Individuals and organisations that wish to exceed the £10,000/£5,000 expenditure limit must register with us as a recognised third party before they spend more than this level. To register as a recognised third party, an organisation or individual simply needs to submit a notification to us. A recognised third party can be any of the following:
- an individual registered on a UK electoral register or resident in the UK
- a UK registered political party
- a UK registered company
- a UK registered trade union
- a UK registered building society
- a UK registered Limited Liability partnership
- a UK registered friendly/building society
- a UK based unincorporated association
A third party's notification must specify the name of the individual responsible for ensuring compliance with the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) 2000 financial controls, and should give contact details for the recognised third party. The notification will last for 15 months from the date on which it is received by us. At the end of this period, a recognised third party can let the notification lapse, or submit a renewal form if it wishes to remain a recognised third party (there are no reporting requirements binding on recognised third parties outside of regulated periods).
