Campaigns and Hubs The LGBTQ+ voting hub Your democratic rights Everyone deserves to have their say in the UK. That’s why UK law protects your right to take part in democracy. These freedoms are often called democratic rights. They ensure fair elections, free speech, and that people in power are held to account. 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. NOTE: It’s important to note that none of the information below is legal advice. We suggest you do your own 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. Some remand prisoners are eligible to register to vote, you should contact your local electoral services team to check. 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 UK parliamentary general elections if: You are under the age of 18 (the UK government plans to lower the voting age to 16 for UK parliamentary general elections, read more here. You are not a British citizen, Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland. Exclusions vary between different types of elections. For instance, in England 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. You have the right to protest Protest is a key part of democracy. Important movements in the UK have used protest to further their cause. The Suffragettes protested to secure women the right to vote. LGBTQ+ people protested to equalise the age of consent and decriminalise gay sex. Huge numbers of people have protested against war in the UK. The right to peaceful protest is protected by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). 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 limits on the right to protest are written into the ECHR. These make sure that people behave responsibly and respect one another’s rights. The government or the police can sometimes restrict protest, like to protect national security or public health. More information about restrictions on the right to protest is available from the UK non-profit, Liberty. The Human Rights Act (HRA) brought these rights into UK law. The HRA also says that police should “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 laws 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 Our leaders can’t be held to account if the public can’t see what they’re doing. You have the right to information so that you can make informed decisions. For example, you might want to know where the NHS is spending money or see how many arrests the police have made. In the UK, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 makes this 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 The public do not need to provide a reason for requesting the information All requests for information should be treated equally Many public bodies publish information about their activities, such as local authorities, who publish details of their meetings and key decisions. You can request official information from 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. There are exceptions. You can’t ask for information that is already public. For example, information that has already been published on a website. The Information Commissioners’s Office has a useful guide to the Freedom of Information Act here. It is written for organisations, not individuals, but is very thorough. You can also use this guide from Unison which sets out how to make a freedom of information request. The government also has a guide to making a freedom of information request here. Manage Cookie Preferences