Party spending and pre-poll donations and loans: UK Parliamentary general election

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The spending limit

How much you can spend in the regulated period depends on how many candidates are standing for your party.

You have a separate spending limit in each part of the UK – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – based on the number of seats your party is contesting in that part.1

If you are not standing any candidates, then you do not have a spending limit and you will not have to submit a return.

Parties standing candidates in Great Britain  

For political parties that are contesting the UK Parliamentary general election (UKPGE) in Great Britain, your party’s spending limit is whichever the greater is of:

Either:

Part of GBSpending limit
England£1,458,440
Scotland£216,060
Wales£108,030

Or:

£54,010 x the number of seats your party is contesting in each part of Great Britain. 

Each part of Great Britain has a separate limit based on the number of seats your party is contesting in that part.

For example:

Your party is contesting all the constituencies in each part of Great Britain at the UKPGE. This is 543 constituencies in England, 57 constituencies in Scotland and 32 constituencies in Wales. Your spending limits will be: 

Part of GBSpending limitWorking
England£29,327,430(543 x £54,010)
Scotland£3,078,570(57 x £54,010)
Wales£1,728,320(32 x £54,010)

This is because the total for each area is greater than the fixed amount shown in the first table.

Parties standing candidates in Northern Ireland  

For political parties that are contesting the UKPGE in Northern Ireland, your party’s spending limit is:

£54,010 x the number of seats your party is contesting in the UKPGE. 

For example: 

Your party is contesting 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland. Your spending limit will be:

£54,010 x 18 = £972,180

Parties standing joint candidates with another party 

Some candidates stand under a joint description, meaning they can stand for two or more registered political parties at once. These candidates are called 'joint candidates'.

If your party is standing a joint candidate, the full £54,010 for their constituency is not added when calculating your spending limit. Instead, you add £54,010 divided by the number of parties that the candidate is standing for.2

For example, if the candidate is standing under a joint description shared with your party and one other, then you and the other party both have £27,005 from that constituency.

For example: 

In England your party is standing 10 candidates under a joint description with one other party. 

Your party is also standing candidates in 25 other constituencies in England under your party name only.

Spending limit calculation:

(10 x £54,010/2) + (25 x £54,010) = £1,620,300.

Since this is over the England minimum of £1,458,440, your party's spending limit in England is £1,620,300.

Last updated: 11 June 2024