A general election will be held on Thursday, July 4 in the UK after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the announcement – but is it a bank holiday?
Voters can cast their vote from 7am to 10pm on polling day but be warned, the day of the general election is not a public holiday.
Under current rules, general elections are always held on Thursdays – although this is more custom than rule – but workers are not given the day off to vote.
Although July 4 is a public holiday in the US – Independence Day – it is not in the UK and the government will not make a bank holiday for the general election either.
It means that you’ll need to fit voting in around your schedule that day including work because it will not be made a bank holiday or public holiday.
You can vote before work, after work or during your lunch break but you will not have automatic time off work to vote.
Your employer does not have to give you time off work to vote, either. If you work far away from your polling station, you could ask your employer to adjust your shift or hours to enable you to get time to vote. They are likely to make such adjustments but your place of work is under no legal obligation to change hours or shifts to allow you to do so.
This election also falls during school holiday time.
If you’re on holiday on polling day, you can still vote. You need to register a postal vote 11 working days before the date of the election, or register to vote by proxy.
If you are holidaying in another part of the UK, you cannot go to a different polling station in another constituency: you must vote in the area in which you’re registered, so you’ll need to arrange a postal or proxy vote before going away.