Guidance for submitting your representation

What is a Budget representation?

A Budget representation is a written representation from an interest group, individual or representative body to HM Treasury with the aim of commenting on Government policy and/or suggesting new policy for inclusion in the Budget. HM Treasury welcomes representations as part of the policy-making process. The views of stakeholders are gratefully received.

Representations for Budget 2012 are now open until three weeks prior to Budget and should be submitted using the online Budget Representation form. Submissions can be entered as text, or if you’d normally submit a letter, as an attachment (a 5Mb file size limit applies). Should you be unable to submit your representation online, you can send it by post to: The Correspondence & Enquiry Unit, HM Treasury, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ

If you have a question or comment that is not a Budget representation, please contact the Central Enquiries Unit using the following email address: public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk

What to include in your representation

You must fill in all required fields. This will aid the processing of your representation.

For your representation to inform policy development, it should meet some or all of the following criteria:

it should contain policy suggestions for the upcoming fiscal event or policy areas of particular concern;
it should explain the policy rationale, costs, benefits and deliverability of proposals; and
it should be evidence based, providing clear arguments on how it contributes to the aims of the Budget. For example by considering the following:
- likely effectiveness and value for money;
- revenue implications for the Exchequer;
- wider macroeconomic implications (for economic stability and growth);
- sectoral impacts;
- distributional impacts;
- administrative and compliance costs and issues;
- legislative and operational requirements; or
- environmental impact.

HM Treasury will not consider representations:

which are not practicable; and
that violate HM Treasury’s legal obligations, including but not limited to State aid, human rights and diversity;

HM Treasury will delete representations which are inappropriate or offensive.

Layout of the summary box (2000 character limit)

Please use the summary box to clearly state your key suggestions / concerns. This summary will allow HM Treasury officials to process your representation more quickly and to ensure that your priorities are clearly understood.

If you wish you can also attach further information, such as your Budget representation letter. Please note that there is a 5Mb limit for the attachments. If you attach a document please make sure that this follows a similar layout to the one below for easy perusal:

Background/Introduction
Concerns
Aims/Proposals
Conclusion

Please ensure that all your arguments are supported with relevant evidence.

What happens once you have submitted the form

Once you have successfully submitted your form, a confirmation message will appear on the screen. Representations submitted through this form will no longer automatically receive a written reply, but all representations that meet the criteria outlined above will be used to inform policy development for the Budget.

What happens when HM Treasury receives your representation

Budget representations are used in the policy making process, so it is strongly advised that you submit your representation as early as possible and no later than three weeks before Budget. Representations received after this point may not be given full consideration.

Data Protection and Freedom of Information

Your Budget Representation will be processed in accordance to the Data Protection Act 1998 for the purposes of informing the Budget process. The information you provide may be subject to requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). For example we may receive a request to release Budget representations or be asked for the number of representations. Under FOIA we would expect to release the contents of Budget Representations while protecting personal details of individuals. Names of companies or organisations, and of individuals representing organisations, are not personal data and so would be released.

Freedom of Information contact

Any Freedom of Information Act queries should be directed to:
Information Rights Unit HM Treasury 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 1HQ
Tel: 020 7270 4558
Email: public.enquiries@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk

Submit your Budget Representation

Online Budget Representation form