---
title: "Representation of the People Act 1981"
id: b4a8dbd0-f801-4ae6-9a69-ce0b853535e2
authority: uk
place: "United Kingdom"
applies_also_from: []
kind: statute
in_force: true
publisher_url: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/34
attribution: "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
solon_url: https://solon.orangecat.ch/law/b4a8dbd0-f801-4ae6-9a69-ce0b853535e2
language: en
in_force_from: 2017-05-18
date_basis: publisher
status: consolidated
source_url: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/34/data.xml
read_on: 2026-11-08
sha256: cf028f813cd613dff5a0d9f4178b0a6ea2073c0c3e93ab93fb61bcfe97554acd
provisions: 6
---

# Representation of the People Act 1981

## Title and introductory text {#prelims}

Representation of the People Act 1981
1981 c. 34
An Act to disqualify certain persons for election to the House of Commons; to make changes in the timetable for parliamentary elections; and for connected purposes.
[2nd July 1981]

## 1 Disqualification of certain offenders for membership of the House of Commons. {#section-1}

A person found guilty of one or more offences (whether before or after the passing of this Act and whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere), and sentenced or ordered to be imprisoned or detained indefinitely or for more than one year, shall be disqualified for membership of the House of Commons while detained anywhere in the British Islands or the Republic of Ireland in pursuance of the sentence or order or while unlawfully at large at a time when he would otherwise be so detained.

## 2 Effects of disqualification. {#section-2}

(1) If a person disqualified by this Act for membership of the House of Commons is elected to that House his election shall be void; and if such a person is nominated for election as a member of that House his nomination shall be void.
(2) If a member of the House of Commons becomes disqualified by this Act for membership of that House his seat shall be vacated.

## 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . {#section-3}



## 4 Citation. {#section-4}

This Act may be cited as the Representation of the People Act 1981 and shall be included among the Acts which may be cited together as the Representation of the People Acts.

## SCHEDULE . . . {#schedule}