named Equifax one of the World’s 100 Most Innovative companies; Bloomberg BusinessWeek nominated it as one of its Top 50 companies; its CIO was named one of the top 100 by CIO magazine; the company ranked 16th in the Fintech 100 list; and it was recognized as a top 20 company to work for by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was named a 2015 InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner.
For more information, please visit www.equifax.co.uk.
Equifax Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.