UK voting age to be lowered to 16

The government has announced that the voting age in the UK will be lowered to 16.

The changes are set to be enforced in time for the next time the country goes to the polls – expected by summer 2029 at the very latest.

It is just one of numerous new measures introduced to the voting process in the UK, and will mark the largest change to the electorate since the minimum voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1969.

When it comes into effect, the UK will be just one of a handful of places where the voting age is lower than 18; joining Austria, Brazil, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Cuba.

Today we’re delivering on our promise to give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote.

Young people already contribute to society by working, paying taxes and serving in the military. It's only right they can have a say on the issues that affect them. #VotesAt16

— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) July 17, 2025

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that he “absolutely encourages” those aged 16 and 17 to “be as engaged as they can be in the future of their country” (via The Independent). He also outlined how 16-year-olds are already permitted to work, pay taxes and serve in the military.

“If you can work, if you can pay tax, if you can serve in your armed forces, then you ought to be able to vote,” Starmer said last year, and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner added: “For too long public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline.

“We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy… and delivering on our manifesto commitment to give 16-year-olds the right to vote.”

The move will allow approximately 1.5million more teenagers to cast ballots in upcoming elections. Some MPs, including former Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns, have accused the PM of attempting to use the change to “rig future elections”.

Not all change is good change! Starmer's ideology is just like the SNP. He will push identity politics & amnesty on illegal migrants. This ideology will be perpetuated by 16 year olds having the vote as he confirmed today. We will never have another Conservative government again pic.twitter.com/dzapIObgy1

— Dame Andrea Jenkyns (@andreajenkyns) May 25, 2024

Not all under-18s are convinced by the upcoming changes either, and a recent poll (held by Merlin Strategy for ITV News) asked a group of 500 16 and 17-year-olds about the decision, and found that 49 per cent of participants did not agree with it.

Conservative shadow minister Paul Holmes also said the government’s position was “hopelessly confused”.

“Why does this government think a 16-year-old can vote but not be allowed to buy a lottery ticket, an alcoholic drink, marry, or go to war, or even stand in the elections they’re voting in?” he asked in the Commons, as the BBC reports.

“I think there’s so much more opportunity for young people to become more involved in the political systems,” one teen told the BBC in response to the news, while others noted that key issues for them included ousing, poverty, knife crime, mental health and education.

Other changes to the electoral process in the UK include allowing UK-issued bank cards to be accepted as valid forms of ID when voting, heavier fines for those who breach political finance rules, and tougher sentences for those who target abuse at campaigners.

Loopholes that allow foreign donors to influence political parties via ‘shell companies’ are also being cracked down on. This comes following reports that Elon Musk was considering giving £80million to Nigel Farage’s Reform party – marking the largest donation in UK electoral history (via BBC).

The Independent reported that last summer’s general election reached an all-time high in terms of spending, with £94.5million shelled out and just under £70million of that coming from political parties. Labour spent the most, paying £30million during the campaign, and Conservatives spent £23.9million.

The Liberal Democrats spent the third most, paying £5.6million on their campaign, followed by Reform with £5.5million, the Green Party with £1.7million, and the SNP with £799,000.

Find more details about the changes to the voting process in the UK here.

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