Your rights in every day life

The older you get, the more likely you are to experience a legal problem. Yet research studies show that most people are not sure about their essential rights and entitlements, or where to go for advice if something goes wrong. Here are some useful starting points. 

The Legal Advice Centre in LJMU’s School of Law is a free and confidential service open to students, as well as staff and members of the public. You can walk into our office at 15-19 Hardman Street to book an appointment or email us at LAC@ljmu.ac.uk. We can advise on most areas of law save immigration and special educational needs. More information appears here: Free legal advice | Liverpool John Moores University (ljmu.ac.uk) 

Your right to take part in public life 

Your right to vote is enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and is a way of protecting your freedom of expression. You can register to vote in the UK if you are over 18, a British, Irish or European Union citizen, or a Commonwealth citizen who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who does not require such leave. 

As a student, you can be on the electoral register at your home address as well as your term-time address, if they are different, but you can only place one vote in each election or referendum. You can vote in elections or referendums in person or vote by post, which might be more convenient if you live away from home. 

Voting as of 4th of May 2023 will require showing photo ID to vote at polling stations for some elections and as of October 2023 it will also apply to UK General elections. If you don’t have accepted photo ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document, which is known as a Voter Authority certificate. The following link explains what counts as a valid photo ID and how to apply for a Voter Authority certificate.  

Your human rights

The Convention on human rights also provides that you have the right to: 

• Respect for your private and family life, your home and your correspondence (Article 8) 

• Freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change your religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest your religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. Beliefs do not need to be religious in nature to be protected – they can include such things as atheism, agnosticism, veganism and pacifism (Article 9). 

• Hold your own opinions and to express them freely without government interference – this also means you have a duty to behave responsibly and to respect other people’s rights (Article 10). 

• Freedom of assembly and association – that means you can form and be part of a trade union, a political party or any another association or voluntary group, attend a protest, and so on. Equally, nobody can force you to join any of these groups or activities (Article 11). 

The Human Rights Act 1998 says that courts in England and Wales must give effect to laws made here in a way that is compatible with your Convention rights, so far as it is possible. You still have your rights under the Convention after Brexit.