You need to register to vote before you can vote in UK elections and referendums.
Paying council tax does not automatically put you on the electoral register. You still need to register to vote.
To register to vote, you need to:
- be 16 years or over (but you will not be able to vote until you are 18)
- be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen or EU citizen living in the UK
- be resident at an address in the UK (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years)
You can register to vote on GOV.UK
You can find out about the different types of elections and who can vote in them on The Electoral Commission website.
You can still register to vote if you are:
- living overseas
- a member of the Armed Forces
- a spouse or civil partner of a member of the Armed Forces
- a person without a fixed address
You can also register to vote anonymously if you think that your name appearing on the electoral register could affect your safety.
If you have moved house or changed your name, you need to update your details on GOV.UK