How much can candidates spend while parliament is still sitting?

Individual candidates also spend money at elections. There are two periods of restrictions for candidate spending, known as the ‘long campaign’ and the ‘short campaign’. Money spent by candidates during these two periods is in addition to party spending and does not count towards party spending limits.

The long campaign refers to the final few months of a full-length parliament: it begins once parliament has sat for 55 months. ⁵⁸ Representation of the People Act 1983, s 76ZA (1)  Sometimes there is no long campaign because a general election has been called before this 55-month point – this was the case in both 2017 and 2019. The long campaign for the next election will begin on 18 July 2024, if parliament has not already been dissolved.

A limit on candidate spending is introduced at the beginning of the long campaign and increases proportionately for each additional month that parliament sits. This limit is calculated as a proportion of what the maximum limit could be, if parliament sat for a full 60 months. ⁵⁹ These proportions rise from 60% for parliaments dissolved in the 56th month to 100% for those dissolved in the 60th month, increasing in 10% intervals for each month.  This maximum limit is a fixed sum of £40,220 plus an allowance per registered voter. The allowance is 8 pence in a borough (urban) seat and 12 pence in a county (rural) seat. ⁶⁰ Representation of the People Act 1983, s 76ZA (2)

This means that if the current parliament lasts a full five years – until 17 December 2024 – candidates could have spent around £46,000 (in an average borough seat) and £49,000 (in an average county seat) before parliament is dissolved.

Candidate spending that occurs in the regulated period for parties but before the beginning of the long campaign (or before dissolution when there is no long campaign) is counted towards party spending limits instead. ⁶¹ All relevant spending is party spending unless it falls to be included in a candidate return: Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, s 72 (7) (a); see ‘R v Mackinlay and others’ [2018] UKSC 42, p. 5

How much can candidates spend once the election is called?

The short campaign begins from the day after parliament is dissolved. At this point, a new set of spending limits apply to those who have already announced their candidacy. The short campaign will not begin for undeclared candidates until they have been nominated by their party or announced their intention to stand. ⁶² Representation of the People Act 1983, s 118A

During the short campaign, candidate spending limits are calculated by taking the fixed sum of £11,390 and adding the same allowance per registered voter as is applied in the long campaign. ⁶³ Representation of the People Act 1983, s 76 (2)  As such, candidates can spend up to £17,000 in an average borough seat or £20,500 in an average county seat. This is in addition to any money spent during the long campaign (which ends when parliament is dissolved).

These limits are much higher for by-elections, where a fixed cap of £180,050 applies to candidate spending. ⁶⁴ Representation of the People Act 1983, s 76 (2) (aa)

Like the limits for parties, candidate spending limits were increased in November 2023 (for both the long and short campaigns) – rising 30% to account for inflation since they were last set in 2014.

How much might parties and their candidates spend at the next general election?

The spending limit at the next election will vary depending on the number of candidates and the timing of polling day.

In the event of a November election, ⁶⁵ This worked example assumes an election held on 14 November 2024. In this case, parliament would be dissolved on 10th October, in its 58th month. Candidate spending limits are calculated for each constituency using data from the House of Commons Library.  a party standing in all 632 seats in Great Britain would be able to spend just over £70m during the regulated period. This limit would consist of £34m of party spending, and an average of just over £57,000 per candidate (£38,000 during the long campaign and £19,000 during the short campaign). In this scenario, the regulated period for parties would begin in November 2023 and any spending before this would be unregulated.

Who else spends money at elections and what limits apply to them?

A small proportion of spending at elections is conducted by third parties – groups like charities and trade unions that do not stand candidates of their own, but campaign for particular outcomes. These non-party campaigns account for a growing proportion of election spending: 8.5% in 2019, up from just 3.3% in 2015. ⁶⁶ Institute for Government analysis of Electoral Commission data  Like parties, spending limits apply to these groups in the 365 days before an election.