Register to vote (crown servants and British Council employees)

Use this service to get on the electoral register or update your details if you鈥檙e posted abroad as:

  • a crown servant (for example diplomatic or overseas civil service)
  • a British Council employee
  • the spouse or civil partner of a crown servant or British Council employee

You can do this before you leave or if you鈥檙e already abroad.

You can vote when you鈥檙e 18 or over.

If you live in Scotland or Wales, you can vote in some elections when you鈥檙e 16 or over - check which elections you鈥檙e eligible to vote in.

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Deadline for registering to vote in the 1 May 2025 elections in England

Register by 11:59pm on 11 April 2025 to vote in the following elections on 1 May 2025:

  • local government elections聽
  • parish council elections聽
  • local authority mayoral elections
  • combined authority mayoral elections
  • combined county authority mayoral elections

Voting by post

You must apply by 5pm on 14 April 2025.

If you鈥檙e applying by post for a postal vote, you must get your application to your electoral registration office by 5pm on 14 April 2025.

Voting by proxy

You must apply by 5pm on 23 April 2025.

If you鈥檙e applying by post for a proxy vote, you must get your application to your electoral registration office by 5pm on 23 April 2025.

Register online

Registering takes around 5 minutes.

You鈥檒l need:

  • your National Insurance number or any other identity document, for example a passport
  • your payroll or staff ID number (usually found on your payslip)

Your registration lasts for 12 months. You鈥檒l get a reminder when it鈥檚 time to renew. If you do not renew your registration, you鈥檒l be removed from the register and will need to register to vote again.

What you need to know

You can also register to vote using a paper form.

Apply for a postal or proxy vote

After you鈥檝e registered, you can either:

If you live in another country and you choose to apply for a postal vote, you should apply as soon as possible. It can take a long time for your postal vote ballot pack to reach you and get back to the UK.

Children of crown servants or British Council employees

Different rules apply depending on where you鈥檙e from in the UK.

If you鈥檙e from England or Northern Ireland

If you鈥檙e aged 16 or over, you can either:

If you鈥檙e from Scotland or Wales

You can register to vote if both of the following apply:

  • you鈥檙e between 14 and 17 years old
  • you鈥檙e based overseas and living with a parent or guardian who is a crown servant or British Council employee

You need to register to vote using a paper form as a child of a crown servant or British Council employee.

When you鈥檙e 18 or over, you鈥檒l need to either:

Your registration lasts for 12 months. You鈥檒l get a reminder when it鈥檚 time to renew.

If you鈥檙e in the armed forces

There鈥檚 a different way to register to vote if you鈥檙e in the armed forces.

Part of Vote in UK elections

  1. Step 1 Check if you can vote

    1. Check which elections you can vote in

  2. Step 2 Register to vote

    You鈥檒l need to be registered to vote to take part in elections and referendums. You鈥檒l need to register again if you change your name, address or nationality.

    1. Register to vote - apply online
    1. Register to vote - apply by post

  3. Step 3 Decide if you want to vote in person, by post, or by proxy

    1. Find out the different ways you can vote

  4. Step 4 Get ready to vote in person

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    If you do not have photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

    1. Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

    Contact your electoral registration office to find your polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility needs.

    1. Contact your electoral registration office

  5. or Apply for a postal vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Find out more about voting by post

  6. or Apply for a proxy vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Find out more about voting by proxy - including when you must apply by

  7. or Get ready to vote as a proxy

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    Contact the electoral registration office of the person you are a proxy for to find their polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility issues.

    1. Contact the electoral registration office

  8. Step 5 Vote in person

    1. Vote in person

  9. or Vote by post

    1. Vote by post

  10. or Vote as a proxy for someone else

    1. Vote as a proxy for someone else