Political parties, campaigners and other groups and individuals have to report relevant donations they’ve accepted and loans they’ve entered into. We publish all of the information we receive on Political Finance Online.

The rules for publishing this information are different in Northern Ireland. At the moment, the legislation doesn’t allow us to publish any information about donations and loans from before 1 July 2017.

Giving a donation or loan

Political parties, campaigners and other groups and individuals can only accept donations from and enter into loans with permissible sources. There is no limit on the value of donations and loans that can be accepted.

It is up to the political party, individual or other organisation to check if the donation or loan is from a permissible source, and if they can accept it or not.

When political parties, campaigners or other organisations and individuals receive a donation or loan, they have to:

  • record information about the donation or loan, such as the amount and who it was from
  • check the source of the donation or loan, and decide if it comes from a permissible source
  • decide whether to keep or return the donation or loan, depending on its source
  • report it to us, if it’s over the reportable amount or if they returned it

Some political parties can also receive a grant payment from us, and funding from parliamentary bodies. This is known as public funding. Find out more about the public funding political parties can receive.

Reporting a donation or loan

Political parties

Political parties have to report donations and loans to us if they are above or aggregate to over:

  • £11,180 to the central party (or over £2,230 if the donor or lender gives further during the calendar year)
  • £2,230 to accounting units (sections of a party whose finances aren’t managed directly by the party’s headquarters)

Individuals

Individuals who are members of political parties or are holders of elected offices must report donations and loans to us if they are above or aggregate to over £2,230.

Members of Parliament and Members of Scottish Parliament have their own processes for reporting donations and loans they have accepted. However, if they return a donation or loan as it’s not from a permissible source, they have to report it directly to us.

Members of the Senedd and Northern Ireland Assembly Members and any other regulated individuals must report donations and loans they have both accepted or returned to us.

Other organisations

Members Associations report donations and loans they receive above £11,180 to us. 

Unincorporated associations that donate more than £37,270 to a political party, individual or other organisation in a year have to register with us, and report what they give.

When we publish information

Donations and loans to political parties

We publish information about donations and loans to political parties four times a year, usually at the beginning of:

  • March
  • June
  • September
  • December

This information includes:

  • the political party who accepted the donation or loan
  • the amount of the donation or loan
  • who made the donation, including their name and status (such as individual or company), or if it was public funding.

Donations and loans to individuals and other regulated organisations

Individuals and other regulated organisations have to report to us within 30 days of accepting a donation or loan. We publish the information every month on Political Finance Online.