Representation of the People Bill: Contingencies Fund Advance

Florence Eshalomi Excerpts

Thursday 22nd October 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Homelessness, Democracy, Communities and Faith (Florence Eshalomi)]

I hereby give notice of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s intention to seek approval from HM Treasury for advance expenditure totalling £2,800,000.

This request follows the passage of the Representation of the People Bill, which is currently before Parliament and which the Government expect to receive Royal Assent by spring 2027.

The funding for this work has already been provided through the Department’s spending review settlement and does not represent new or additional spending. Approval for expenditure in advance of Royal Assent is required to enable the Department to commence essential digital development activity to implement the Bill’s provisions, specifically the manifesto commitment to extend the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds. Deferring this work until after Royal Assent would compress delivery timescales and increase the risk of delays to implementation.

The proposed expenditure will support the development of the digital infrastructure required to implement the legislation. This includes a secure service enabling eligible young people to register to vote using data held by the Department for Education as part of appropriate identity checks. It will also support development of the wider systems required to implement the reforms, including electoral management systems, the citizen-facing service and electoral registration officer portal functionality. The advance will allow this work to progress alongside the Bill’s passage through Parliament, reducing implementation risk and supporting timely delivery. This will help ensure the necessary systems are in place to provide local government with an efficient and resilient mechanism for processing applications and maintaining electoral registers.

Parliamentary approval for additional capital of £2,800,000 for this new service will be sought in a supplementary estimate for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £2,800,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.

[HCWS406]