Non-party campaigners: UK Parliamentary general elections

You should check carefully whether you are eligible to submit a notification.

Only the following individuals or organisations can submit a notification to the Electoral Commission:

• an individual registered on a UK electoral register or resident in the UK
• a UK registered company which is incorporated in the UK and carries on business in the UK
• a UK registered trade union
• a UK registered building society
• a UK registered limited liability partnership which carries on business in the UK
• a UK registered friendly, industrial or provident society
• a UK based unincorporated association that carries on the majority of its business or other activities in the UK
• a body incorporated by Royal Charter
• a UK charitable incorporated organisation
• a Scottish partnership which carries on business in the UK2

You should ensure you submit a notification as the type of entity that is carrying out the campaigning. For example, if you are an individual registered on a UK electoral register and you have a registered company, you should submit a notification as the entity that is doing the campaigning.

If you fall under one of these categories, and do not submit a notification, you cannot spend more than £10,000 on non-party campaigning at a UK Parliamentary general election.

Who cannot submit a notification?

You cannot submit a notification as an individual non-party campaigner if you are already the responsible person for a registered non-party campaigner.3

Under the Elections Act 2022, registered political parties are not eligible to submit a notification as a non-party campaigner. If you are a registered non-party campaigner, you will not be able to register as a political party until you are no longer registered as a non-party campaigner.4

Unincorporated associations with the requisite UK connection (unlike unincorporated associations that have their main office in the UK and carry on the majority of their business or activities in the UK) are able to spend more than £700 on regulated campaign activities but are not eligible to submit a notification to the Commission. This means an unincorporated association with the requisite UK connection cannot spend more than £10,000 on regulated campaign activity.5

If you do not fall into one of the above categories, and you are not an unincorporated association with the requisite UK connection, you can only spend up to £700 on regulated campaign activities.6