Register to vote (crown servants and British Council employees)

Use this service to get on the electoral register or update your details if you’re 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’re already abroad.

You can vote when you’re 18 or over.

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

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Deadline for registering to vote in the 7 May 2026 elections

Register by 11:59pm on 20 April 2026 to vote in the following elections on 7 May 2026:

  • local government elections
  • Scottish Parliament elections
  • Senedd Cymru elections
  • mayoral elections in England

Voting by post

You must apply by 5pm on 21 April 2026.

If you’re applying by post for a postal vote, you must get your application to your electoral registration office by 5pm on 21 April 2026.

Voting by proxy

You must apply by 5pm on 28 April 2026.

If you’re applying by post for a proxy vote, you must get your application to your electoral registration office by 5pm on 28 April 2026.

Register online

Registering takes around 5 minutes.

You’ll 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’ll get a reminder when it’s time to renew. If you do not renew your registration, you’ll be removed from the register and will need to register to vote again.

Start now

What you need to know

You can also register to vote using a paper form.

Apply for a postal or proxy vote

After you’ve registered, you can either:

Apply for a postal vote as soon as possible.

Your electoral registration office sends out postal vote ballot packs no earlier than 19 working days before the election. If you need your ballot pack to be sent abroad it can take a long time to reach you and get back to the UK.

If you’re travelling abroad and your pack will not reach you before you travel, you can vote by proxy instead.

Children of crown servants or British Council employees

Different rules apply depending on where you’re from in the UK.

If you’re from England or Northern Ireland

If you’re aged 16 or over, you can either:

If you’re from Scotland or Wales

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

  • you’re between 14 and 17 years old
  • you’re 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’re 18 or over, you’ll need to either:

Your registration lasts for 12 months. You’ll get a reminder when it’s time to renew.

If you’re in the armed forces

There’s a different way to register to vote if you’re in the armed forces.

This page is 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’ll need to be registered to vote to take part in elections and referendums. You’ll 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. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    1. Find out more about voting by post

  6. or Apply for a proxy vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    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