Your democratic rights

Knowing your rights can help make your democratic voice heard. Below we’ve collected some of the most important rights for people in the UK. It isn’t exhaustive, but it does outline some of the most important laws, with links to further information. 

NOTE: It’s important to note that none of the information below is legal advice. We suggest you engage in further reading and contact experts if you have a detailed question about your rights under UK law. 

You have the right to vote 

In the UK, some people over the age of 18 have the right to vote. There are a few exceptions to this. The right to vote is restricted and you can’t vote if: 

• You are in prison. Having a criminal record doesn’t affect your right to vote if it didn’t result in a prison sentence. 

• You’ve been detained and convicted of a crime and then ordered to a hospital.  

The right to vote is restricted in other ways too. You can’t vote in general elections: 

• If you are under the age of 18  

• If you are not a British citizen, Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland. 

Exclusions vary between different types of election. For instance, some EU citizens can vote in local elections. To see whether you are eligible to vote in an election, use this tool from the Electoral Commission.  

As long as you aren’t excluded by any of the above criteria, you shouldn’t be denied your vote. To find out more about your right to vote, visit Liberty’s site. 

You have the right to protest 

Protest is another pillar of a functioning democracy. Many important movements in the UK have used protest to further their cause. The Suffragettes protested to secure women the vote. LGBTQ+ people protested to equalise the age of consent and decriminalise gay sex. Huge numbers of the public have protested against wars conducted by the UK. 

The right to peaceful protest is protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 10 of the ECHR protects your right to freedom of expression (you have the right to hold opinions and say them aloud) and Article 11 protects your right of assembly (you have the right to gather, and hold meetings, rallies and other events for common interest).  

You can read more about the European Convention on Human Rights here. 

Some restrictions on the right to protest are written into the ECHR. These ensure that people behave responsibly and respect one another’s rights.  

Public authorities like the government or the police can restrict rights to protest in certain circumstances, for instance to protect national security or to protect public health. More information about restrictions on the right to protest are available from the UK non-profit, Liberty. 

The Human Rights Act (HRA) brought these rights into UK law.  Regarding protest, the HRA also requires police to “act in a way that is compatible with your rights” and must help protests to take place. This makes it unlawful for the police to shut down protests for political reasons or to silence democratic speech.  

Recent legislation (laws) since the HRA have made changes to the rules on protesting. The Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 have both made changes to this right. You can read more about them here. 

You have the right to information 

Leaders can’t be held to account if the public can’t see what they’re doing. You have the right to information from public bodies so that you can make informed decisions. For instance, you might want to know where the NHS is spending money, or see how many arrests the Metropolitan Police has made.  

In the UK, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is legislation designed to make such information available to you.  The act says that: 

• Everybody has the right to access official information 

• Information should only be kept private when there is a good reason 

• Applicants do not need to provide a reason for requesting the information 

• All requests for information should be treated equally 

In practice, this means that many public bodies publish information about their activities publicly. For instance, local authorities proactively publish details of their meetings and key decisions.  

It also means that you can request official information from public bodies like government departments, NHS trusts, police forces, and even the BBC. Organisations you can ask for information include: 

• government departments, devolved administrations, other public bodies and committees 

• local councils 

• schools, colleges and universities 

• the NHS - including hospitals, GPs, dentists, pharmacists and opticians 

• publicly owned companies 

• publicly funded museums, galleries and theatres 

• the police and fire services 

• registered social landlords in Scotland 

Some information shouldn’t be published and can’t be requested, for instance private information like contact details and addresses. Some publicly funded bodies also don’t have to publish official information as it would interfere with their activities, for instance public broadcasters aren’t required to provide information about their programmes.