Important changes to the way you vote

The Elections Act 2022 has made changes to the way we’ll vote in the UK.

Voter ID

One of the most significant changes is that you need to show photographic identification (ID) when you attend a polling station to cast your vote. The below changes were introduced in 2023. Please visit our Voter ID page for more information.

Changes to postal and proxy voting

Now, when you apply for a postal vote you must provide your National Insurance Number as well as your date of birth and signature. The maximum period you can have a postal vote for is up to three years. After this time you will need to submit a fresh application.

There is a limit on the number of postal vote packs that you can hand in at a polling station. You can hand in your own postal vote, and up to five others. Political parties and campaigners are banned from handling postal vote packs on behalf of electors.

Find out more about postal voting

Find out more about proxy voting

Extended voting rights for British citizens living overseas

The 15 year limit has been removed. If you are a British Citizen living overseas who has previously lived in the UK or been registered to vote in the UK, you can register to vote regardless of how long you have lived outside the UK.

People living overseas can now register to vote in the UK no matter how long ago they left or were last registered to vote in the UK.

Overseas declarations are now valid for three years, lasting until 1 November in the third year after it takes effect (for example, if your declaration takes effect on 1 March 2024, it will expire on 1 November 2026).

EU citizens' voting and candidacy rights

EU citizens will no longer automatically be entitled to register to vote and stand for election.

Two groups of EU citizens will retain their rights:

'Qualifying EU citizens' from countries with reciprocal agreements, and who have leave, or do not require it, to remain in the UK. This currently applies to Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. Citizens from Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus will retain their voting rights in all UK elections while resident in the UK.
'EU citizens with retained rights' who were residents in the UK before 1 January 2021 - before the UK left the EU

Accessibility at polling stations

The voting process should be accessible to all voters. We offer a range of support for voters with disabilities to enable them to vote independently or with assistance. The Elections Act 2022 introduced changes to further assist disabled voters at polling stations.

Find out more on our accessible voting page.