The voting age will be lowered to 16 across the UK in time for the next general election, the government confirms - here are the key changes announced today
Labour's election manifesto last year pledged to lower the voting age to 16 - in line with Scottish and Welsh elections
Tell us how the changes affect you: One student says it will give young people a say in their future, but another 17-year-old thinks the move will "backfire"
Keir Starmer says 16 and 17-year-olds are "old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes"
But the Conservatives question why 16-year-olds will be able to vote but not "marry, go to war, or even stand in elections". Reform are against lowering the voting age - but the Lib Dems say it's a "no-brainer"
What age do you need to be to buy a pint, get a tattoo or stand for election? This post explains all
Votes for 16-year-olds? Teenagers react
Image source, PA Media"The UK is finally catching up," Scottish First Minister John Swinney says, reacting to the news of the voting age changes.
In a post on X, he writes: "Over a decade ago, I was proud to introduce the bill that gave 16 and 17-year-olds the vote in Scottish elections.
"Young people here have a stake in shaping our future, and it made Scotland’s democracy stronger."
By Aidan McNamee and Daniel Wainwright, Data journalists
Lowering the voting age to 16 means there could be over one-and-a-half million more potential voters at the next general election.
Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North is the constituency with the biggest proportion of young people eligible to vote in a 2029 general election. Over 4,200 of its residents, 3.4% of the population, would be 16 or 17 years old by the middle of 2029.
That’s based on official population estimates from 2022 and 2023.
There are over 120 out of 650 seats where the population likely to be 16 or 17 by mid-2029 is greater than the current MP’s majority.
Of course, no-one knows how young people will vote and no-one expects them to vote the same way, but many MPs will need to think about how to win their support.
In Hendon, which Labour won by 15 votes, there were over 3,500 children who may be able to vote by the next election.
In Basildon and Billericay, won by the Conservatives by 20 votes, there are over 150 times more children who’ll be aged 16 or 17 by mid-2029, while South Basildon and East Thurrock, won by Reform UK by 98 votes, has about 2,600 potential new voters.
The Lib Dems’ most slender majority is Ely and East Cambridgeshire, won by 495 votes, where there are over 2,600 potential new voters from today’s announcement.
Jack Fenwick
Political correspondent
In Britain's traditional two-party system, this is an age group that would be very likely to vote Labour and very unlikely to vote Conservative.
But politics is fracturing and polls suggest that Labour's youth vote is at risk of being chipped away at - by the Greens, Lib Dems, Reform and perhaps a potential Jeremy Corbyn-led party too.
The prime minister's official spokesman said today that he totally rejected any claims that the timing of this announcement is about politics.
He pointed to this being a manifesto commitment in last year's election and the government says today's wider package of reforms is about strengthening a political system that's at risk from a growing lack of trust.
That's evident with ideas around heftier fines for breaking electoral law and a requirement for campaign groups posting political ads to declare any party affiliations.
All of this has come with a pretty gloomy warning too from the deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.
Writing in The Times newspaper about the changes announced today, she said "we cannot take our democracy for granted".
Image source, PA MediaNorthern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill says the change to voting ages is a "step forward for democracy and will enable young people to have a say in their future".
“I’ll now be contacting the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, urging him to ensure that the right to vote at 16 applies to the 2027 Assembly and Council elections in the north,” she writes on X.
David Wallace Lockhart
Scotland political correspondent
In recent years there's been a bit of a disparity for young voters in Scotland - in council and Holyrood elections they can vote at 16.
This is because MSPs at the Scottish Parliament made decisions on these voting ages.
But for general elections the power was reserved to Westminster - and that stuck at 18.
So Scottish 16 and 17-year-olds could vote in elections... sometimes... not always.
But, now that looks set to change, and no matter the election, 16-year-olds will be heading to the polling station.
If you are just joining our coverage or need a quick summary of the key developments, here's a recap to bring you up-to-date:
Image source, Getty ImagesWhile we hear the arguments for and against lowering the voting age, let's take a look at how old you need to be to reach some of the other milestones that distinguish young people from adults.
Get a tattoo
You must be over 18 to get a tattoo in the UK. It is illegal for an artist to tattoo a person under this age, even if they have parental consent.
Buy an alcoholic drink
Across the UK, it's illegal to buy alcohol if you're under 18.
