Policy paper

Votes at 16

Published 12 February 2026

Representation of the People Bill 2026: Extending the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds

Young people represent the future of our country. Decisions the government makes now will not only affect young people today but will have an enduring impact on their entire lives. As such, it’s only right and fair that younger people be able to vote. Further, by engaging voters early, when they are young, and allowing them to have a say in shaping their future, we will build the foundations for their lifelong participation in our electoral processes.

Votes at 16 is critical to engaging young people in our democracy, empowering them to participate in society and affecting real change both locally and nationally.

While we take action to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds, we recognise the importance of taking a particularly careful approach to the handling of data of young people on the electoral register. We will ensure that 16 and 17 year olds are able to participate in our democracy in the same way as other voters. Alongside this, we will ensure that there are appropriate safeguards in place in line with those for all existing voters, with particular care taken for those pre-registered to vote before they turn 16 where strict controls will be set out in legislation on who can access information from the electoral register and for what purpose. Our approach balances the need for proportionate safeguards within our electoral system, without disadvantaging young voters from being able to participate in it.

Alongside the legislative measures in the Representation of the People Bill to extend the voting age, empowering and equipping young people with the knowledge and skills they need to participate will be vital part of successfully implementing this change. We are working closely across government and with the devolved governments and civil society to develop a package of additional measures focusing on practical democratic and civic education and engagement.

Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review recommendations, the Department for Education has committed to make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and to publish revised programmes of study to ensure that all pupils receive an essential grounding in a range of topics including democracy, government and law. Once these changes are in place young people will benefit from strengthened democratic education before, alongside, and as part of their preparations to exercise their right to vote. This is an opportunity to create truly transformative links between education and democracy.

Summary of the measures in the Bill

Giving young people a voice earlier

The Representation of the People Bill will extend the voting age to 16 for all UK elections. 16 and 17 year olds will have the same rights, once registered, as any other voter.

The registration age will be extended to 14, helping to ensure young people can be fully registered and have the opportunity to vote even if an election falls on or shortly after their 16th birthday.

Making registration work for all young people

Children looked after by a local authority will be able to register on the basis of a Declaration of Local Connection, to ensure they are able to vote in the area of the local authority who is responsible for their care.

Provisions in the Bill will ensure young people who live overseas are also able to register. For example, children of service voters will be entitled to register on the basis of their parent’s previous registration, and that entitlement will extend to their 19th birthday to support a smooth transition into independent life.

Ensuring a smooth transition onto the UK Parliamentary register

Provisions in the Bill will allow, when the change to voting age comes into effect, for any eligible young person under the age of 18 who is already registered to vote in devolved elections in Scotland and Wales to be added to the UK Parliamentary register without the need for a further application to register to vote.

Safeguarding the data of young people

To protect the data of young people, the legislation will make clear those under the age of 16 will not appear on any version of the electoral register made publicly available, and will not have the option to opt-in to the open electoral register.

The right to donate

The Bill will allow 16- and 17-year-olds, like other voters, to make political donations, but will change the approach for ‘attainers’ (who will be those aged 14 and 15 who pre-register for up to two years before reaching voting age) to do so. Current law is that any individual who is on a UK electoral register is entitled to make a political donation, which applies to all ‘attainers’. This will be changed as there will be no way of verifying that 14 and 15 year old attainers are permissible donors given their data on the register will be protected.