Representation of the People Act 1983

16 Contents of service declaration.E+W

[F1(1)]A service declaration shall state—

(a)the date of the declaration.

(b)F2. . . that on that date the declarant is, or but for the circumstances entitling him to make the declaration would have been, residing in the United Kingdom,

F3(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d)the address where the declarant is or, as the case may be, F4. . . would have been residing in the United Kingdom or, if he cannot give any such address, an address at which he has resided in the United Kingdom,

(e)that on the date of the declaration the declarant is a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland [F5or [F6—

(i)if the declaration is made for the purposes only of the registration of local government electors in England, a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights, or

(ii)if the declaration is made for the purposes only of the registration of local government electors in Wales, a relevant citizen of the Union or a qualifying foreign citizen,]]

(f)whether the declarant had on the date of the declaration attained the age of 18 years, and, if he had not, the date of his birth, and

(g)such particulars (if any) as may be prescribed of the declarant’s identity and service qualifications,

and (except where the declarant is a member of the forces or the [F7spouse or civil partner] of such a member) shall be attested in the prescribed manner.

[F8(2)In relation to the registration of local government electors in Wales, a service declaration made by a person claiming to have a service qualification under section 14(1A) does not require to be attested.]

Extent Information

E1This version of this provision extends to England and Wales; separate versions have been created for Scotland and Northern Ireland only

Textual Amendments

F1S. 16 renumbered as s. 16(1) (E.W.) (1.6.2020) by Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), ss. 20(4)(a), 42(3)(a)

F2Words in s. 16(b) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(a), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F3S. 16(c) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(b), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F4Words in s. 16(d) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(c), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F5Words in s. 16(e) inserted (6.8.1995) by S.I. 1995/1948, regs. 1(2), 5(2), Sch. 2 paras. 3(b), 6

F6Words in s. 16(1)(e) substituted (E.W.) (7.5.2024) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(4)(a), Sch. 8 para. 1(5); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 5(b) (with Sch. para. 1(3))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C10Ss. 15-17 applied (with modifications) (17.2.1994) by S.I. 1994/342, regs. 1(2)(3), 2(2), 13(3)

16 Contents of service declaration.S

[F9(1)]A service declaration shall state—

(a)the date of the declaration.

(b)F10. . . that on that date the declarant is, or but for the circumstances entitling him to make the declaration would have been, residing in the United Kingdom,

F11(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d)the address where the declarant is or, as the case may be, F12. . . would have been residing in the United Kingdom or, if he cannot give any such address, an address at which he has resided in the United Kingdom,

(e)that on the date of the declaration the declarant is a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland [F13or [F14(except where the declaration is made for the purposes only of the registration of local government electors in Scotland] a relevant citizen of the Union] [F15or (if the declaration is made for the purposes only of the registration of local government electors in Scotland) a qualifying foreign national],

(f)whether the declarant had on the date of the declaration attained the age of 18 years, and, if he had not, the date of his birth, and

(g)such particulars (if any) as may be prescribed of the declarant’s identity and service qualifications,

and (except where the declarant is a member of the forces or the [F16spouse or civil partner] of such a member) shall be attested in the prescribed manner.

[F17(2)In relation to the registration of local government electors in Scotland, a service declaration made by a person claiming to have a service qualification under section 14(1A) does not require to be attested.]

Extent Information

E2This version of this provision extends to Scotland only; separate versions have been created for England and Wales and Northern Ireland only

Textual Amendments

F9S. 16 renumbered as s. 16(1) (S.) (25.7.2015) by Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Act 2015 (asp 7), ss. 9(4)(a), 21

F10Words in s. 16(b) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(a), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F11S. 16(c) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(b), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F12Words in s. 16(d) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(c), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F13Words in s. 16(e) inserted (6.8.1995) by S.I. 1995/1948, regs. 1(2), 5(2), Sch. 2 paras. 3(b), 6

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C11Ss. 15-17 applied (with modifications) (17.2.1994) by S.I. 1994/342, regs. 1(2)(3), 2(2), 13(3)

C12S. 16 applied (with modifications) (S.) (8.8.2013) by Scottish Independence Referendum (Franchise) Act 2013 (asp 13), ss. 6, 13(1), sch. 1 Pts. 1, 2 (with s. 13(2))

C13S. 16 modified by Scottish Independence Referendum (Franchise) Act 2013 (asp 13), s. 7A(5) (as inserted (S.) (18.12.2013) by Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013 (asp 14), ss. 3(3), 36)

16 Contents of service declaration.N.I.

A service declaration shall state—

(a)the date of the declaration.

(b)F18. . . that on that date the declarant is, or but for the circumstances entitling him to make the declaration would have been, residing in the United Kingdom,

F19(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d)the address where the declarant is or, as the case may be, F20. . . would have been residing in the United Kingdom or, if he cannot give any such address, an address at which he has resided in the United Kingdom,

(e)that on the date of the declaration the declarant is a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland [F21or a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights],

(f)whether the declarant had on the date of the declaration attained the age of 18 years, and, if he had not, the date of his birth, and

(g)such particulars (if any) as may be prescribed of the declarant’s identity and service qualifications,

and (except where the declarant is a member of the forces or the [F22spouse or civil partner] of such a member) shall be attested in the prescribed manner.

Extent Information

E3This version of this provision extends to Northern Ireland only; separate versions have been created for England and Wales and Scotland only

Textual Amendments

F18Words in s. 16(b) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(a), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F19S. 16(c) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(b), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F20Words in s. 16(d) repealed (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, ss. 8(a), 15(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(c), Sch. 7 Pt. I; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F21Words in s. 16(1)(e) substituted (N.I.) (7.5.2024) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(4)(c), Sch. 8 para. 1(6); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 5(b) (with Sch. para. 1(3))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C14Ss. 12–17 extended (N.I) (with modifications) by Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 (c. 3), ss. 2, 13(6), Sch. 1 Pt. I

C15Ss. 15-17 applied (with modifications) (17.2.1994) by S.I. 1994/342, regs. 1(2)(3), 2(2), 13(3)