Non-party campaigners: UK Parliamentary general elections

The amount you can spend on targeted spending depends on your arrangement with the political party. 

Spending not authorised by the political party

Under the law, the limits for unauthorised targeted spending are calculated proportionally to the spending limits at each UK Parliamentary general election (UKPGE). There are different limits for targeted spending incurred in each part of the UK.1

If you are not authorised to incur targeted spending, all of your targeted spending will count towards your regulated campaign spending total and must be reported in your spending return. 

You must not spend over the legal limits on unauthorised targeted spending without authorisation from the party. The unauthorised targeted spending you incur must also not exceed the limit on how much you can spend in each part of the UK, or the constituency limit. Please see Spending limits for more information on your overall spending limits.

Spending that is authorised by the political party

While you can incur targeted spending without authorisation, registered parties can authorise you to spend up to an amount they specify on targeted spending.

If targeted spending has not been authorised, the spending must stay within the legal limits on unauthorised targeted spending set out above. With authorisation from the party, you may instead spend up to the amount they authorise.

Spending you incur above the targeted spending limits up to the authorised amount is treated as if it was incurred by you and the political party. For this reason, this spending will count towards both your spending limit and the party’s spending limit at the election and must be reported in both of your spending returns.

Any targeted spending you incur must not exceed the limit on how much you can spend in each part of the UK, or the constituency limit. These limits apply to all your spending on regulated campaign activities, even if the amount a party has authorised you to spend is more than these limits. Please see Spending limits for more information on your overall spending limits.