Overview
- The Government has tabled legislation to extend the vote to 16- and 17-year-olds across UK-wide elections and allow voter registration from age 14.
- Companies making political donations would need to show a genuine UK connection, with tougher transparency checks on unincorporated associations and Northern Ireland–specific scrutiny of eligible Irish-company donations.
- Reported provisions include capping company donations at up to two years of revenue, requiring most controlling persons to be UK-based and on the electoral roll, and sharply limiting donations from shell firms or overseas‑parent companies.
- Courts would gain powers to impose tougher sentences for electoral intimidation, and candidates acting as their own agents would no longer have to publish their home addresses.
- Pilots for automatic voter registration and flexible polling options are planned for May 2026 local elections, with a ban on cryptocurrency donations expected to be introduced through forthcoming amendments.