UK Petitions Explained: How Many Signatures Do You Need?
Petitions are one of the most direct ways to get Parliament's attention. Here's exactly how they work.
The signature thresholds
UK Parliament petitions follow a clear set of rules. The more signatures a petition gets, the more action is required:
10,000
Government response
The government must publish a written response explaining its position on the issue.
100,000
Considered for parliamentary debate
The Petitions Committee considers the petition for debate in the House of Commons. Most petitions that reach this threshold are debated, though the committee has the final say.
Where to sign or start a petition
The official platform is petition.parliament.uk. You can browse open petitions, sign ones you support, or start your own. You need to be a British citizen or UK resident to create or sign a petition.
How to start a petition
- Check existing petitions — search the site first. If a similar petition already exists, signing it is more effective than creating a duplicate.
- Write a clear, specific ask — petitions need a single, actionable request directed at the government. "Ban X" or "Fund Y" works better than a general complaint.
- Submit for review — the Petitions Committee checks that your petition meets the rules (it must be about something the government or Parliament is responsible for).
- Share it — once approved, you get a link. Share it on social media, with friends, and in relevant communities.
What happens after a petition is debated?
A debate doesn't guarantee a change in the law — but it puts the issue on the official parliamentary record. MPs discuss it publicly, the government has to respond, and it often generates media attention. Many successful policy changes started with a petition that forced the issue into public debate.
Petitions vs emailing your MP
Petitions and emails to your MP work differently, but they complement each other:
- Petitions show collective demand — they demonstrate that thousands of people care about an issue.
- Emails to your MP are personal and direct — they tell your specific representative what matters to their specific constituents.
The most effective approach is to do both. Sign or share the petition, and email your MP to make sure they know it matters to people in their constituency. We built Tell Your MP to make that second step as easy as scrolling your feed.
Useful links
- petition.parliament.uk — browse, sign, or start a petition
- Open petitions — see what's currently active
- Debated petitions — see which petitions made it to the House of Commons
Signed a petition? Now tell your MP why it matters.
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