• Q. What times should I fly the Flag?
• Q. Which is the superior position?
• Q. What is half mast?
• Q. In what condition should the Union Flag be flown?
• Q. Can I fly the Red Ensign on Merchant Navy Day?
• Q. Which way round should I fly the Union flag?
• Q. When can I fly the Union flag?
• Q. Do I need planning permission?

 

Q. What times should I fly the Flag?

The Union flag should be flown on Government Buildings from 8am until sunset.

Q. Which is the superior position?

The Union flag must always be flown in a superior position ie:

i) the highest flagpole
ii) where there is an odd number of poles of the same height: the centre flag pole
iii) where there are two flag poles of the same height: the left flag pole viewed from the front of the building
iv) where there is an even number in a row and no other flags are being flown: the nearest centre left flag pole viewed from the front of the building.

Q. What is half mast?

Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds of the way up the flagpole with at least the height of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the flagpole.

If more than one flag is flown they should all be raised at half-mast or not flown at all.

Flags of foreign nations should not be flown unless their country is also observing mourning.

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Q. In what condition should the Union Flag be flown?

Departments should ensure that the Union Flag and national flags should be in good repair and unsoiled. To fly a flag which is in poor repair or dirty is to show disrespect for the nations they represent.

Q. Can I fly the Red Ensign on Merchant Navy Day?

Merchant Navy Day, on 3rd September, is not one of the appointed days for flying the Union flag from Government Buildings which has been agreed by the Royal Household. It is a specific event that has its own flag so Government Departments with an interest in Merchant Navy Day may fly the Red Ensign from their buildings on 3rd September.

Q. Which way round should I fly the Union flag?

The Union flag must be flown the correct way up. This is with the wider diagonal white stripe above the red diagonal strip in the half nearest to the flag pole.

 

Q. When can I fly the Union flag?

UK Government departments have the freedom to fly the Union Flag on their buildings when they choose. This decision was made, following the publication of the White Paper, The Governance of Britain: Constitutional Renewal (CM 7342-1), and the Consultation Analyses Document (CM 7342-3) on 25 March 2008, guidance.

As a minimum, there are 18 fixed days each year on which the Union Flag should be flown on Government buildings possessing a flagpole. A Government building for this purpose is generally accepted to mean a building owned or used by the Crown and predominately occupied or used by Civil Servants or her Majesty’s Armed Forces.

Individuals, local authorities and other organisations may fly the Union Flag whenever they wish, subject to compliance with any local planning requirements.

Q. Do I need planning permission?

Under Schedule 1 Class H of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007, national flags, the flags of the Commonwealth, European Union, the United Nations, English counties and certain saints can be flown without the express consent of local authorities as long as they satisfy the standard conditions for the display of advertisements generally and the conditions and limitations set out within Class H itself.

For saints' flags, the conditions are that they can only be flown in the county with which the saint is associated. This means that the St.Piran's flag may be flown freely in Cornwall, but express consent would be required for it to be flown elsewhere in England.

If any of these flags are to be flown no further planning permission is needed for the flagpole, however it may be required if other flags are to be flown.