But, if you're 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can drink - but not buy - beer, wine or cider with a meal.
Join the army
You can join the British Army - which covers the whole of the UK - as a soldier at 16 years old, but those under 18 will need parental consent to join.
There are a few variations depending on the role - the British Army sets them all out, external - and young people are able to join the Army Cadet Force from as young as 12, where they can get involved in army-themed activities.
Start driving
You can start learning to drive a car when you've turned 17. This means you can theoretically begin learning, pass your test, and then drive legally while you're 17.
To do this, you'll need a provisional licence, and must be supervised by a driving instructor or someone else who meets the rules - that's someone over 21 who has had a full licence for three years.
There are a few conditions attached to this; you have to display 'L' plates, and Northern Ireland doesn't allow learner drivers on motorways.
In Northern Ireland, too, newly qualified drivers with 'R' plates must drive no faster than 45mph for a minimum of 12 months.
Image source, Getty ImagesStand for election
To stand as a Member of Parliament in a UK general election, you need to be at least 18.
The same minimum age also applies to local elections across the UK - despite the fact that 16 and 17-year-olds can vote in devolved elections in Scotland and Wales.
Use a sunbed
Using sunbeds isn't recommended due to the risk of skin cancer, and it's illegal to do so if you're under 18 across the UK.
Get married
In England and Wales, you can't get married until you're 18.
In Northern Ireland, the rule is that you may marry at 16, but those aged 16 and 17 need parental or guardian consent to do so.
In Scotland, you can get married at a minimum age of 16, and this doesn't require parental consent.
Be convicted of a crime and held in an adult prison
The minimum age of criminal responsibility in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 10 - meaning children between 10 and 17 can be arrested and taken to court if they commit a crime.
In Scotland, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is 12.
As for which prison young people are sent to, anyone over 18 may be sent to an adult prison.
If they're aged 18-21, they might, though, instead be sent to a young offender institution.
Further to our previous post, not everyone is in favour of lowering the voting age.
"I am a 17-year-old politics student who is actually against the proposed vote at 16," writes Chloe Brown from West Dorset.
"We’ve discussed this again and again through so many different governments and it’s clear that lower voter turnout is going to be the norm if this actually goes through, and political parties will turn to populism even further when catering to younger audiences.
"This is not the win for young people Starmer thinks it is, it’s just him trying to win back votes from Reform and it will backfire."
Julia White, 64, from Cumbria, says under-18s are "still in education, paid no tax, haven’t had a life".
Meanwhile, Simon from Belfast (no age provided) says: "It literally dilutes the votes of people already on the register, making their votes worth less," adding that Labour "see it as a way to increase the Labour vote".
Image source, ReutersWe've been hearing from some young people who have been speaking to the Reuters news agency.
"I think it's a really good thing," 23-year-old business consultant Leo Lardi tells Reuters, as the move gives the younger generation "an opinion and a vote on a lot of the issues that are facing the UK today".
He says if he had the chance it would've made him think more about the issues that affect him.
"The future really affects those who are younger than us," he adds.
Student Hannah McCullagh, 20, says it's a "good opportunity for us to have more of a say in our future".
"At the end of the day we decide who we vote in," and they make the decisions that will affect young people through healthcare, jobs and education, she explains.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, PA MediaThere's ringing endorsement for today's proposals from the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan.
In a social media post he says lowering the minimum age to 16 is "long overdue", adding that "young people deserve a greater say in their future".
Ex-Conservative MP Simon Clarke, who was previously a cabinet member, doesn't agree.
He shares a chart from think tank More in Common, which suggests that the public opposes the idea of lowering the voting age.
As a result, Clarke calls the proposals "shameless gerrymandering", and asks: "If we don’t think 16 is the age of adult maturity, why is the Government doing this?"
Conservative MP James Cleverly has also responded, saying "the cynicism is breathtaking".
He observes that the plans to lower the minimum voting age were "dropped from the King's Speech" and suggests they were only announced now that the Labour government is "tanking in the polls".
Several other countries around the world allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in all elections, while some others allow them to vote in specific circumstances.
According to Unicef, external, countries and territories where young people aged 16 and/or 17 are allowed to vote in all elections include:
Some countries and territories, such as Estonia, Germany, Israel, Puerto Rico, Scotland, and Wales allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in at least some elections, such as local or state elections.
