UK Youth welcomes Government announcement on Votes at 16

UK Youth welcomes Government’s recent announcement that it will legislate for 16 and 17-year-olds to be given the right to vote in all UK elections. 

The plans, set out in a Government strategy paper, ‘Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections’, highlight that Votes at 16 is “critical to engaging young people in our democracy.” 

The Votes at 16 policy was included in Labour’s 2024 election manifesto and the Elections and Democracy Bill that is now being tabled includes a number of actions that Government will take to “help to keep our elections secure, build public trust and encourage more people to engage and participate.” 

What role has UK Youth played in the Votes at 16 campaign? 

For many years, UK Youth has supported the Votes at 16 campaign. We believe it is morally right that young people of working age should have a say in the political and economic decisions that will affect them for decades to come. The policy also has the potential to bring huge benefits to young people and wider society for successive generations – we should be shaping society with young people, not on their behalf. 

UK Youth’s research has helped to inform the development of The Politics Project’s Roadmap to Votes at 16 and we supported its launch earlier this week. UK Youth also supported My Life My Say’s v.16 campaign.  

What does this announcement mean in practice and what are the Government’s next steps? 

The Government will now table an Elections and Democracy Bill to put in place the legislation required for electoral reform. In due course, secondary legislation will be developed to enable the implementation of these reforms and digital infrastructure will be developed and adapted to support voter registration and other democratic processes. 

Other leading political parties, such as the Liberal Democrats, are supportive of the policy, increasing its chances of being passed through Parliament. 

What can Votes at 16 achieve?  

Advocates for lowering the voting age point to the range of positive outcomes it can have for individuals and wider society. For example, it is expected that engaging people in democracy at an earlier age will increase democratic participation throughout their lives and encourage habitual voting and engagement with local issues and policy-making. 

Society benefits when young people have decision-making power, but young people also benefit as individuals. For example, UK Youth’s EmpowHER programme has supported young women and girls with low wellbeing to take part and lead social action in their communities. By having more agency, control, confidence and influence on others, these young women and girls experienced significant improvements in their wellbeing. EmpowHER delivered £5 in wellbeing benefits for every £1 invested in the programme. 

What can help to make Votes at 16 a success?  

It’s important to note that 16- and 17-year-olds already have the vote in Scotland and Wales, and a great deal can be learned from these nations as the Government implements this policy in England and Northern Ireland. Critics of the policy have pointed to Wales seeing low voter registration amongst 16- and 17-year-olds, but what is often missed is that voter turn-out is relatively low across all age ranges. In other words, low voter turnout isn’t an issue specific to young people. 

Our understanding and expectation is that the Government will continue to consult with young people as this legislation is developed, to better understand and address the barriers to democratic participation that young people face. These can range from practical challenges such as not having the right ID, to a lack of knowledge of the electoral system or local politics. It’s crucial that these barriers are understood and removed so that young people can have confidence in – and engage with – the democratic process.  

Launched this week, The Politics Project’s Roadmap to Votes at 16 includes evidence-based recommendations for the successful implementation of this policy. These include:  

• Creating more opportunities for youth-led social action; 
• Improving democratic education in schools;
• Modernising the curriculum; and
• Improving the availability and accessibility of trustworthy information on politics, parties and how to vote.  

These are tangible steps that the Government can take and youth work has an important role to play in delivering them, so that young voters are empowered and equipped for future elections. 

Oscar Bingham, Acting Director of Impact at UK Youth, praised the Government for the announcement:  

We commend our friends and partners at organisations like My Life My Say and The Politics Project for their tireless evidence-building and campaigning on Votes at 16. So many young people have campaigned with them and they deserve to have their voices heard and their votes counted on the issues and decisions that impact them and future generations.

Public opinion is not always in favour of Votes at 16. ‘Can You See Us?’ was research delivered with NFP Research through the #iwill Movement. It reported on three years of public polling. In 2024, only 27% of those surveyed agreed that 16-year-olds should be given the right to vote, however younger groups (16- to 24-year-olds) were much more likely to support the policy. So seeing this policy become a reality was not a given, but it’s a fundamental step to better engaging young people in politics and local issues.

We will be keeping a close eye on the public’s perceptions of young people following future elections – we know that, when the public see young people engaged in social action, their perceptions of young people are more positive. So there’s a huge opportunity to build inter-generational trust and understanding through this policy, demonstrate that young people’s views are valid and valued and shape a better, more equal society for today’s young people and for generations to come.  

By integrating youth work and youth social action into the plans to support democratic education, Government can ensure young people will be empowered and prepared to play a key role in shaping their own futures.”