Pa god post ddylwn i ei ddefnyddio?
WriteToThem asks for your postcode so it can show you the representatives you can write to.
Usually, the postcode to use is the one for the address where you live and are registered to vote — that’s the address that places you in your constituency, and it’s what a representative’s office is likely to check if they want to confirm you’re one of their constituents.
But you don’t have to be registered to vote to contact your representative. If registering is difficult for you, you can still write to them: use a postcode for the constituency you belong to — where you live, or where you spend your time — and explain your situation in your message.
This page covers which postcode to use in a range of situations, and how to register to vote if you’d like to.
I know my address but not my postcode
The Royal Mail website has a Postcode Finder: enter any UK address and it will tell you the postcode.
I’m writing on behalf of someone else
If you’re contacting a representative for someone else — for example, a person you care for or a family member — use the postcode of their address, and use their address consistently later in the form — explaining in the message your relationship and any alternate contact details.
Your representative’s team is likely to ask follow-up questions about that person’s consent (especially if asking them to talk to government services on their behalf). Similarly, if you have power of attorney, you are likely to be asked for proof of that. If you are in that situation, it can be quicker to use WriteToThem to find the right representative and then email them directly, so you can send proof immediately.
For more on how representatives’ offices handle this, see the w4mp guidance on data protection.
I’m a member of the armed forces
Which postcode do I use on WriteToThem? Use the postcode of your UK home address. The constituency it falls in is the one whose representatives can help you. If you are not registered to vote, explain your situation.
How do I register to vote? As a member of the armed forces, you’re entitled to register as a Service Voter, which keeps you registered at a fixed UK address even when you move around. You can read about how to register as a service voter. You’ll be registered to vote in the constituency where that address lies.
I’m an expatriate
Which postcode do I use on WriteToThem? Use the postcode of the address where you last lived in the UK. That’s the constituency you can write to. If you are not registered to vote, explain your situation.
How do I register to vote? Expatriates can register to vote in certain circumstances — there’s more information for overseas voters here.
I live in a British Overseas Territory
WriteToThem currently holds contact details only for representatives within the UK.
If you live in a British Overseas Territory or Crown Dependency — such as the Falkland Islands or the British Antarctic Territory — please read this page to find out how to contact your representatives.
I’m a Crown Servant
Which postcode do I use on WriteToThem? Use the postcode of the address where you’d be living if you were in the UK, or your last registered UK address. If you are not registered to vote, explain your situation.
How do I register to vote? Crown Servants, employees of the British Council, and their spouses can register to vote. To register, fill in the electoral registration form for Crown Servants and British Council employees.
I’m homeless, of no fixed abode, a prisoner or a long-stay hospital patient
You don’t need to be registered to vote to write to a representative. What matters is giving an address that places you in the right constituency, and explaining your situation so their office understands who you are.
Which postcode do I use on WriteToThem? Use the postcode of an address you’re connected to — somewhere you live or spend a substantial part of your time, such as a hostel, day centre or library, or an address where you’ve lived in the past. In your message, explain your circumstances, and if it matters that a postal reply reaches you where you are now, say so.
How do I register to vote? You can register at an address like the one above by filling in a ‘Declaration of Local Connection’, which you can get from your local electoral registration office. Read more about registering to vote with no fixed address.
This page was produced based on guidance from the Electoral Commission, Electoral Office for Northern Ireland and w4mp. If you have comments on how to improve it, please get in touch.