Guidance for Candidates and Agents at UK Parliamentary by-elections in Great Britain

We call the time when the spending laws apply the ‘regulated period’.

You must keep within the spending limit for the regulated period. You should also keep separate records of your spending and donations for the regulated period. 

The regulated period

The regulated period begins on the day after the date you officially become a candidate and ends on polling day.3

When does a person officially become a candidate?

The earliest date you can officially become a candidate is the day on which the vacancy occurs.4

You will become a candidate on this date if you or others have already announced your intention to stand.5  For example, your party may have issued a press release when you were selected, you might have mentioned your intention at a residents’ meeting, or you may have already begun campaigning.

If your intention to stand has not been announced by the day on which the vacancy occurs, you will officially become a candidate on the earlier of:

• the date your intention to stand is announced
• the date when you submit your nomination papers6

This must be prior to the close of nominations.