Scottish Parliamentary election 2026: Party spending

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The spending limit

The maximum amount that you can spend on campaigning during the regulated period is based on how many constituencies and regions your party is contesting in the election.1

There are 73 constituencies in Scotland and 8 regions. There are 7 seats in each of the 8 regions, making a total of 56 regional seats. A party can field up to 12 candidates per region.  

Your spending limit is £12,000 for each constituency your party contests, plus £80,000 for each region your party contests.

The regional spending limit applies even if you do not field a full list of candidates in the region.

The spending limit is a national limit, which means you do not have to attribute your spending between constituencies and regions.

If your party is contesting every constituency and region, the total spending limit will be £1,516,000:

£12,000 x 73 constituencies£876,000
£80,000 x 8 regions£640,000
Total£1,516,000

You should calculate your party spending limit by working out how many constituencies and regions that your party will be contesting in the Scottish Parliamentary election, and multiplying these numbers by the spending limit for the constituency and/or region. 

In this example, the party is contesting 25 constituencies and 3 regions.

Number of constituencies and/or regions contestingCalculationTotal £
25 constituencies25 x £12,000£300,000
3 regions3 x £80,000£240,000
Total spending limit £540,000

For more information on the 73 constituencies and 8 regions, please see the Boundaries Commission for Scotland’s maps of constituencies and regions for the Scottish Parliamentary election in 2026:

Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries | Scottish Boundary Commission

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 £12,000 for their constituency is not added when calculating your spending limit. Instead, you add £12,000 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 £6,000 from that constituency.

For example: 

Your party is standing 10 candidates under a joint description with one other party. 

Your party is also standing candidates in 25 other constituencies under your party name only, and in 4 regions.

Spending limit calculation:

(10 x £12,000/2) + (25 x £12,000) + (4 x £80,000) = £680,000.

Last updated: 24 June 2025