EU referendum – one week to register to vote

Just because you're eligible to vote doesn't mean you're automatically registered to do so in the EU referendum, so it's vital to check. Being registered to vote can also boost your credit rating – see our Credit Scores guide for other tips to boost it.

How to register

• Voting in person – deadline 11.59pm Tuesday 7 June. Adults in England, Scotland or Wales (plus expats who've lived abroad for less than 15 years) should use this online vote registration form. Adults in Northern Ireland (NI) can't register online. You need to send a different vote registration form by post which must be received by 7 June.

• Voting by post – deadline Wednesday 8 June (Eng, Scot, Wales) or this Fri (NI). In Britain, you'll need to complete this vote registration form and send it to your local electoral registration office. It must arrive by 5pm on 8 June. In NI, you must give a reason why you can't vote in person. For more info and forms, go to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland website. Your application must arrive by 5pm this Friday. Your vote must be received by 10pm on 23 June to count.

What do you need to give to register?

You'll need to provide your full name, date of birth, address, nationality, national insurance number, and – if you're a British citizen living abroad – you'll need your passport to hand.

Who's eligible to vote on 23 June?

If you're a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen living in the UK and are 18 or over then you can vote in the referendum. British citizens aged 18 and over who've lived abroad for less than 15 years are also eligible.

I've voted recently. Am I auto-registered?

You won't need to register again if you did so already for this year's local elections or for last year's general election AND you still live at the same address as you did then.

If you were registered to vote in one of those elections but have since moved, you can change your address online to ensure you still get a vote.

This is a new system, isn't it?

New-ish. Compulsory individual registration and the online form were introduced in 2014. Unfortunately it has led to more young people dropping off electoral rolls.

You may remember the previous system, in which the 'head of the household' was required to register all eligible residents of a property, and students living in university halls were included in a mass registration.

That system is no more, so registering yourself is your own responsibility, and, as we've said, it's compulsory (technically, if you don't register to vote, you could be fined £80).

Where can I find out more information about the EU referendum?

The Electoral Commission has produced a guide for voters containing contact details and useful information.