16 July 2026

Tips for taking part in the Government fireworks consultation

Government consultations are a vital part of the democratic process used to seek views on introducing or updating policies and how they are implemented and enforced.

Even if you have never responded to a consultation before, don’t worry! They should be designed to be easy to understand and use and you can save what you have written so you don’t have to do it all in one go.

Below are some tips that may help you respond to the consultation with confidence. Remember that your views and experiences count and really will make a difference!

Try to be brief and factual in your statements. There are likely to be several thousand submissions for officials to read so make your points effectively but concisely.
Avoid negative generalisations about people with alternative points of view.
Personal experiences matter but avoid lengthy accounts with lots of unnecessary detail. A simple summary will be more impactful.
The Government wants to know not just what you think, but why. Use the boxes inviting you to give reasons for your views to share any relevant personal experiences that can help policy-makers better understand the issues and potential solutions.
Try to be specific and remember the reader may have limited horse knowledge. “My horse was turning circles repeatedly in her stable during the display then stood sweating and shaking for over an hour after the fireworks had stopped” is more helpful and accurate than “My horse was beside herself all evening”.
If an animal in your care has been affected by fireworks, did this impact people too? This could include someone being hurt because of the animal’s behaviour, you or family members becoming upset at their distress, meeting costs such as veterinary visits or calming products, or having to change or cancel professional or social arrangements.
Share any positive as well as negative evidence. If you support lowering the maximum noise level of consumer fireworks, this may be because you have seen the effect loud fireworks have on animals but could also be because you have attended and enjoyed a low-noise display. Or both!
Has a negative experience involving fireworks in the past changed how you feel about fireworks now? If so, explain as concisely as you can what the experience was and how you feel about fireworks as a result.

Have you experienced frustration when raising concerns about a fireworks incident through an appropriate channel such as your local council, the police or with your MP? This can be useful additional information for the consultation as it can demonstrate that existing measures for mitigating the impact of fireworks are insufficient.

Outlining your experiences and perspectives in your own words is likely to be the most impactful way of responding to the consultation but we know some people may wish to use AI to help with a submission. If you do use AI, it’s important that you review and edit any suggested wording to make sure it’s accurate and reflects your actual experience and views.

Remember to ensure the response is concise and don’t include any references to other sources of information you haven’t checked, understood and confirmed to be accurate (your own experiences and perspectives are likely to be more important anyway).

Thank you for taking part in this important consultation. It is a major milestone on the road to improved regulations and far better protection of horses, other animals, vulnerable people and wildlife.