Rights & choices · England
Your vote and the help you can ask for
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Voting helps choose people who make decisions about our country or local area.
This guide is about voting in England.
Register to vote
Having a learning disability does not stop you voting.
You must meet the usual rules for the election.
In England, the current voting age is 18.
You can register from age 16.
Ask the council’s electoral services team to check your eligibility.
You must register to vote before the deadline.
You can ask for help with registration.
An Easy Read form is linked below.
Your choice is private
You decide whether to vote and who to choose.
Someone can help you understand information.
They must not make the choice for you.
Your vote is private.
Nobody should pressure you about your vote.
Ask for voting support
Tell electoral services what makes voting difficult.
Ask for information and support that work for you.
Ask before polling day if you can.
You might need pictures, clear instructions or more time.
You might need a quieter time or somewhere to sit.
You can ask about wheelchair access and a suitable voting booth.
Other equipment may help with seeing or marking the ballot paper.
You can take someone to help you vote.
In England, this person must be aged 18 or over.
Staff will explain the form they need to complete.
Polling station staff can help too.
Tell them what you need.
Your choice still belongs to you.
ID and other ways to vote
Check what photo ID you need before voting in person.
If you need it, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.
Ask for help and check the deadline.
You can ask about voting by post.
You can also ask about choosing someone to cast your vote for you.
They must follow your choice.
If support is missing, ask for the person in charge of the polling station.
Contact electoral services promptly if the problem continues.
What you can do next
Contact electoral services about the support you need.
Use the blank page below to prepare your request.
Read about accessible voting Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- Electoral Commission: accessible voting Web page
Support, companions, equipment and finding electoral services. Choose England.
- Registering to vote: Easy Read form Web pageEasy Read
Choose the England form and ask for help if needed.
- Mencap: elections and Easy Read guides Web pageEasy Read
Accessible explanations of voting and political information.
- Apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate Web page
For eligible voters who need an accepted form of voting ID.
- Check which elections you can vote in Web page
Citizenship, age, residence and election-specific rules.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Voting rights and getting accessible support to vote
Your right to make your own voting choice, register and ask for help or equipment that makes voting accessible.
England · Current voting and registration rules checked 1 November 2026
Learning disability does not remove the right
An otherwise eligible person can register and vote regardless of their mental capacity. A diagnosis, support needs or living in a care home does not by itself disqualify someone. There is no mental-capacity test that a carer or professional must apply before allowing voting. The decision whether and how to vote belongs to the voter. A relative, attorney or deputy cannot make a best-interests voting decision for them.
Check eligibility and register
At the date checked, people in England can register from age 16 and vote from age 18. Citizenship, residence and the election type also matter: not everyone registered can vote in every election. Use the Electoral Commission’s eligibility guide or ask the electoral registration office. Register by the election deadline and update registration when relevant details change. You can get help with the form, including the government’s Easy Read England form.
Understand the choices without pressure
Ask for explanations of the voting process and accessible information from parties and candidates. A supporter can read information, explain unfamiliar words neutrally and help you communicate. They must not steer your choice, assume your preference from their own views or fill in a vote you have not chosen. You can choose not to vote. Your vote is private.
Ask for access support early
Contact the council’s electoral services team and explain what makes voting difficult and what would help. Ask for the request to reach the Returning Officer, who is responsible for running the election. Their duties include anticipating disabled voters’ needs, reasonable adjustments and reasonable equipment to support independent, secret voting. Ask what is agreed, who will arrange it and how staff will know on the day.
Examples of helpful adjustments
Depending on your needs, ask about plain-language or picture instructions, an explanation of the steps, extra time, a quieter period, seating, step-free access, a suitable booth, lighting or a pencil grip. People with sight loss can ask about large print, magnification, tactile and audio support. These are examples for individual discussion; confirm the actual arrangements rather than assuming every polling station has identical equipment.
Bring a companion or ask staff
In England, a companion helping you vote must be aged 18 or over. They complete a declaration with the Presiding Officer at the polling station. Polling staff can explain the process and provide permitted assistance, including help marking your chosen vote when needed. You can bring helpful aids such as a magnifier or text-to-speech app. Tell staff what you need; do not take photographs inside the polling station.
Check identification before polling day
You normally need accepted photo ID to vote in person at elections in England. Check the current accepted list for your election; not every card counts. If you lack accepted ID, or there is another eligible reason, apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate by its deadline. You must be registered first. The electoral registration office can help with the application, photograph or alternative evidence if you lack a National Insurance number.
Postal voting and proxy voting
You can consider voting by post or applying for an eligible trusted person to vote as your proxy. Different applications and deadlines apply. A proxy must follow your voting choice; they cannot create a choice for you. Ask about accessible application help and a signature waiver if you cannot sign consistently because of disability. Do not let anyone pressure you to hand over or complete a ballot against your wishes.
If access is missing or you are turned away
Ask for the Presiding Officer at the polling station and explain the barrier and the support you need. Contact electoral services promptly, particularly while voting is still open. Keep details of what happened and ask how to make a complaint or challenge a decision. Being told that people with learning disabilities cannot vote is wrong. Seek independent advice about unresolved discrimination or interference with your vote.
Current rules and proposed changes
The government’s Representation of the People Bill proposes votes from age 16 and changes to voter identification. As checked on 1 November 2026, these are proposals, not permission to use a bank card or vote below the current age in England. Use the Electoral Commission’s current rules and election notices when preparing for an actual election.
Words you could use
“I want to vote and need accessible support. I find … difficult. Please discuss … with me, confirm the equipment and support available, and tell me who to speak to on polling day.”
More useful links
- Electoral Commission: accessible voting Web page
Support, companions, equipment and finding electoral services. Choose England.
- Registering to vote: Easy Read form Web pageEasy Read
Choose the England form and ask for help if needed.
- Mencap: elections and Easy Read guides Web pageEasy Read
Accessible explanations of voting and political information.
- Apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate Web page
For eligible voters who need an accepted form of voting ID.
- Check which elections you can vote in Web page
Citizenship, age, residence and election-specific rules.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 1 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- Electoral Commission: mental capacity and voting Web page
No mental-capacity disqualification; the elector must decide whether and how to vote.
- Electoral Commission: who can vote Web page
Current registration and voting-age rules for England.
- Electoral Commission: election eligibility Web page
Citizenship, residence, age and election-specific eligibility.
- GOV.UK: Easy Read registration Web pageEasy Read
Accessible registration form and help with registration details.
- Electoral Commission: legal responsibilities to disabled voters Web page
Anticipatory adjustment and equipment duties.
- Electoral Commission: understanding barriers to voting Web page
Communication, sensory, physical and information barriers.
- Electoral Commission: accessibility at polling stations Web page
England companion age, polling assistance, personal aids and requesting support.
- Electoral Commission: accepted photo ID Web page
Check current accepted documents for the election concerned.
- GOV.UK: Voter Authority Certificate Web page
Free voting ID, registration prerequisite and application assistance.
- Electoral Commission: voting by proxy Web page
Proxy eligibility and following the elector’s choice.
- GOV.UK: votes at 16 proposals Web page
Policy summary updated 28 October 2026; proposals distinguished from current rules.
- GOV.UK: voter identification proposals Web page
Proposed bank-card and digital-ID changes, not a substitute for the current accepted list.
- Electoral Commission: signature waivers for postal voters Web page
Asking for a waiver if disability prevents a signature or a consistent signature.
A page for you to fill in
You can type your answers and download a copy.
You can also print a page to write or draw on.
Someone you trust can help you.