Charitable Collections

Background
Charitable collections are currently regulated by two separate Acts of Parliament:

• The Police, Factories, etc, (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 regulates collections of money or sales of articles for charitable purposes in streets or public places
• The House to House Collections Act 1939 regulates collections of money or other articles made by means of going from house to house

The City Council is the licensing authority for both types of collection, although it is possible for nationally based charities to obtain exemption orders from the Charity Commission enabling house to house collections to be carried out over a wide area, subject to notice to local authorities. Small house to house collections, such as carol singing in a limited area for a local worthy cause, can be granted an exemption certificate by the Police - please contact you local police station.

Forms
The following forms and documents are available from the related documents links on the right of this page:

• street collection permit application form
• street collection regulations
• advice on the use of pedestrian precincts and privately owned areas for collections
• house to house collection licences application form

The House to House Collections Regulations 1947 are available in hard copy only via the Office of Public Sector Information (see the other useful web sites links to the right) or through public libraries.

Policy
The City Council's policy on street collections includes the following:

• Each organisation will be restricted to one city centre collection per year (including, but not exclusively, Above Bar, Above Bar Pedestrian Precinct, High Street, the Bargate and adjoining streets and open places)
• In exceptional circumstances, such as an emergency appeal, consideration may be given to the grant of additional permits
• The City Council reserves the right to conduct a criminal records check on the applicant for a permit to determine their suitability to conduct a charitable collection.
• No further permits will be granted to an organisation until a satisfactory return for every previous street collection by that organisation has been received by the City Council

Applications for permits are dealt with on a first come, first served basis, with organisations usually being granted exclusive use of a particular area for their collection.

Fees
There are no fees chargeable for either type of application.

Registers of Collections
Registers of current street collections and house to house collections are available from the related documents links on the right of this page.

Further information
Information about the registration of charities and charitable activities is available from the Charity Commission (see the other useful web sites links to the right). Their Taunton office deals with charity matters in Southampton.

Other Collections
The following examples are not comprehensive, but are provided to assist fund-raisers and the public.

Collections conducted

• entirely within shop premises, or
• by means of static collection boxes in private premises

will not require a street collection permit.

Collections made

• adjacent to public thoroughfares (such as in shop doorways), or
• in premises to which the public have unrestricted access without payment (such as indoor shopping centres)

will require a street collection permit.

Collections made, for example, by visiting more than one public house, with landlords' consent, will require a house to house collection licence.

The activities of direct debit mandate collectors (so-called "chuggers") are not regulated by law, and are not therefore subject to any licensing provision. Please make any complaints about their activities to the charity which they represent, the Police or the Charity Commission.

Future developments
The Charities Act 2006, which received Royal Assent on 8th November 2006, consolidates and amends the law on charitable collections. Part 3 of the Act will be brought into force by ministerial order at a later date, possibly in late 2009, and details will appear here when they are known.

The Charities Act 2006 and it accompanying explanatory notes are available from the Office of Public Sector Information (see the other useful web sites links to the right).

Further information
For further information, please contact the licensing team:

Email: licensing@southampton.gov.uk
Telephone: 023 8083 3245
Fax: 023 8083 4061

Address:
Licensing Team
Southampton City Council
PO Box 1344
Southampton
SO15 1WQ

The licensing office is open to casual callers between 09:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 16:00 on weekdays at: Southbrook Rise 4-8 Millbrook Road East Southampton SO15 1YG