New regulations were announced In January, which come into force from the beginning of May, for everyone eligible to vote in England on Local elections; Police and Crime Commissioner elections; UK parliamentary by-elections and Recall petitions (where the electorate in an area can trigger a special election to remove an elected representative before the end of their current term). From October 2023, the regulations extend to General Elections, the next United Kingdom General Election is scheduled to be held no later than 24 January 2025.

To register to vote you must be a UK or Irish citizen; a qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK; or an EU citizen living in the UK and aged over 16. But bizarrely you cannot actually vote until the age of 18. So, if you are eligible to vote then you need to register. This can be done online within minutes, using your National Insurance Number. Once you are registered you will not need to register again before every election. You will however need to inform your local council if you move house or change name. You can check with the electoral services team at your local council to see if you are already registered.

The new rules state that your identity will be checked at polling stations as you enter, so you need to ensure you have a valid type of photo ID. These are listed as a UK passport; a passport issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country; a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme); a Blue Badge; a biometric residence permit (BRP); a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90); a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein; a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card or an Anonymous Elector’s Document.

Ensure your name on the electrical register matches the ID you use. If it does not you will need to reregister or take a document to prove that your name has changed – for example a marriage certificate. Small differences will not matter, for example “Jim” instead of “James” or “Gill” instead of “Gillian”.

If you don’t have any of these, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate which can be done online and is free. You will need a recent digital photo of yourself and your National Insurance Number.

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk has all the listings of elections in your area via your postcode, and also information regarding what to expect when entering a polling station.