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Disabled people have the right to vote independently and in secret - and local authorities have a legal duty to make sure they can do this.

There are minimum access requirements that must be in place at polling stations, and people who may have difficulties voting are also entitled to ask for help from staff.

Here's what you need to know about voting as a disabled person, drawn from an advocate with lived experience, charities campaigning on accessible voting and Electoral Commission guidelines.

You also can find guides to voting on the My Voice My Vote website.

Polling stations should be accessible

Voting locations should have ramps for people who use a wheelchair or have trouble with stairs.

There also should be a polling booth at wheelchair level.

If a polling station has a door that must stay shut - for example, a fire door - there must be a temporary doorbell so people can get help opening the door if needed.

There must be good lighting to make sure voters with visual impairments can read and complete the ballot paper.

While there are minimum requirements, often "the actual buildings themselves aren't very accessible", Ali Gunn, chair of the My Vote My Voice campaign, told Sky News.

Councils can sometimes struggle to find suitable spaces, she added.

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What happens if the polling station isn't accessible to you?

If the polling station isn't accessible to you, you should still be able to vote, Tom Marsland, policy manager at disability charity Sense, told Sky News.

"If you can't get into a polling station because of your disability, for example suitable ramps are not provided for a wheelchair user, then the presiding officer should bring the ballot paper out to you so you can still vote.

"Of course, this shouldn't happen and would be a last resort."

You can take a companion or support worker with you

You are allowed to take someone with you to the polling station to support you or help you fill in the ballot paper.

The person must be registered to vote in this election. But it doesn't matter if their polling station isn't the same as your one - they can still come in with you.

You should tell polling station staff when you arrive that you have a support person.

The person should be someone you trust.

'Reasonable adjustments' must be made

The local council employee in charge of overseeing elections - known as the returning officer - must make sure they are factoring in the needs of disabled voters.

It is up to the returning officer to make "reasonable adjustments" at polling stations to remove barriers to voting.

This includes providing equipment to support disabled voters.

Equipment polling stations must provide

All the following should be kept in full view and clearly marked so it can be easily accessed.

Chairs - for voters who can't stand for long or need time to sit and think before voting.

Magnifiers - for visually impaired voters to increase the size of text on a document.

Tactile voting device - this is a template that fits over the ballot paper to help visually impaired voters mark the correct box.

Badges identifying polling station staff - this means people know who they can ask for help.

Pencil grip - this can make it easier for people to hold a pencil and vote independently.

Disabled parking - if parking is available at the venue, then spaces must be reserved for disabled voters.

Other equipment that could be available

Some local authorities go above and beyond minimum requirements with equipment that makes it easier for disabled people to vote, Ms Gunn said.

This might include audio devices that read out candidates' names, a hearing induction loop and easy read posters.

Make sure you have voter ID

This is the first general election where voters will have to provide photo ID.

There is a full list of the types of ID you can use in our guide to voter ID.

As well as things like a passport or driving licence, you can use a Blue Badge or a disabled person's bus pass.

You can ask staff for help

You are entitled to support from staff at the polling station if you need it.

If you don't have a support person with you but need help filling in your ballot paper, you can ask the presiding officer.

The presiding officer is the person in charge of the polling station.

All staff should wear name badges so you ask them to point out the presiding officer if you don't know who it is.

"If you need any additional information about the voting process or would like staff to guide you around the polling station, feel free to ask them to do this - it's your right," Mr Marsland said.

What if your access needs aren't met?

If your access needs aren’t being met, you can talk to the presiding officer, Ms Gunn said.

Mencap, one of My Vote My Voice's campaign partners, will have a helpline on polling day which people can call if they have had a bad experience.

You should also contact the election team in your local authority if you feel your access needs have not been met, Ms Gunn added.

They might be able to resolve the problem on the day and it will also help them improve accessibility in future.

What barriers do disabled people face when voting?

Dr Mark Brookes, an advocate for My Vote My Voice, told Sky News he and other people who are learning disabled do not always find the maps on polling cards accessible.

The number of candidates on a single ballot paper can also make it hard to understand, he said.

Disabled people have the right to vote in secret but when James, another My Vote My Voice advocate, went to vote in a past election, he was told the only place he could have privacy was the disabled toilet.

He uses eye-gaze technology because he is non-verbal, so needed to read out the name of the candidate he wanted to vote for to his support person.

"There should be better spaces for people who are bringing a companion with them to be able to talk to that companion in a place that's still dignified," Ms Gunn said.

You can vote by post or proxy - if you have already applied

You do not have to go to the polling station to vote. Instead, you can vote by post or by proxy vote - which is when you ask someone else to vote on your behalf.

However, the deadline to apply for these types of votes has now passed.

If you have already applied, you can read about how to complete your vote in our guide to postal and proxy votes.

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If you had been planning to vote in person but something happens that means you can't, you can apply for an emergency proxy vote.

Emergency proxy applications can be made up to 5pm on election day on 4 July and you will need to contact the election team at your local council.