Is Leafleting Legal: The Rules of Leaflet Distribution
If you have been looking for the answer to the question ‘is leafleting legal?’ or trying to find out leaflet drop laws within the UK, you have come to the right place. Leafletdrop is the UK’s leading leaflet distributor. As such, we are uniquely qualified to answer any questions regarding leaflet dropping and the law.
If you don’t find the answer to your question in this article, please drop us a message, and our team of leaflet distribution experts will be able to answer any of your questions about the leafleting rules in the UK.
How to Distribute Flyers Legally
In most cases, distributing free leaflets in the UK is a perfectly legal activity. However, certain situations require permission, and you will commit an offence if you don’t get it.
If you’re planning to distribute printed material as part of a campaign yourself, such as door-to-door or flyers in the street, it’s important to be aware of all the legal requirements.
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Leaflets & the Law
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act
The UK government introduced the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act in 2005. One of the main reasons it was created was to prevent leaflet littering and hold those who litter with leaflets accountable. This Act allows local authorities to control flyer distributions in their towns and cities, with regulations varying from free consent schemes to paying for a licence.
Leaflet Distribution Penalties
Failure to get the correct licence for leafleting on the street can result in a fixed penalty of up to £80 or a fine of up to £2,500. If you get a licence but then break the regulations of your licence (such as distributing leaflets in an area outside of the agreed zone), the same penalties can be applied, plus a criminal record. Your licence will most likely be cancelled, and all printed leaflets confiscated until the end of any legal proceedings, which can take a lot of time.
Leaflet Distribution Licence Appeal Process
You can appeal to your local magistrate’s court if you’ve applied for a licence, if they’ve refused permission, put additional conditions on what, when and how you leaflet, as well as withdrawn or changed your licence’s permission. You may even be eligible for discounts on any small-scale or community event fees.
Do You Need Permission to Hand Out Leaflets?
Leaflet distribution could mean many things, from handing out leaflets on the street to distributing leaflets to the home, also known as a door drop. In most cases, distributing free printed material is completely legal, and no permissions or leafleting licences are required. However, there are some cases where you may need to speak to your local council before starting your flyer distribution.
You do not need permission when using the following methods of leaflet delivery:
- Leaflets are being distributed through letterboxes
- Inside a building, bus or taxi
- For a charity
- Leaflets based on political, religious or other beliefs
Can You Hand Out Flyers On The Street in the UK?
The main situation when you will need permission to distribute leaflets is when they are being handed out on the street, also known as hand-out leaflets or hand-to-hand flyer distribution. When this is the case, you should check the regulations in your local area or where you wish to hand out leaflets, as you may need to apply for a licence to distribute your leaflets.
For example, in Manchester, free leaflets can be handed out with consent from the city council. Consent fees are based on a points system, so depending on the type of business and other factors, this could be free, easily affordable or expensive. Other councils, such as Leeds, allow leafleting in the street but only in certain areas, charging a set amount per badge for each distributor.
Can You Post Leaflets Through Doors in the UK?
The most effective form of leaflet delivery is door drop leaflets to homes, also called ‘letterbox marketing’. Posting leaflets through doors is especially effective because the leaflet has to be picked up from the doormat and engaged with.
Leaflet-dropping companies can help get your leaflets to the right homes, and the best part is no permissions are needed.
Other benefits of door-to-door leaflet distribution include:
- Lots more design opportunities – If it fits in the letterbox, it can be delivered like catalogues, menus, and larger A4 pieces
- Door-dropping can be highly targeted – if you are just using GPS-tracked services or handing them out on the street, then you can’t guarantee you are reaching the right people. Targeted, door-to-door leaflet distribution finds the homes most likely to engage with your printed leaflet
- Captive audience - most people will try to avoid marketers in the street, regardless of whether their agenda is of interest or not. Delivering leaflets to letterboxes is a gentle way of marketing to an audience that has to look at your printed materials but can still choose to engage or not
- Cost-effective marketing - door-to-door leaflet distribution can be one of the most cost-effective marketing methods with a relatively low cost per impression, compared to channels such as digital, TV and radio.
- Measurable responses - despite popular opinion, leaflet advertising can have a measurable ROI if it is planned well. By using tools like discount codes, putting loyalty cards on the leaflet itself, QR codes and even custom website landing page URLs, you can measure campaign engagement by tracking the post-campaign performance of these metrics.
What Time Can You Deliver Leaflets?
The law regarding the time of day for distributing leaflets can vary depending on the jurisdiction. In many places, there are no specific restrictions on the timing of leaflet distribution. However, some local regulations or ordinances may exist that limit certain activities during particular hours. For instance, residential areas might have restrictions on distributing leaflets early in the morning or late at night to avoid disturbing residents.
Public spaces or commercial areas may have their own guidelines regarding the permitted hours for leaflet distribution to maintain order and minimise inconvenience. Therefore, it is advisable to consult local laws or seek guidance from relevant authorities to ensure compliance with any specific regulations in a given area.
If all the leaflet distribution rules seem overwhelming, never fear! Leafletdrop has a unique relationship with the Royal Mail for leaflet distribution, meaning that if you book your campaign with us, you don’t have to worry about any of the leaflet distribution rules!
Get Started with Leafletdrop
One of the easiest and effective ways to make sure you stay on the right side of the law with leaflet distribution is to get started with Leafletdrop. Our online leaflet distribution tool and delivery service are completely compliant with all UK laws and we are the experts in leaflet advertising.
Leafletdrop lets you book an entire campaign online in minutes, then you can just leave the rest to us. We organise the compliant and targeted distribution through Royal Mail, who deliver your leaflets alongside the daily post. Get started now.
