Register by 22 May to vote in general election - act now if not on electoral roll
Anyone planning to vote in June's general election who isn't yet on the electoral roll has only until Monday 22 May to register.
Prime Minister Theresa May's surprise call for a general election yesterday was overwhelmingly approved by MPs in a House of Commons vote this afternoon, meaning the UK will go to the polls in just seven weeks' time.
You're eligible to vote in the 8 June general election if:
You're a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen aged 18 or over who is currently living in the UK.
You're a British citizen aged 18 or over who's been registered to vote in the UK in the past 15 years.
However, simply being eligible to vote doesn't mean you're actually able to – you have to register by 11.59pm on Monday 22 May, otherwise you won't be able to vote in the general election.
In addition to giving you a vote, registering boosts your chances of getting credit, as lenders can use the electoral roll to check out potential borrowers. See our Credit Scores guide for more on this and other tips on how to boost your score.
How to register
Check if you're registered to vote by getting in touch with your local authority. Enter your postcode on Gov.uk to find your local electoral registration office and contact it directly.
If you were registered for last June's Brexit referendum or are for the local elections on Thursday 4 May this year, AND you still live at the same address, you should already be registered to vote – but if not, you need to register by Monday 22 May.
If you're not on the electoral roll, visit Gov.uk to register to vote in England, Scotland and Wales. Registering online takes about five minutes.
Or you can download a form to register by post, which you'll need to send to your local electoral registration office, but make sure it arrives by 22 May.
To register in Northern Ireland, visit the Your Vote Matters website to download the form and return it to your local area electoral office.
Postal and proxy votes
If you're already registered to vote in person and you wish to switch to a postal vote or a proxy vote (where a voter nominates a trusted person to cast a vote on their behalf) in time for the general election, there are separate deadlines for changing your voting method.
To switch to a postal vote, you'll need to register by 5pm on Tuesday 23 May. If you're opting for a proxy vote, the deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 31 May.
If you're in England, Scotland or Wales, you can change your voting preferences by downloading a postal vote or proxy vote form from Gov.uk. To do this in Northern Ireland, different forms are required.