Have your say on the Boundary Commission for England's review of constituency boundaries

Constituency boundaries are changing, and it’s your final chance to help shape the new map

The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) is required by Parliament to undertake an independent and impartial review of all constituencies in England, to rebalance the number of electors in each constituency.

Constituency sizes currently vary widely due to population changes since the last boundary review. The new map proposed by the Commission will make sure each constituency has between 69,724 and 77,062 electors, so that each MP represents roughly the same number of electors. The 2023 Boundary Review also requires that the number of constituencies in England increases from 533 to 543.

The Commission has listened to the feedback sent in from the public, and have changed nearly half of the initial proposals published last year. The new revised proposals are now
available to view via an interactive map on the consultation website bcereviews.org.uk.

A final public consultation is open now until 5 December and is the last chance to provide your views on new constituency boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for England has invited the public to visit bcereviews.org.uk and comment on the proposals via the website, email or letter.

Hard copies of the proposals are available to view at public places of deposit listed on the Boundary Commission for England website.

You can give your feedback on anything from where the proposed electoral boundaries are, to the suggestions for new constituency names.

To tell the Commission whether the new proposals for constituencies best represent your local community, visit bcereviews.org.uk and have your say before 5 December.

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Below are some frequently asked questions about the review. These are produced by the Boundary Commission for England. 

Why are the constituency boundaries being reviewed?

Parliament has asked the BCE to rebalance the number of electors in each constituency. Due to population changes since the last review, the number of electors in some constituencies is much higher than in others. The 2023 Boundary Review will make sure each MP represents roughly the same number of electors (between 69,724 and 77,062). The number of constituencies in England must also increase from 533 to 543. The new map of constituencies proposed by the Commission therefore has significant changes.

Have the proposals changed since the first and second consultations?

Yes. During the previous consultations, the BCE asked you to comment on initial proposals, first published last year. They have listened to the feedback sent in and developed new suggestions for constituency boundaries. These are available to view and comment on at bcereviews.org.uk

How do you develop your proposals?

The BCE must keep to the rules set by Parliament, outlined above. It also takes into account existing boundaries, local geography, and local ties. The BCE know that local knowledge can help improve our proposals, and have invited the public to participate in their final consultation. The BCE will take into account every response when deciding on any changes to their revised proposals. Read the Guide to the Review for further information on this.

Will this review favour one political party over another?

The Boundary Commission for England is independent and impartial. It does not take into account voting patterns or the results of elections when reviewing constituency boundaries. The political parties’ views on where boundaries should be do not carry any more weight than those of members of the public

Will the changes affect my local council services?

No. The boundary changes only relate to parliamentary constituencies (the area an MP is elected to represent in Parliament). Services and council tax are set by your local authority and this review does not change local authority boundaries.

Will the name of my constituency change?

The more a constituency has changed, the more likely it is that the BCE will recommend a change of name. The BCE welcome views on constituency names during the consultation.

What happens next, and when do the changes take effect?

Once the consultation has closed on 5 December, the Commission will look at all the feedback sent in and consider whether any changes should be made to the revised proposals for constituency boundaries. Final recommendations will be submitted to
Parliament by 1 July 2023, and the new constituencies will take effect at the next General Election thereafter.