Bulletin, 23 May (General Election – key information)

Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced there will be a General Election on 4 July 2024.

In this Bulletin, we’ve included some information that will be useful at this stage. In the next few weeks, we will continue to share advice and guidance to help you.

Please read our full guidance on the General Election.

There is also dedicated information for staff on our website.

The House of Commons also provides guidance to support you during dissolution.

Campaigning

You cannot claim for campaigning costs or electoral activities but you can continue to claim for costs to fulfil your parliamentary duties in the run-up to the General Election.

If you use IPSA-funded resources for your election campaign, this could be regarded as a donation by the Electoral Commission.

IPSA is not a permissible donor for candidates, and so this could be against the law.

Staff supporting campaigning

If you want to campaign on behalf of your MP, please note that you cannot engage in campaigning activities during working hours. You can, however, take leave (paid or unpaid) or use accrued time-off-in-lieu (TOIL) for this purpose.

This also applies if you are a staff member standing as an MP.

Dissolution – staff and equipment

During the dissolution period, MPs should avoid purchasing new office furniture, IT hardware, and other equipment – if possible – to limit any complications in the winding up process.

If you require new equipment, you will need to provide a reason for the exceptional purchase when claiming. IPSA-funded resources – including your office, supplies, and equipment – can be used for parliamentary functions but not for political campaigning.

Please note that you can employ new starters during the dissolution period. You will not be able to make any contractual changes as of today.

Our phone lines may be busier than normal in the coming days.

Please check the guidance on our website as a first step.

We will support you throughout the General Election period, with advice on issues ranging from dissolution and pay to staff and notice periods.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Todd

Chief Executive