People urged to register to vote ahead of deadline next week as it could boost current credit score

Scotland’s national advice agency has issued a reminder that the deadline for voter registration in the upcoming General Election is less than a week away. Advice Direct Scotland said people who are intending to cast a vote in the election on July 4 must register before midnight on Tuesday, June 18.

It is also reminding Scots who will be abroad on holiday on the day of the election, or supporting the national team at Euro 2024, that they can switch to a postal or proxy vote. The deadline for applying for a postal vote is 5pm on June 19, while the cut-off time for people who want to appoint a proxy is 5pm on June 26.

More than 40 million people across the UK were registered to vote at the last General Election in 2019, but more than three million did not sign up until weeks before the deadline. Recent research from the IPPR think-tank has also highlighted a growing ‘turnout gap’, with those on the highest incomes significantly more likely to vote than those on the lowest.

To be allowed to vote, people must be aged 18 or over on the day of the election and be a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.

The voting registration process takes just five minutes and can be done online through the GOV.UK website, with a National Insurance number the only requirement.

Those who are unable to register online can contact their local council electoral registration office and ask them to send out a paper form, which can then be returned by post.

There is no need for people to register to vote before every election, but those who have moved house or changed their name since the previous contest in 2019 might need to re-register and should check with their electoral registration office as soon as possible.

Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “With the General Election campaign in full swing, voters have a lot of information to take in, but the key thing to remember is that you must register ahead of the deadline.

“It can be done in five minutes online, but we would urge people not to leave it too late in case it slips their mind, and they are left unable to have a say on July 4.

“More than three million people registered in the run-up to the last general election, which put electoral registration offices under a lot of pressure, so the sooner you do it the better.”

Registering to vote could also give your credit score a boost, according to a financial firm. This is because being on the electoral register could help potential lenders confirm names and addresses.

A survey for money insights provider Intuit Credit Karma found that two-thirds (66%) of people were unaware that being registered to vote may help improve a credit score, rising to 84% of 18 to 24 year-olds.

One in 10 (10%) people surveyed said they were planning to register to vote ahead of the upcoming election.

Akansha Nath, general manager (international) at Intuit Credit Karma, said: "As interest rates remain high, it's important to understand what makes up a credit score, and how to improve it, in order to access the best rates available on the financial products people need."

As well as being registered to vote, other potential ways to improve a credit score include paying bills on time, keeping credit card balances low and trying not to apply for too many new credit accounts in a short period of time.

Join our Daily Record Money WhatsApp community here to receive alerts on the latest money news from benefits to shopping deals.