Votes at 16: the inclusion test starts now

The government has confirmed that 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds will be able to vote at the next general election. Alongside that shift come two quieter but crucial reforms:

• expanding the list of accepted voter ID (to include UK‑issued bank cards)
• moving towards automatic voter registration

The unintended obstacle

Last year’s general election was the first UK‑wide poll that demanded photo ID. According to the Electoral Commission, roughly 16,000 voters were actually turned away and four per cent of non‑voters cited the new rule as their reason. When the franchise drops to 16, the risk of exclusion only grows.

ID poverty in numbers

11 million UK adults have neither a passport or a driving licence, and 3.5 million have no photo ID at all.

Among 16‑ to 19‑year‑olds, 85 per cent have a passport, but only 57 per cent have either a provisional or full driving licence, and one per cent have no ID whatsoever.

Awareness of the free Voter Authority Certificate sits below 25 per cent. A first passport now costs £95, putting it beyond many low‑income households.

Bank‑verified credentials?

Accepting bank cards is a logical next step. Challenger banks already run more robust remote checks when opening accounts for under-18s.

Perhaps eventually, those verified accounts could issue a secure digital credential to the voter’s phone, removing the need for extra plastic on polling day?

Automatic registration with One Login?

GOV.UK One Login now serves millions of users across dozens of public services.

If the online “Register to vote” service migrates to One Login, a young person who proves their identity once could be added to the electoral register and receive a reusable digital credential for the polling station. That single act tackles under‑registration and ID poverty simultaneously.

It would be in keeping with what is known about the govermment’s digital ID plans, particularly the planned GOV.UK Wallet.

CitizenCard and other PASS schemes

For those who still need a physical card, CitizenCard and other PASS‑accredited issuers already make accepted voter IDs.

Through a partnership with the National Union of Students, young people can get a CitizenCard for free, proving their identity with supporting documents or a vouch from a trusted referee; an easy, scalable fix that merits far louder promotion.

Where Vouchsafe can help

Vouchsafe already supports banks and fintechs in verifying young customers with limited documentation, using privacy‑preserving biometrics, trusted referees and independent data sources. The same building blocks can deliver fast, inclusive voter identity for 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds, whether the credential lives in a phone wallet or on a PASS card.

If you’re building inclusive identity and age-verification experiences for under-18s, email jaye@vouchsafe.id.