Editing Union Jack (section)

===Flag days===
[[File:The Coldstream Guards Troop Their Colour MOD 45165212.jpg|thumb|Vertical displays of the Union Flag during a parade for Elizabeth II's [[King's Official Birthday|official birthday]]]]
In July 2007, prime minister [[Gordon Brown]] unveiled plans to have the Union Flag flown more often from government buildings.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6276280.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=Brown lifts ban on national flag |date=6 July 2007 |access-date=26 May 2010}}</ref> While consultation on new guidelines was under way, the decision to fly the flag could be made by each government department.{{update inline |date=September 2012}} In March 2021, the UK government published new guidance for the Union Flag to be flown all year round on UK government buildings, unless another flag is being flown, such as another national flag of the UK, a county flag, or other flags to mark civic pride.<ref>{{cite web |title=Union flag to be flown on UK Government buildings every day |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/union-flag-to-be-flown-on-uk-government-buildings-every-day |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref>

Previously, the flag was generally only flown on public buildings on days marking the birthdays of members of the [[British royal family|royal family]], the [[wedding anniversary]] of the monarch, [[Commonwealth Day]], [[Accession Day]], [[Coronation Day]], the [[King's Official Birthday|monarch's official birthday]], [[Remembrance Sunday]], and on the days of the State Opening and [[Legislative session#Common procedure|prorogation]] of Parliament. Non-government organisations were (and are) permitted to fly the Union Flag whenever they choose.

The latest specified set of days when the Union Flag should be flown from government buildings throughout the UK are:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/designated-days-for-union-flag-flying |title=Union Flag flying guidance for UK government buildings |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |date=5 February 2024 |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>

* Second Monday in March ([[Commonwealth Day]])
* 9 April (anniversary of the [[Wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles|wedding of The King and The Queen]])
* 6 May (anniversary of the [[Coronation of Charles III and Camilla|coronation of The King and The Queen]])
* Second Saturday in June ([[King's Official Birthday|official birthday of The King]])
* 21 June (birthday of [[William, Prince of Wales|The Prince of Wales]])
* 17 July (birthday of [[Queen Camilla|The Queen]])
* 8 September (anniversary of the accession of [[Charles III|The King]])
* Second Sunday in November ([[Remembrance Sunday]])
* 14 November (actual birthday of The King)

In addition, the flag should be flown in the following areas on these days:

* [[Wales]], 1 March: [[Saint David's Day]]
* [[Northern Ireland]], 17 March: [[Saint Patrick's Day]]
* [[England]], 23 April: [[Saint George's Day]]
* [[Scotland]], 30 November: [[Saint Andrew's Day]]
* [[Greater London]]: the opening and proroguing of Parliament

[[File:Union Jack at half mast, Island Harbour marina, Isle of Wight, England (2).jpg|thumb|A Union Jack at half-mast after the [[death of Elizabeth II]] in September 2022]]
The Union Flag is flown at [[half-mast]] from the announcement of the death of the sovereign (save for Proclamation Day), or upon command of the sovereign.<ref name="dcms">{{cite web |url=http://www.culture.gov.uk/flagflying/default.htm |publisher=[[Department of Culture, Media and Sport]] |title=Flag Flying |access-date=9 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223232022/http://www.culture.gov.uk/flagflying/default.htm |archive-date=23 December 2008}}</ref>

On 30 November, [[Saint Andrew's Day|St Andrew's Day]], the Union Flag can be flown in Scotland only where a building has more than one flagpole—on this day the Saltire will not be lowered to make way for the Union Flag if there is only one flagpole.<ref name="scotland">{{cite web |title=Flag Flying 2011 |url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/royal-ceremonial/Flag-Flying-2011 |publisher=[[Scottish Government]] |date=27 July 2011 |access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref> This difference arose after [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|members of the Scottish Parliament]] complained that Scotland was the only country in the world that could not fly its national flag on its national day. However, on 23 April, St George's Day, it is the Union Flag of the United Kingdom that is flown over UK government offices in England.<ref name="agree">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1997980.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=Ministers agree flag day review |date=20 May 2002 |access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>