How to fly the Union Flag
Updated: October 2026
The flag is in your hands, the pole is already up, and it is easy to clip the Union Flag on the wrong way round. How to fly the Union Flag starts with the corner beside the pole, then with whether you even have a rope. Most of the poles in the [flagpole comparison](/hub/flags/flagpole) have clips and no halyard. Only three kits include a rope. This page is the orientation, the hoist, half-mast, and when the flag comes down. It is not a ranking. We used the College of Arms, the Flag Institute and GOV.UK. We did not fly a test flag.
The flag is in your hands, the pole is already up, and it is easy to clip the Union Flag on the wrong way round. How to fly the Union Flag starts with the corner beside the pole, then with whether you even have a rope.
The flag is in your hands, the pole is already up, and it is easy to clip the Union Flag on the wrong way round. How to fly the Union Flag starts with the corner beside the pole, then with whether you even have a rope. Most of the poles in the flagpole comparison have clips and no halyard. Only three kits include a rope. This page is the orientation, the hoist, half-mast, and when the flag comes down. It is not a ranking. We used the College of Arms, the Flag Institute and GOV.UK. We did not fly a test flag.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Halyard | Mount | Flag included | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Thanaddo Thanaddo 20 ft sectional flagpole | Yes | In-ground sleeve | Union and England | 9.2 | about £59.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  NQ NQ 20 ft (6 m) sectional flagpole | Yes | In-ground sleeve | Union and England | 8.4 | about £59.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  iElyiEsy iElyiEsy 20 ft sectional flagpole | Yes | In-ground sleeve | 3x5 British flag | 6.0 | about £69.99 | View offer |
On this page
Which way up the Union Flag goes
Look at the upper corner nearest the flagpole. The College of Arms says the wider white diagonal should sit above the red diagonal there. The Flag Institute states the same rule at the hoist. If the red sits above the wider white stripe, the flag is upside down. Check it on a table before you attach anything. One UK review of a 20 ft kit said the supplied flag was manufactured upside down. That is not, in the College’s wording, a distress signal.
The St George’s Cross does not use that diagonal test. A private individual may fly the Union Flag on any day. Designated days bind government buildings, not your house. Whether the pole needed permission is on flagpole planning permission.
How to raise and lower a flag when the pole has a rope
Only Thanaddo, the NQ 20 ft kit and iElyiEsy include a rope and a pulley. Wall brackets, both spikes, the indoor stand and the Anley feather pole do not. If yours is one of those, you clip the flag on. You do not hoist it. Types are separated on best flagpole UK.
Attach the top and the bottom of the flag so the rope stays a loop, and hold both sides while you hoist. These listings do not name a cleat. If the rope jams at the top, stop. Do not climb the pole or lean a ladder against a sectional mast. Lower the pole, or call someone who can reach the head safely.
Half-mast, and when a black ribbon replaces it
Half-mast is about two-thirds of the way up, with at least the flag’s own height left clear above it. Raise the flag to the top, pause, then lower it to that position and make fast. When mourning ends, raise it to the top again, pause, and then lower it fully.
You cannot half-mast a pole more than 45 degrees from the vertical. The Flag Institute is explicit. A wall bracket set at 45 degrees is already at that limit. If the pole cannot fly at half-mast, use a black mourning ribbon at the hoist and fly the flag at the top. The Royal Standard never flies at half-mast. On Remembrance Sunday the Union Flag is flown at full mast.
When to take the flag down
Government buildings that follow the designated-days list raise the Union Flag at 8am and lower it at sunset. GOV.UK groups Wales with England for that guidance. Scotland’s government buildings are devolved. Northern Ireland government buildings follow the Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000. A private household is not on that rota and may fly the Union Flag any day.
Take it down when it is torn, badly faded or heavily soiled. There is no household wind-speed figure in these sources. If the pole is moving, lowering the flag is your judgement, not a published limit. If the rope is stuck at the top, stop and get help rather than climb.
Common questions
Which way up does the Union Flag go?
In the upper corner nearest the pole, the wider white diagonal sits above the red diagonal. That is the College of Arms rule, and the Flag Institute states the same thing at the hoist. A St George’s Cross does not use that diagonal test.
How do I raise a flag on a rope?
Only if the pole has a halyard. Attach the top and the bottom so the rope remains a loop, hold both sides, hoist, and make fast. These kits do not name a cleat. If the rope jams at the top, stop and lower the pole. Do not climb a sectional mast.
Can I half-mast a flag on a wall bracket that sticks out?
Not in the ordinary way, if the pole is more than 45 degrees from vertical. The Flag Institute says you cannot half-mast past that angle. Use a black mourning ribbon at the hoist and fly the flag at the top. The wall kits here have rings and no rope.
What do I do on Remembrance Sunday?
Fly the Union Flag at full mast. Half-mast is not the Remembrance Sunday position in the Flag Institute protocol. The two-minute silence at 11am does not mean the flag stays at half-mast for the day.
When should I take the flag down?
Take it down at sunset if you are following the government-building habit, and at any time if it is torn, badly faded or dirty. A private household may fly the Union Flag on any day. There is no published household wind speed in these sources.
Does a private house have to follow the government flag-flying days?
No. Designated days, and raising at 8am and lowering at sunset, are for UK government buildings that follow that guidance. A private individual may fly the Union Flag at any time. Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own arrangements for government buildings.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources listed in the research digest. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 19 October 2026.
- GOV.UK — Flying flags: a plain English guide (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Planning Portal — Can I put a flagpole in my garden, and how tall can it be? (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007, Schedule 3 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK — Designated days for Union Flag flying (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Flag Institute — British flag protocol (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- College of Arms — Union Flag FAQs (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE — HSG47 Avoiding danger from underground services (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- LSBUD — Line search before you dig (retrieved 19 October 2026)