Sponsorship

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What are the sponsorship rules?

Sponsorship payments over £500 (£50 for candidates) can only be accepted from a permissible donor.

Sponsorship must be reported if the amount you accept from one source exceeds: 

  • £50 in the case of candidates
  • £2,230 for party accounting units, members of a registered political party and holders of elective office  
  • £7,500 for registered non-party campaigners
  • £11,180 for political parties, registered referendum campaigners and members associations 

Everyone apart from candidates must also report aggregated donations. This means that you must add together and report permissible donations and loans you receive from the same source in the calendar year that in total exceed these thresholds.

For political parties there are different thresholds for reporting depending on whether the source has already made a reportable donation or loan to you in the calendar year: 

  • If you have already reported the source in the calendar year, the threshold is over £2,230. 
  • If you have not already reported the source in the calendar year, the threshold is over £11,180.

For more details on the rules for reporting donations and loans for parties, please see: Political party donations and loans in Great Britain | Electoral Commission or Political party donations and loans in Northern Ireland | Electoral Commission

Last updated: 15 February 2024