Disability Information UKPlain-language information, rights and support

Voting and elections accessibility

Your rights to vote independently and get help at polling stations, by post or by proxy.

Sample content. This summarises official sources listed below. It is information, not legal advice.

Jurisdiction
UK-wide
Date last checked
1 August 2026
Date last updated
1 August 2026
Next review due
1 February 2027
Version
1.0

Key points

  • Returning officers must make reasonable adjustments so disabled voters can vote independently and in secret, so far as is reasonably practicable, at polling stations.
  • Polling stations should have equipment such as a tactile voting device for blind and partially sighted voters, large-print sample ballot papers, and step-free access wherever possible.
  • You can take a companion, including a family member or friend, into the polling booth to help you vote if you need support, and staff can also help you if you ask.
  • If your polling station is not accessible to you, you can apply for a postal vote or a proxy vote (someone you trust votes on your behalf) instead of, or as well as, raising the access problem with your local council.
  • Voter ID rules apply to in-person voting in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales); if you don't have accepted photo ID you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. Northern Ireland has long used its own voter ID system with an Electoral Identity Card available free of charge.
  • You can ask the Electoral Commission or your local Electoral Registration Office about specific accessibility arrangements before an election, rather than waiting until polling day.
  • A worked example: an autistic voter who finds busy polling stations overwhelming can ask to vote at a quieter time of day, request a postal vote instead, or ask staff for a calmer space to complete their ballot.
  • A worked example: a voter with a learning disability can bring a friend or family member into the booth to help them understand the ballot paper, or ask polling station staff for help, without losing the right to a secret ballot.

What you can do

  • Contact your local council's electoral services team in advance to ask what accessibility arrangements are available.
  • Apply for a postal or proxy vote well before the deadline if attending in person is difficult.
  • Apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate in good time if you don't have accepted photo ID (Great Britain), or a free Electoral Identity Card (Northern Ireland).
  • If you're refused reasonable help or access on the day, ask to speak to the presiding officer at the polling station, and report the problem to the Electoral Commission afterwards.
  • Contact the Electoral Commission for general guidance, or a disability organisation such as Mencap or the RNIB for practical tips on accessible voting.

Sources