Transferred to or provided for the use or benefit of the candidate
The item must be transferred or provided to the candidate for it to count as notional spending.1
This means that any notional spending will also be a donation to the candidate and must be reported separately in the donations section of the return. You can find out more about the rules on donations in Candidate donations.
Example
Example A
A party sends one of their candidates some leaflets to use in the candidate’s campaign – so the leaflets have been transferred to the candidate.
If the candidate distributes the leaflets, they have made use of them in their campaign. The value of the leaflets (if over £50) must be reported as notional spending.
N/A
If an item promoting your election is not transferred or provided to you, then it is likely to be local campaigning by whoever has carried out the activity.
Example
Example B
A party sends out some leaflets that promote the candidate, directly to voters. They inform the candidate they’re going to do so in advance.
In this example, they have not provided anything to the candidate – they have just told the candidate what they are doing. They have campaigned for the candidate themselves.
Although the leaflets may benefit the candidate, the party has not given something to the candidate that the candidate can then decide whether or how to use.
This is not notional spending. It is local campaigning for the candidate. See local campaigning for more information.