Guidance for Candidates at Parish council elections in England

Valuing notional spending

Notional spending begins with being provided with something of value. 

The guiding principle

The guiding principle is that, in all cases, you should make an honest and reasonable assessment of the value of the goods or services you are receiving.

If the exact or similar options of the item or services are available on the market, you should use the rates charged by other providers to guide you in making a valuation. For example, if the donor is a commercial provider, you should use the rates they charge other similar customers.

If there are no exact or similar options of the goods or services available on the market, you should base your assessment on the commercial value of a reasonable equivalent. If you are still not sure, please contact us for advice.

Valuing seconded staff

If an employer seconds a member of staff to your campaign, you must record their gross salary and any additional allowances as notional spending.

You do not need to include the employer’s national insurance or pension contributions. You will need to include the value of any expenses, such as travel or food, that you or the employer refunds.

Last updated: 1 December 2023