Register again, in the new name#
The electoral register does not have a change-of-name form. GOV.UK's register to vote service says you normally only need to register once, not for every election, but that you will need to register again if you have changed your name, address or nationality. Registering again with the new details is how the register is updated, and the service says it usually takes about five minutes.
You will be asked for your National Insurance number, which is how the electoral registration office checks who you are; there is no deed poll to upload. GOV.UK says you can still register if you do not have a National Insurance number, and its page tells you how to find yours if you have lost it.
The open register#
The register to vote service lets you opt out of the "open" register, the version of the electoral register that anyone can buy. If you were opted out before, check the box again when you re-register; the choice belongs to the registration, not to you.
If you are worried about your safety#
GOV.UK says there is a different process to register anonymously, for example if you are concerned about your safety or the safety of someone in your household. If your name change is connected to leaving a violent relationship, that is the route to look at before you re-register in the new name.
Who can register#
You can register up to two years before you reach voting age. In England and Northern Ireland you must be aged 16 or over to register, and you can register if you are a British or Irish citizen, or a Commonwealth or eligible EU citizen with permission to be in the UK; GOV.UK sets out the rules for Scotland and Wales separately. If you are not sure whether you are already registered, GOV.UK says to contact your electoral registration office.
Why it matters after a name change#
Photo ID is now checked at polling stations in England, and the name on the register is the name the polling station has for you. Registering again in your new name, and getting your driving licence or passport into the same name, keeps the two matching. It also matters for credit checks, which use the electoral register to confirm where you live and under what name.
