The Union Flag has been thrust into the national spotlight this week after a 12 year old schoolgirl was put into isolation for wearing a Union Flag dress to celebrate being British at her school’s culture day. There are a number of rules that must be followed if you want to fly the Union Flag from your home and if you violate any guidelines it could lead to a fine of up to £2,500.
The Government has eased restrictions on flying flags, including not only the Union Flag but also the national flags of England, Wales, Ireland and indeed any other country, reports the Express.
Even county flags are encouraged to be flown more frequently as part of the Government’s initiative. It’s worth noting that the Union Jack is often referred to as ‘the Union Flag’, both terms are acceptable despite the Jack’s maritime origins, but they must still be displayed in accordance with the law to avoid fines.
The guidelines for rooftop flag displays are quite lenient. The government permits certain flags to be flown from rooftops of any size, provided they meet specific criteria.
It says all flags must be maintained in a condition that does not impair the overall visual appearance of the site, be kept in a safe condition, have the permission of the owner of the site on which they are displayed (this includes the Highway Authority if the sign is to be placed on highway land), not obscure, or hinder the interpretation of official road, rail, waterway or aircraft signs, or otherwise make hazardous the use of these types of transport and be removed carefully where so required by the planning authority.
The full list of flags that do not require consent are:
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Any country’s national flag, civil ensign or civil air ensign
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The flag of the Commonwealth, the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member
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A flag of any island, county, district, borough, burgh, parish, city, town or village within the United Kingdom
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The flag of the Black Country, East Anglia, Wessex, any Part of Lincolnshire, any Riding of Yorkshire or any historic county within the United Kingdom
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The flag of Saint David (Wales)
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The flag of Saint Patrick (Ireland)
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The flag of any administrative area within any country outside the United Kingdom
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Any flag of His Majesty’s forces
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The Armed Forces Day flag
The government adds: “There are no restrictions on the size of flag.” However, if you’re flying the flag from a pole protruding from any part of a building other than the roof, there are stricter rules.
The Town and Country Planning Regulations 2007 set out that there are rules for a maximum size for flags flying on your house if it’s on a pole, not on the roof. The government adds: “The flag may not exceed 2 square metres in size. No restrictions on the size of characters. Consent is required if the flagpole is in a controlled area.”
Consent is required if you live in a controlled area, too, such as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Non-compliance with these regulations could lead to individuals being reported and potentially facing fines up to £2,500 for not adhering to local council directives to take down an oversized flag.
The legislation specifies: “a person displaying an advertisement in contravention of these Regulations shall be liable, on summary conviction of an offence under section 224(3) of the Act, to a fine of an amount not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale and, in the case of a continuing offence, one tenth of level 4 on the standard scale [£2,500] for each day during which the offence continues after conviction.”
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