A Guide
As of 16 January 2024, UK nationals are now able to register to vote in UK elections, regardless of how long they have lived abroad. British citizens, eligible Irish citizens and citizens of Crown Dependencies can register as overseas voters as long as they:
- were previously registered to vote in the UK or
- were previously resident in the UK
Get ready to register
Before starting the process of registration, you will need to have access to proof of your ID and your former UK address.
To prove your ID you will need to provide your National Insurance (NI) number and your date of birth. If you have a British passport (current or expired), you will need to scan it for ID purposes. If you have lost your NI number, you can search for it here
To prove your address you will need to provide documentation containing your full name and address details. Acceptable documentation includes:
- a UK driving licence (current or expired)
- correspondence from HMRC or the Dept. for Work and Pensions
- council tax statement/demand
- credit card statement
- utility or mobile phone bill
- letter from an insurance company
- P45 or P60 form or payslip
- bank/building society passbook
- local authority rent book
In the event that you are unable to provide satisfactory evidence of your ID and former UK address, you will have the option of providing an attestation. You will need to ask someone (not a close family member) to attest to the details you provide. Your attestor must be over 18 and registered to vote in the UK, but they do not need to be a UK resident.
How to register
You can register to vote from overseas online on the government website here
When applying to register, use the last address where you were registered as a UK resident. If previously registered to vote at more than one UK address, use the most recent address at which you were registered.
Any eligible voters that previously resided in the UK, even as children, but have never been registered to vote, can apply using their last UK address.
Details provided will be verified by local authorities who are responsible for the electoral role in their area.
Once registered to vote, you will need to renew your registration every three years (previously annually), before 1 November.
An easy read guide on the registration process is available here
Feedback
We would be very interested to hear about your experiences in registering to vote using the government website. The process will be straightforward for some and more complex for others, but it is important that we understand how it works for you, and any issues that need resolving. Please email us with any feedback, good or bad, of your experiences of the registration process. Be assured we will notify the DLUHC and the Electoral Commission regarding any issues, in order to improve the process.
Useful links
Electoral Commission: Overseas Voters- Resources for British Citizens Overseas
British Embassy – Living in Spain – Voting
LibDems Abroad: Brits Abroad and Brits Abroad Q&A
Voting by Proxy
If you are unable to vote in person in the UK, then we strongly recommend voting by proxy as postal voting has proved unreliable in the past & your vote may not arrive in time to be counted.
How to apply & what you need
Once you have registered to vote, there are 2 ways to apply for a proxy – online or by post.
Before you start the process, you will need your:
- N.I. number or other ID, e.g. birth certificate
- Details of your Proxy: name, address, contact details
- Digital signature (a photo)
The government have produced as Easy Read Guide that explains the process in more detail.
Who can act as your proxy?
You need to appoint someone you trust to act as your proxy who is:
- 18 years or over
- Registered & eligible to vote
Further information is available from the Electoral Commission: How to vote by proxy.
If you are unable to find a friend or family member to act as your proxy, you can approach your local political party. They have a vested interest in finding someone to act on your behalf.
