Voter ID required for voting at elections

The requirement to provide photo ID when voting in person was introduced as part of the Election Act 2022. It aims to prevent impersonation, the crime of pretending to be someone else when you vote.

The government acknowledges levels of fraud are low but argues that every ballot matters, and that photo ID will protect voters from having their vote stolen.

• UK, Commonwealth or EEA passport
• UK, Channel Islands, Isla of Man or an EEA driving licence
• Biometric immigration document 

View the full list of accepted identity documents

As of January 2023, the next scheduled election in Brent is 2 May 2024, which will be the Greater London Authority Election.

There will be elections in other areas in May 2023 that will require photo ID.

Residents can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate on the government website, and this will be accepted as a form of photo ID.

The deadline for applications is 5pm, six working days before the polling day but it is recommended to apply prior to this to ensure the Voter Authority Certificate arrives on time.

Residents should note that they must be registered to vote or applied to register to vote and the Voter Authority Certificate can only be used at elections.

There is also the option to apply for a postal vote or nominate someone to act as a proxy, details of this can be found on the Council website. Anyone acting as a proxy will be required to show their ID at the polling station.  

Residents can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online through the government website. They will require a photo of themselves, their National Insurance Number and date of birth. Residents must apply by 5pm, six working days before the polling day but should leave more time to ensure it arrives on time. 

The government have provided guidance of one month to ensure enough time for all checks to be carried out and the document to be delivered. If additional information is required from the applicant, the process may take longer.

If your Voter Authority Certificate has not arrived within a month applicants can contact Brent Electoral Services to see why it has been delayed. 

If the document has not arrived six working days from the polling day a temporary Voter Authority Certificate may be issued, or the applicant can ask for an emergency proxy. The proxy must have photo ID to show at the polling station.

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate on the government website, up to to 5pm, six working days before the polling day.

If it is past the deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate please contact: electoral.services@brent.gov.uk

If there is a valid reason the Voter Authority Certificate can’t be mailed, it can be collected in person.

The Voter Authority Certificate must be collected by the applicant of the certificate, someone cannot collect it on behalf of someone else. This also applies to temporary Voter Authority Certificates. 

The reason the application is refused will be provided to the applicant and there is an option to appeal the decision, but it must be within 14 days of the refusal.

Voters can also apply for a postal vote or nominate a proxy via the Council’s website.

Data collected for the Voter Authority Certificates will be encrypted and stored in a secure area specific to Brent Council.

Brent Council processes information in adherence to individual rights under the data protection legislation.