The laws on donations only apply to donations that are given to registered non-party campaigners, specifically towards their spending on regulated campaign activity. The laws do not cover money that is received for the organisation’s general purposes.
For the purposes of donations to non-party campaigners, a donation is:
given for the purpose of regulated campaign activity2
and
without charge or on non-commercial terms and with a value of more than £500.3
Anything with a value of £500 or less is not a donation for the purposes of PPERA.
Which donations are covered by the law?
Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA), there are restrictions on the donations a registered non-party campaigner can accept. The law covers all donations that are given towards a registered non-party campaigner’s spending on regulated campaign activity. This includes donations for regulated campaign spending that are received outside of the regulated period.4
Some examples of donations include:
a gift of money or property
sponsorship of an event or publication
a subscription or affiliation payment
free or specially discounted use of an office
All registered non-party campaigners must keep records of donations they receive and check they can accept these donations.
The responsible person is responsible for making sure that your organisation follows the laws on donations.