Pledge
“We will … [give] 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections”
Our verdict
On 12 February 2026 the government introduced the Representation of the People Bill to Parliament. If passed this will lower the voting age to 16 for all UK elections for which it is currently 18, such as general elections and local elections in England.
The manifesto doesn’t specify exactly what it means by “all elections”. We’ve taken it to mean that Labour intends for 16 and 17-year-olds across the UK to be able to vote in UK general elections, as well as those for local government (such as council, Police and Crime Commissioner and mayoral elections) and the devolved parliaments (for those living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Voting in UK general elections is a reserved matter, meaning rules are decided by the UK Parliament. The current voting age for UK general elections (in which Members of Parliament are elected) is 18, no matter where you live.
In England and Northern Ireland (where elections are an excepted matter), people currently also have to be 18 to vote in local elections (and in the case of Northern Ireland, Assembly elections).
Decisions on voting eligibility for some elections in Scotland and Wales are devolved, meaning they are the responsibility of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
The manifesto did not mention a timeframe for this pledge. When we asked the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) about this in October 2024, it told us it “will ensure the voting age is lowered in good time ahead of the next general election”.
Some local elections and a parliamentary by-election were held in England in 2025, with another parliamentary by-election taking place in February 2026. Local elections will also take place in England in May 2026. The next general election must take place no later than August 2029.
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On 12 February 2026, the government introduced the Representation of the People Bill to Parliament, which, if passed, will legislate to extend the voting age to 16. This will mean both 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in local elections and referendums in England and Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Assembly elections, PCC elections in England and Wales, and in general elections across the UK. As a result we’re rating this pledge as “appears on track”.
The government has said that people will be able to register to vote from the age of 14, though they won’t be able to cast a ballot until at least the day of their sixteenth birthday. Those under the age of 18 and registered to vote in Scotland and Wales will be added to the UK Parliamentary register without needing to reapply.
The government has also said anyone 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 bill is currently progressing through Parliament.
As we develop this Government Tracker we’re keen to hear your feedback. We’ll be keeping the Tracker up to date and adding more pledges in the coming months.
Progress displayed publicly—so every single person in this country can judge our performance on actions, not words.
Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister – 24 September 2024