How to authorise targeted spending

If a political party wishes to authorise you to incur targeted spending up to a set limit, it must provide an authorisation to us.

Authorisation by a registered political party:

  • must be in writing
  • must be signed by either the treasurer or the deputy treasurer of the party
  • must specify the parts of the UK in which the targeted spending may be incurred 
  • may set a limit on the amount of targeted spending authorised.1

The registered political party must give a copy of the written authorisation to the Commission. The authorisation has no effect until a copy has been given to the Commission.2

An authorisation by a political party can be made using form TP5.

TP5 - Form of authorisation for targeted spend

 

The political party should also give a copy of the authorisation to you confirming that you can incur targeted spending.

If a political party gives you a copy of an authorisation to incur targeted spending, you should ask for confirmation that they have sent the original authorisation to us. You can check this by looking at our register of notifications.

Withdrawal of authorisation

A political party can withdraw an authorisation at any time by giving us notice in writing.

The withdrawal:

  • must be in writing
  • must be signed by the treasurer or deputy treasurer of the party.3

The withdrawal of authorisation has no effect until the registered political party has given a copy to the Commission.4

The political party should also give a copy of the withdrawal notice to you confirming that you cannot incur any further targeted spending. The withdrawal notice takes effect on the date it is received by the Electoral Commission.

If the party withdraws its authorisation, you must not incur any further targeted spending above the targeted spending limit. You should make sure that the political party keeps you informed of any changes to the authorisation.

If you have already spent more than the targeted spending limit when the authorisation is withdrawn, you must stop all further targeted spending.

When authorisation is withdrawn, no retrospective offence will have been committed by the non-party campaigner in relation to targeted spending incurred in accordance with the authorisation that was in effect at the time.

Last updated: 19 December 2023