Image source, PA Media

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, says he doesn't support lowering the voting age to 16 "even though we get lots of votes".

Speaking to ITV News, Farage says someone shouldn't be able to vote in an election unless they're able to stand as a candidate. A candidate must be at least 18 to stand for election.

"I'm really encouraged by the number of young people that are coming towards us," he adds.

Does lowering the voting age affect you? What are your questions about the changes?

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Imogen James
Live reporter

Unlike most of my colleagues in the BBC newsroom sitting next to me, I have the perspective of voting at 16, as I grew up in Scotland.

I voted in my first Scottish parliamentary election in 2016, a year after they changed the law to lower the age.

It’s one of the few countries in the world that has the lower age for voting, along with Wales, Argentina and Belgium, to name a few.

I remember the nervousness of holding my ballot paper and walking into the village hall, asking my mum for help on what to do and where to go.

But, it was exciting too. I could put my thoughts somewhere to try and make a difference, to be taken seriously.

School was fun - we discussed politics among ourselves, something I'm not sure we had really done before outside of the classroom.

Not everybody voted, but a lot of us did.

And it taught me from a younger age to learn about the people in charge, and to take it seriously.

Image source, Getty Images

As well as lowering the voting age to 16, the government is also planning a host of other changes to the electoral system as part of a new Elections Bill.

These include expanding forms of voter ID to include UK- issued bank cards which display the voter's name.

Some 4% of people who did not vote at last year's general election said this was because of voter ID rules, according to the Electoral Commission.

Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali said the government would ensure this was done gradually "to make sure there aren't any risks of abuses or things going wrong".

The changes also include moving towards automatic voter registration, and tightening rules on political donations to protect against foreign interference.

Currently political parties can only accept donations from individuals registered on a UK electoral register or UK-registered companies which carry out business in the country.

However, there have been concerns that foreign nationals could get around the rules by donating through a foreign company that is registered in the UK.

Tory MP Paul Holmes has hit back at the government's announcement while speaking in the Commons this morning.

"There will be no opportunity for parliamentary scrutiny until September due to the recess," Holmes says.

He also asks the democracy minister why the policy was not announced in the Commons.

Rushanara Ali reiterates Labour ran on a manifesto which pledged to give voting rights to 16 and 17-year-olds, adding: "The truth is young people deserve to have a stake."

Image source, Getty Images

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says lowering the voting age to 16 across the UK will give young people a chance to have their say on what their taxes are used for.

"I think it's really important that 16 and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes, so pay in," he tells ITV News.

"And I think if you pay in, you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go."

Image source, UK Parliament

More now from Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali, who confirms the government is planning to lower the voting age to 16 in time for the next general election.

This is due to take place by 2029, but could be called earlier.

"At 16, a young person can work, they pay taxes, they can join the Army. So there's no reason why from that age, they shouldn't have a say in who governs our country," she says.

Other changes announced today include expanding forms of voter ID to include UK-issued bank cards, moving towards automatic voter registration and tightening rules on political donations to protect against foreign interference.

We'll bring you more details on those changes shortly.

A pledge to lower the voting age to 16 was included in Labour's election manifesto but it did not feature in last summer's King's Speech, which sets out the government's priorities for the months ahead.

The minimum voting age is already 16 for local council elections in Scotland and Wales and elections to the Senedd and Scottish Parliament.

However for other elections, including to the UK Parliament, local elections in England and all elections in Northern Ireland, it is 18.

Lowering the voting age to 16 across the UK would be the biggest change to the electorate since it was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969.

Around 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote at the next general election, under government plans to lower the voting age.

Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali tells the BBC the "seismic" change will ensure young people's voices are heard.

She confirms the pledge will be part of a raft of measures introduced through a new Elections Bill.

We'll bring you live updates, analysis and reaction, so stay with us.