Limit the sale of fireworks to those running local council approved events only
This petition gathered 195,930 signatures between 20 August 2025 and 20 February 2026, according to the Parliament petitions site. The Government responded on 18 November 2025. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 19 January 2026.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Limit the sale of fireworks to those running local council approved events only
Ban the sale of fireworks to the general public to minimise the harm caused to vulnerable people and animals. Defenceless animals can die from the distress caused by fireworks.
I believe that permitting unregulated use of fireworks is an act of wide-scale cruelty to animals.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 18 November 2025; the petitions site lists the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade as responsible. Its summary:
The Government recognises the negative impact fireworks can have on some people and animals. However, when used responsibly they are a source of enjoyment for many people.
The response in full:
The Government’s intention is to minimise the negative impact of fireworks and to support their considerate use, while reducing the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals, and property. The majority of individuals who use fireworks do so in a responsible and safe manner and there are enforcement mechanisms in place to tackle situations when fireworks are misused.
At this point in time the Government does not have any plans to ban the sale of fireworks to consumers. We have launched a fireworks campaign for this fireworks season to provide guidance on minimising the impacts of fireworks on animal welfare and encouraging responsible use. Lower noise fireworks are promoted in the campaign alongside encouraging people to consider going to a public display. Public displays are more likely to be well-publicised, providing people with an opportunity to prepare ahead of the display taking place. The campaign also includes new guidance for those running community fireworks events, and social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks. This supplements existing guidance from Government and other organisations that is available to help people to use fireworks safely and appropriately. My safety: fireworks - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/my-safety-fireworks)
Organising non-professional fireworks displays - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/organising-non-professional-fireworks-displays)
A regulatory framework currently controls the sale, availability, and use of fireworks to consumers. For example, there is an 11pm curfew in place for the use of fireworks, with later exceptions only for the traditional firework periods of November 5th, Diwali, New Year’s Eve and the Chinese New Year. Using fireworks outside the curfew hours is a criminal offence enforced by the police and can lead to imprisonment and a substantial fine. There is also a maximum noise level of 120 decibels with many retailers also offering ‘lower noise’ and ‘no bang’ fireworks.
A number of animal welfare organisations, along with industry and local authorities, provide advice and guidance to enable people to minimise the negative impacts of fireworks on people, animals and our communities. We work closely with these organisations to amplify this messaging in the run up to, and during, key dates when fireworks are commonly used.
To inform any future action the Government will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks.
Department for Business and Trade
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies. Measured against each constituency's electorate at the 2024 general election, the most came from Scarborough and Whitby, with 11.8 signatures per 1,000 electors (878 in all).
195,519 of the signatures were from the UK and 411 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures | Electorate, July 2024 | Per 1,000 electors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarborough and Whitby | 878 | 74,544 | 11.8 |
| Rochdale | 823 | 72,507 | 11.4 |
| Torfaen | 811 | 71,738 | 11.3 |
| Morecambe and Lunesdale | 772 | 76,424 | 10.1 |
| Leeds North West | 719 | 71,592 | 10.0 |
| Bridlington and The Wolds | 722 | 74,438 | 9.7 |
| Heywood and Middleton North | 659 | 73,328 | 9.0 |
| South Holland and The Deepings | 681 | 78,473 | 8.7 |
| Whitehaven and Workington | 611 | 73,198 | 8.3 |
| Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham | 618 | 75,280 | 8.2 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| North West | 31,220 |
| South East | 25,887 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 23,450 |
| East of England | 18,078 |
| East Midlands | 17,101 |
| South West | 16,389 |
| West Midlands | 16,092 |
| Scotland | 12,333 |
| London | 11,277 |
| Wales | 11,207 |
| North East | 10,519 |
| Northern Ireland | 849 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 19 January 2026. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732559.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
36fea12ef8a9ea5c… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.