The next UK general election must be held no later than August 2029, but it could be called earlier, while the next big round of local elections is scheduled for May 2026.

Key dates at a glance

  • The current UK Parliament started in July 2024, so the latest possible date for the next general election is 15 August 2029 under the current rules.
  • The Prime Minister can choose to call a general election at any time before that deadline, so the actual date is not yet fixed.
  • Many councils already point to the next main cycle of local elections on Thursday 7 May 2026 in England.

Types of UK elections

  • General election :
    • Elects MPs to the UK Parliament at Westminster.
    • Next one is only guaranteed by the “no later than 15 August 2029” deadline, but could be much sooner if the government calls it.
  • Local elections :
    • Elect councillors to local authorities (councils).
    • A number of councils and official guides already list 7 May 2026 as the next scheduled local election date in their areas.

What this means for you right now

  • In January 2026 , the next major set of UK-wide scheduled elections most people will notice are the local elections in May 2026 , depending on where you live.
  • For the next UK general election , there is no announced date yet ; the only certainty is that it must happen by 15 August 2029 , unless it is called earlier.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.