In order to be validly nominated, a candidate or someone acting on the candidate’s behalf must also deposit the sum of £1000 with you by the close of nominations.1
However, you may refuse to accept a banker’s draft if you do not know whether the drawer carries on business as a banker in the United Kingdom.
You can also choose to accept funds by means of:
a building society cheque
a debit or credit card
electronic transfer of funds
legal tender (cash in British pounds only) payments made by cash will be subject to money laundering checks
You should accept building society cheques if they carry out business in the United Kingdom. You should also accept banker’s payments, which are orders issued by a bank guaranteeing payment to the recipient. If you decide to accept any of these methods you should list them on the notice of election and make any requirements you have clear in the nomination pack.
If the deposit is given to you by someone acting on behalf of the candidate, the person delivering the deposit must give you their name and address, unless they have already provided this information as part of their notification of appointment as an election agent.3
The GLRO will accept payment by bank transfer and credit/debit cards. In order to provide consistency for candidates and agents across each of the three contests, the GLRO would prefer that CROs adopt the same practice for the constituency election. You should confirm to the GLRO the methods of payment you intend to accept so that parties and candidates can be briefed accordingly.
Where a candidate is not shown as standing nominated in the statement of persons nominated, the deposit must be returned as soon as practicable after the publication of the statement of persons nominated to the person who made the deposit or their personal representative. 4
For more information on the return of deposits see our guidance for RO’s at a GLA election on processes to be undertaken after the election.
If there is a fee attached to the form of payment, you can pass this on to the candidate. If so, you should make this clear on the notice of election and the nomination pack.