Protecting Your Family and Home Address
Practical steps officers and their families can take to reduce their public footprint — the open electoral register, property alerts, and where to get force-specific security advice.
Officers and their families sometimes want to reduce how easily their home address and personal details can be found. This is general, practical guidance on widely-available options — for anything involving a specific threat, speak to your force's security or counter-corruption unit and the Federation, who can advise on tailored measures.
Reduce your public footprint
You can opt out of the 'open' version of the electoral register, which is the copy that can be bought by anyone; you stay on the full register used for voting. This is done through your local authority's electoral services.
Review what is publicly visible about you online, tighten social-media privacy settings, and be cautious about posting anything that links your home, vehicle or routine to your policing role. Consider a PO box or a redirection service for sensitive post.
Property and identity alerts
HM Land Registry offers a free Property Alert service that notifies you of certain activity against a registered property — a low-effort way to spot suspicious changes. General identity-protection measures (credit alerts, strong unique passwords, two-factor authentication) also help.
When there is a specific threat
If you believe you or your family are at particular risk because of your role, do not rely on general measures alone — report it. Your force's security, professional standards or counter-corruption function can assess the risk and advise on protective steps, and the Federation can support you through it.
Where to get help
- Register to vote / electoral register — GOV.UK
Opt out of the open register via your local authority
- HM Land Registry Property Alert
Free alerts of activity on a registered property
Common questions
How do I keep my address off public registers?
Opt out of the open electoral register through your council's electoral services (you remain on the full register for voting). Review other public listings, and consider a redirection service or PO box for sensitive mail.
What if there is an actual threat to my family?
Treat it as a policing matter: report it to your force's security or professional-standards function so the risk can be assessed and protective measures put in place. The Federation can support you.
Signposting guide for police families, not legal or financial advice. Organisations listed are independent; links checked 2026-08-10. For your specific circumstances, speak to your force welfare team, the Police Federation, or a qualified adviser. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with any UK policing body.