To become a councillor in England, you have to be elected to your local council. You must be at least 18 and a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, an Irish citizen, or a qualifying EU citizen or EU citizen with retained rights, and you need a local link: you're on the electoral register there, or for the previous 12 months you've owned or rented property, worked or lived in the area.
You don't need any qualification, a party or a background in politics to be a councillor. What you do need is to meet the legal tests and win a vote. I read the GOV.UK guide and the Local Government Act 1972, sections 79 and 80, on legislation.gov.uk in October 2026. Here's what the law asks of you, in plain English.
Councillor or counsellor?
A quick check first, because the two words get mixed up all the time. A councillor is an elected member of a local council. A counsellor is a talking therapist. If you meant the therapy career, my guide on how to become a counsellor is the one you want.
Who can stand: the qualification rules
Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1972 sets out who can be elected and be a member of a local authority in England. On the relevant day, which is the day you're nominated and, if there's a poll, election day, you must:
- have reached the age of 18
- be a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, or (for a council in England) a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights
- meet at least one of the local connection tests below
The four local connection tests
This is where most guides stay vague. The Act gives specific tests, and you only need to meet one:
| Test | What section 79 requires |
|---|---|
| Electoral register | You're a local government elector for the area on the relevant day, and you stay one |
| Property | For the whole 12 months before, you've occupied land or premises in the area as owner or tenant |
| Work | Your principal or only place of work for those 12 months has been in the area |
| Residence | You've lived in the area for the whole of those 12 months |
Parish councils add one more option: you qualify if you've lived in the parish, or within three miles of it, for the whole 12 months. That's why people who live just outside a village can still stand for its parish council.
When the tests apply
Section 79 checks the tests on what it calls the relevant day. Where candidates are nominated, that's the day you're nominated and, if there's a poll, election day too. So if you're relying on the 12-month residence or work test, count back from your nomination date, not from the day you decide to stand. If you're relying on the electoral register, you need to stay registered after you're elected as well.
These rules are for councils in England. GOV.UK points to separate Electoral Commission guidance for council elections in Scotland, local elections and community council elections in Wales, and local government elections in Northern Ireland, so check the right one if you live outside England.
Who's disqualified
Section 80 lists the main disqualifications in England. You can't be elected or be a member if you:
- hold a paid office or job with that council, apart from roles such as chairman or executive leader that the section exempts
- are subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order, an interim order, or a debt relief restrictions order
- have, within five years before election day, been convicted of an offence in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and sentenced to at least three months in prison without the option of a fine, whether suspended or not
- are disqualified under Part III of the Representation of the People Act 1983
The paid-job rule matters more than people expect. If you work for the council you want to sit on, you'll usually have to choose between the job and the seat.
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How to become a councillor, step by step
- Check you qualify. Work through the age, citizenship and local connection tests above, then the disqualifications.
- Find out which elections are coming up. GOV.UK points you to separate Electoral Commission guidance for local government elections in England and for parish and town council elections.
- Learn the candidate rules. There are rules about who can be a candidate, how you become one and how you can campaign, and the Electoral Commission guidance covers each.
- Decide on a party or independent run. GOV.UK lists Be a Councillor for support in England, and NALC (the National Association of Local Councils) for parish and town councils.
- Get nominated and campaign. Then it's down to the voters in your ward.
What councillors do
GOV.UK says councillors represent their community and should serve everyone in their ward, not only the people who voted for them. They're responsible for:
- making decisions about the local area
- representing their ward
- developing and reviewing council policy
- scrutinising decisions taken by other councillors
- other administrative and legal duties
Other ways to serve locally
If you want public service without an election, the magistracy is another route open to people with no legal background. My guide on how to become a magistrate explains how volunteer magistrates are recruited.
My verdict
Becoming a councillor is open to far more people than most assume: no qualifications and four different ways to show a local link. Check the work and property tests if you don't live in the area, make sure you're not employed by the council, then read the Electoral Commission guidance for your type of election well before nominations open. The hard part isn't qualifying, it's winning the vote.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need qualifications to be a councillor?
No. Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1972 sets age, citizenship and local connection tests, not qualifications.
Can you be a councillor if you don't live in the area?
Yes, if you meet another test. You can qualify through the electoral register, or by owning or renting property there or working there for the whole 12 months before nomination.
How old do you have to be to be a councillor?
You must have reached the age of 18 on the day you're nominated and, if there's a poll, on election day.
Can a council employee be a councillor?
Usually not for the same council. Section 80 disqualifies people who hold paid office or employment with that authority, apart from certain exempt roles.
