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Gifts and hospitality

2 May 2023

As we have reached the end of the financial year, all employees are reminded of the need to follow our rules in relation to the receipt of hospitality or gifts which are detailed in financial regulations and the code of conduct for employees.


The rules as outlined below, are applicable to employees regardless of whether they are in receipt of hospitality or gifts during work time, or during their personal time. If the hospitality or gifts offered fall outside the criteria for acceptance during work time, then accepting them at weekends, evenings or whilst on leave is also unacceptable.

All hospitality must be recorded using the following form:

Complete the register of gifts and hospitality offered to officers form

Code of conduct

The code of conduct for employees and financial regulations, states in relation to hospitality and gifts:

Gifts

You may accept ‘token’ gifts from customers, contractors or service users up to the value of £50. Acceptable examples are calendars, diaries, pens or chocolates. All gifts should be reported to your manager. You must not accept gifts worth more than £50 and you must report such offers to your executive director. You must refuse any offer of a gift where you suspect that an improper motive may exist, for example the giver is seeking to influence your decisions or actions and you must report such offers to your executive director. This is the case regardless of the monetary value of the offer.

In no circumstances should you accept a monetary gift, including gift vouchers, and again, you must report such offers to your executive director.

Hospitality

You should only accept hospitality, such as meals or refreshments, if there is a genuine need to impart information or to represent us. You should also ensure that accepting the hospitality does not create a conflict of interest and is not likely to cause embarrassment to us. You should report the offer of hospitality, whether accepted or not, to your line manager, and should ensure that all such offers are recorded in the appropriate hospitality register.

Our approach to hospitality and gifts is designed to protect both the organisation and individual employees from allegations of decisions on policy and purchasing being influenced by the receipt of personal benefits. Please remember that however unlikely such influence might be, we need to consider how the public and media might interpret our conduct.

The annual report for gifts and hospitality is about to be prepared, please can you ensure yourself and your staff complete the electronic gifts and hospitality form by Friday 12 May for the last financial year (1 April 1 2022- 31 March 2023). Where employees do not have access to an email address it is asked that the line manager completes the form on their behalf.

Read further information about the code of conduct