Your guide to voting whilst homeless – registration and ID

Local elections will be taking place across England on 4^th May 2023. Due to new rules, voters will now need to bring photo ID with them in order to vote. This is a new rule and will apply to the following elections from 4^th May 2023:

• Local elections
• Police and Crime Commissioner elections
• UK parliamentary by-elections
• Recall petitions

It will also apply to general elections from October 2023.

If you’ve never voted before it can be a bit confusing understanding how to register, so we have created this resource to explain the process and to also go through what is accepted as photo ID, and what to do if you don’t have adequate photo ID.

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How to register to vote

First, make sure you are eligible to vote. You are eligible if you are:

• Aged 16 or older (although you usually have to be 18 in order to vote) and;
• A British or Irish Citizen living in the UK or;
• A Commonwealth citizen who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission or;
• A citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission

You can register to vote online at this address: Register to vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

This will take around five minutes in total and you will need your National Insurance number to hand in order to register.

You can also register to vote via a paper form which you will need to print out and send to your local Electoral Registration Office.

If you are concerned about your name and address appearing on the electoral register for safety reasons, you can also register to vote anonymously.

The deadline to register to vote in the 4^th May elections is 17^th April.

Can I register to vote if I don’t have a fixed address?

If you have no fixed address either because:

• you’re homeless
• you’ve been remanded in custody but not yet convicted of any offence
• you're receiving inpatient mental health care in a hospital

then you will need to complete this form and send this to your local Electoral Registration Office.

The form can be downloaded using the link above, or you can visit the local Electoral Registration Office to ask for a paper copy.

If you need help completing the form you should speak to your akt caseworker or a support worker if you have one. You can also speak to your local homeless day centre or your local Citizens Advice to ask them to help you.

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What ID is accepted to vote under the new rules?

You can use any of the following documents as a form of ID at a polling station:

• Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
• Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)
• A blue badge
• Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
• Freedom Pass
• Scottish National Entitlement Card
• Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• Biometric immigration document
• Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• National identity card issued by an EEA state
• Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
• Voter Authority Certificate
• Anonymous Elector's Document

Please note – the photo on your ID must look like you in order to be accepted. However, if it does still look like you then you can use your ID even if it has expired. Click here for a full list of accepted ID: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need

If you’re a current student then you could be eligible for a free Citizen Card which through the NUS.

The Electoral Commission have produced a series of videos explaining the process of registering to vote and getting the right ID. These videos include closed captions and BSL.

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What if the name on my ID doesn’t match the electoral register?

If the name on your ID does not match the name on the electoral register because you have changed your name since you last registered to vote, or your ID isn’t up to date with your correct name, then you will need to do one of the following:

• Register to vote again with your new name that is on your ID
• Register for a Voter Authority Certificate (more on this below)
• If you have changed your name on the electoral register but haven’t yet got photo ID with your correct name you will need to take a document with you that proves you have changed your name (such as a deed poll)

Small differences in the name on your ID and on the electoral register won’t matter however (e.g. if your ID reads ‘Tom’ instead of ‘Thomas’ etc.)

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What to do if you don’t have any of the recognised documents/no photo ID

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. If you want to vote in the local elections on 4^th May, the deadline to apply for this is 25^th April 2023.