Licence for house-to-house collections

You need a permit if you want to carry out house-to-house collections.

A house-to-house collection permit can be granted for up to one year. Organisations are vetted and checked to ensure they are genuine, and the collection promoter is required to make a return following the collection.

How to apply

Apply for a house-to-house collection licence

Supply a return for a house-to-house collection

Some larger, well-known charities have a Charity Commission exemption. However smaller charities, local groups and organisations will need a permit before they can collect money, or items they intend to sell later, door-to-door.

We can refuse an application if you intend to claim a disproportionate amount of the proceeds collected. You can appeal against our decision to the Secretary of State.

You can pick up an application form and view the House-to-House Collections Act 1939, at our offices.

Legislation

House to House Collections Act 1939

The CAP door-to-door collection bags ruling guidance explains how commercial participants should amend their advertising to ensure compliance with the ASA’s ruling.

In essence, the ruling requires commercial participants to communicate their name and company status on both sides of the bag. If the bag features a charity’s name, it must not be given greater prominence than the name of the company undertaking the collection. In practice, this means that the company name must be of equal or greater prominence compared to the charity name.

The guidance requires all collectors to comply with the ASA ruling by 2 June 2017 however, we would expect all charitable door-to-door collection bags to conform to this guidance now to ensure they are upfront and clear with the residents of Hertsmere about the nature of the service they are providing.

Please note that a sample of the collection bag(s) to be used must accompany any application before any collections take place. If the collection bag does not conform in line with the guidance then the permit may not be issued.

Licence for house-to-house collections

How to apply

Legislation

Guidance from the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) regarding House-to-House charitable door-to-door collection bags