Question

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps are being taken to ensure that people who omitted their National Insurance numbers from their electoral registration are made aware of the need to provide that information.

Individuals applying to register to vote must provide their National Insurance number (NINO) or a reason why they are unable to supply it.

This requirement is clear on both the online and paper application forms, and an online application cannot be submitted without either the NINO or a reason why they can’t supply it. If a paper application is submitted without this information, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) will contact the applicant to make them aware of the need to provide it. If a person has a NINO but does not know where to find it, the ERO will provide advice on how to locate it.

Where a NINO has not been provided and a reason for this has been given, the ERO may use local data sources, such as council tax or housing benefit, to verify the identity of the applicant. If the applicant is not verified through local data sources, the ERO will contact the applicant explaining that they will need to provide documentary evidence, such as a passport or the photo card part of a current driving licence, to verify their identity.