Young people aged 16 in Belgium, Austria, Germany and Malta, and those aged 17 in Greece are allowed to vote in European elections.
In the US, 17-year-olds can vote in the presidential or congressional primaries or party caucuses in some states if they turn 18 before the general election.
De-Graft Mensah
BBC Newsround presenter
This is a significant development for the Newsround audience. The next general election doesn’t have to be held for another four years, so if you are twelve today, there is a chance you will be able to vote in the next one.
As always, we won’t be assuming prior knowledge from our audience, so we’ll be explaining what a general election is, as well as pointing out that in Scotland and Wales, 16 and 17-year-olds can already vote in local elections and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd.
We’ll also be setting out the arguments for and against lowering the voting age.
And what about those children who will still be too young to vote at the next election? Well, the UK is a signatory to the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, which includes the right for every child to have their views considered and taken seriously.
At Newsround, we find there is a lot of enthusiasm whenever we cover the topic of rights, and a lively debate, whatever the issue.
The new rules mean that 16 and 17-year-olds can now vote in general elections, starting from the next one.
That is due to be held by August 2029 at the latest, as the maximum term for parliament is five years from when it first formed.
But the prime minister does have the option of calling one early if they choose to.
The National Union of Students (NUS) has welcomed today's announcement to lower the voting age, describing it as a "landmark moment for democracy".
Vice President Further Education at NUS UK, Qasim Hussain, says the decision has been achieved "by the tireless campaigning of generations of 16 and 17-year-olds who missed out on their chance to have a say in major democratic moments in the UK".
"The young people who have been empowered today pay taxes if they work and are significantly impacted by political decisions on education, the minimum wage, climate and more. They will now have a say on these issues and how their taxes are spent," Hussain says.
Becky Morton
Political reporter
Image source, UK ParliamentWe can now bring you more comments from Conservative shadow minister for Housing Paul Holmes reacting to today's announcement.
Speaking in the Commons, he says the government's position on the voting age was "hopelessly confused".
"Why does this government think a 16-year-old can vote but not be allowed to buy a lottery ticket, an alcoholic drink, marry, or go to war, or even stand in the elections they're voting in?" he asks.
He also suggests that allowing bank cards as voter ID could "undermine the security of the ballot box".
Image source, PA MediaKeir Starmer and his wife Victoria after Labour won the 2024 general election
Labour’s manifesto for the 2024 general election pledged to give "16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections".
Of course, Labour won that election - but there was some doubt the commitment would be fulfilled when the changes weren’t included in the 2024 King’s Speech, which outlined the government’s early priorities.
Pressed on why lowering the voting age wasn’t in the speech, minister Lucy Powell said at the time there were "plenty of big bills that didn’t make it".
She stressed it remained a manifesto commitment – and now the government says "an elections and democracy bill during this Parliament" will deliver the changes before the next general election.
The CEO of the Electoral Commission has hailed the reforms which will "improve the resilience and integrity of our electoral system".
Vijay Rangarajan adds: "Registration reform would open the door for millions more to get involved in elections, and the proposed changes to the political finance rules would strengthen the checks on money coming into UK politics and ensure a more proportionate and effective enforcement regime.
“We are ready to work with the electoral community to build understanding and compliance with any new requirements, and to support voters with information and education resources.”
We have been poring over the details of what is in today's government announcement.
Here are the key takeaways:
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says they are "delivering on our promise" on the lower voting age.
"Young people already contribute to society by working, paying taxes and serving in the military," she writes in a post on X.
"It's only right they can have a say on the issues that affect them."
Image source, Getty ImagesWe've some reaction to bring you from the Liberal Democrats, who say changing the minimum voting age to 16 is a "no-brainer".
MP Sarah Olney says her party has campaigned for this change for "well over 30 years" and so welcomes the decision.
But, she says there is an "Elon Musk-shaped hole" in the proposed changes, and suggests that the government should "go much further to close the door to foreign oligarchs interfering in British politics".
For context: Tesla and X owner Elon Musk has been accused of intervening in UK politics after he shared a number of unsubstantiated claims on grooming gangs, and asked whether America should "liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government" in one social media post.