VOTING has opened in the EU Referendum.

Voters are today going to the polls to decide whether the UK should remain in the European Union in a historic moment for the future of the country.

The polls in the run-up to the big day have suggested the referendum result is on a knife-edge, with neither side able to surge ahead in the final weeks.

A record number of voters are eligible to take part in the referendum with the Electoral Commission putting the number at 46,499,537.

A last-minute surge to register crashed the Government's website hours before the deadline on June 7, prompting a 48-hour extension.

Will it simply be the case of all votes being counted to give two totals?

Yes. All the votes will be counted and then added up, with a straight majority needed to provide the result. In answer to some other people's questions, there is no minimum turnout needed. So if, for the sake of argument, only three people voted on the day, if two of them voted to leave, that would be the result.

When and how will the results be announced?

The counts will get under way when polls close at 10pm at 382 local centres around the UK including bases in Barrow, Kendal and Carlisle.

These local results will be declared as the counts are completed before being collated at 12 regional centres, which will also declare the totals for each side.

There will be a rolling total so the time at which one side reaches the point of being mathematically unbeatable depends on how quickly the votes are counted and how close the results are running.

It is a safe bet that from around 4am onwards there should be pretty clear picture of which way the vote is going. A chief counting officer will announce the overall result at Manchester Town Hall.

How much does the UK contribute to the EU and how much do we get in return?

The UK is one of 10 member states who pay more into the EU budget than they get out, only France and Germany contribute more.

In 2014/15, Poland was the largest beneficiary, followed by Hungary and Greece. The UK also gets an annual rebate that was negotiated by Margaret Thatcher and money back, in the form of regional development grants and payments to farmers, which added up to £4.6bn in 2014/15.

According to the latest Treasury figures, the UK's net contribution for 2014/15 was £8.8bn - nearly double what it was in 2009/10.

The National Audit Office, using a different formula which takes into account EU money paid directly to private sector companies and universities to fund research, and measured over the EU's financial year, shows the UK's net contribution for 2014 was £5.7bn.

How long will it take for Britain to leave the EU if we vote for Brexit?

The minimum period after a vote to leave would be two years. During that time Britain would continue to abide by EU treaties and laws, but not take part in any decision-making, as it negotiated a withdrawal agreement and the terms of its relationship with the now 27 nation bloc. In practice it may take longer than two years, depending on how the negotiations go.

POLLING STATIONS IN BARROW

The following is a list of polling stations operating across the Barrow borough. Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm on Thursday June 23.

Residents can only vote at the polling station they have been registered at, which is printed on all polling cards.

If you are unsure which polling station you have been registered at, call Barrow Borough Council on 01229 876543.

There is no need to take your polling card to the polling station.

BARROW

St John's Church, Barrow Island

St James Community Centre, Blake Street

St Mark's Church, Buccleuch Street

Grange/Cartmel Crescent Community Centre, Cartmel Crescent

The Forum, Duke Street

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Lumley Street

Children's Centre, Greengate Street

St Matthew's Halls, Highfield Road

St Francis Church, Schneider Road

Children's Centre, Millstone Avenue, Ormsgill

Trinity Church Centre, Warwick Street

Abbey Road Baptist Church, Abbey Road

Cambridge Primary School, Cambridge Street

Parkside GGI Academy, Greengate Street

St Paul's Church, Hawcoat Lane

Hawcoat Community Centre, Skelwith Drive

Beacon Hill Methodist Church, Holyoake Avenue

St Aidan's Church Hall, Middle Hill

Rampside Village Hall

Roose Primary School, North Row

Yarlside Academy, Redoak Avenue

WALNEY

Vickerstown Methodist Church

North Walney Primary School

North Scale Community Centre

South Walney Infants School

St Columba's Catholic Church

DALTON

Chapel Street Infants School

Dalton St Mary's School

LINDAL

Buccleuch Hall

ASKAM

Askam Community Centre