Guidance for employees
and business owners
How to submit a supplementary response to the trail hunting consultation about the impact on your income or business.
Why this matters
Who should submit a supplementary response?
If your personal income or business interests may be impacted by a trail hunting ban, you are encouraged to complete a further submission — even if you have already used the Future for Hunting e-lobby tool.
Important: If you have already completed the e-lobby, your submission there was made in a personal capacity. This supplementary response allows you to provide additional information specifically relating to your employment or business interests.
General guidance
Before you start
- Question 1 asks about confidentiality. If you wish to remain anonymous, tick "Yes" and give your reason — for example, to prevent harassment from anti-hunting organisations.
- Questions 1–6 are compulsory, but you do not need to complete the entire consultation.
- Question 4 asks how you are responding. If you submitted via the e-lobby, that was in a personal capacity — verify whether you are now responding as a farmer, land manager, or as a business.
- We recommend responding specifically to Questions 25 and/or 26 about the impact on businesses directly and indirectly linked with hunts.
- If you have already completed the e-lobby and wish to respond to other questions, consider using the responses drafted by the Future for Hunting campaign.
- Question 29 — if you have already completed the e-lobby, make this clear in your response to Question 29.
Question guidance
What to write
Use your own words and business detail. Consider addressing the following:
- Explain how a ban on trail hunting could affect your rural business.
- Outline your current staffing levels, including full-time and part-time employees — include numbers where possible.
- Describe how your business benefits from demand linked to trail hunting and related activities.
- Indicate what proportion of your turnover is connected to this activity.
- Explain how a ban could affect employment and estimate how many roles might be at risk.
- Note any expected loss of turnover or reduction in demand for your services.
- Highlight the role trail hunting plays in supporting the wider rural supply chain.
- Give examples of other local businesses you work with, and how reduced activity might impact them.
- Note any challenges in diversifying, particularly for small or specialist rural businesses.
- Explain how these impacts could affect the long-term viability of your business.
Tick Yes on the form, then add your own detail. Consider addressing the following:
- Highlight the contribution that hunting-related activity makes to the rural economy — estimates suggest around £100 million annual economic impact.
- Note that the overall impact may be greater when wider economic effects are taken into account.
- Describe the range of businesses supported, including those directly involved with hounds and horses.
- Outline the wider network that could be affected: farmers, hospitality providers, livery yards, transport providers, fuel suppliers, feed merchants, farriers and veterinary practices.
- Include other supporting trades: builders, electricians, plumbers, printers, caterers and similar local enterprises.
- Explain how a ban might impact farmers, particularly those who rely on fallen stock collection services.
- Emphasise that the effects would extend well beyond hunts themselves.
- Conclude by noting the potential impact on the wider rural economy as a whole.
If you have, use this box to make that clear in your own words. Include these three points:
- I have submitted a response through the Future for Hunting e-lobby tool.
- I wish to supplement that submission with an additional statement.
- This statement sets out the specific impact on my business or employment.
Ready to submit your response?
Head to the government's consultation portal to complete your submission directly.
Go to the consultation ↗