Local residents are being warned not to lose their voice on decisions that affect them by making sure their electoral registration details are up to date.

Worcestershire City Council sending out letters to households across the city to make sure they can vote, with elections taking place in Worcester in May 2022.

Shane Flynn, electoral registration officer, said: "It’s important that residents look out for letters and other messages from Worcester City Council, so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in the city. We will send you a letter for you to respond to. To make sure you are able to have your say at next year’s elections, simply follow the instructions we will send to you".

People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages and check the details.

Research by the Electoral Commission, published in 2019, indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. Across Great Britain, 92% of people who have been at their property for more than 16 years will be registered, compared to 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.

Melanie Davidson, head of support and improvement at the Electoral Commission, said: "It’s really important that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to do so. Checking the messages that you will get from your local council is the easiest way to see if you’re registered to vote. If you’re not, make sure you provide the necessary information to your local council when it is needed.”

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service or checking credit applications.