A licence is required to undertake a 'house to house' collection, under the House to House Collections Act 1939. A copy of the Regulations will be attached to the licence when the application is granted.
A licence is required principally for door to door charitable collections, either made with collecting tins or by returning to collect a previously posted envelope. It will also cover collections of money made on a "pub crawl" and for example collections of tin foods for redistribution or "jumble" for charity sales. As with the street collection permits there are returns to be made to us within a stipulated time and an account sheet is included with the permit when an application is granted to be returned after the House to House collection period is completed.
A house to house collection licence can be granted for any period up to one year. All applications will be vetted to ensure the organisation applying is genuine.
Do I need to apply for a Licence?
Unless a 'Cabinet Office Exemption Order' has been granted most of the smaller, and particularly local groups and organisations need a permit before they can collect money (or articles which they intend to sell later), from door to door, (House to House). Please check with the Licensing Office (contact details below) before making any collections.
Apply Online by using the link in the contact details box below.
The application form is also available to download from the bottom of this page or from the Licensing Office, if you wish to apply by post.
Please submit the following documents with your application
letter of authority to collect from the charity or organisation on whose behalf the collection is to be made
the latest audited accounts for the charity or organisation
If you are a company collecting on the Charity's behalf we require a copy of the company's latest audited accounts in addition to a copy of the Charity's latest audited accounts
any brochure, pamphlet, handbook or other publications of the organisation or charity describing its objects and activities
we also require an example of the charity collection bag or leaflet that will be used during the collection period
Failure to submit any of the above documents may result in a delay and possible refusal of your application
For more information about House to House permits, the Regulations or to discuss your application, please contact the Licensing Office using the contact details box below.
There is no cost for the issuing of consent but there are rules to be followed, which are attached to the Licence when it is granted. This includes the following:-
In order to prevent the indiscriminate printing of collectors’ prescribed badges and forms of prescribed Certificates of Authority, and the consequent danger of imposture, the Regulations made under the above Act provide that licence-holders must obtain such forms from H M Stationery Office. Badges must be worn by collectors and returned to the organiser at the end of the collection period.
The Chief Promoter for a collection shall exercise all due diligence to secure that all forms and prescribed Certificates of Authority and prescribed badges obtained by him for the purposes of the collection are destroyed when no longer required in connection with that collection or in connection with a further collection which he has been authorised to promote for the same purpose.
There is a statutory right of appeal against the refusal to grant a house to house collection licence. In this case, the right of appeal is to the Secretary of State, and the grounds for refusal are set out in the Act itself.
One of the key grounds for refusal would be where the total amount likely to be applied for charitable purpose as a result of the collection, is inadequate in proportion to the value of the proceeds likely to be received. So, for instance, where an applicant intends to claim an inadequate proportion of the proceeds of the collection for expenses, a permit could be refused. There is no statutory guidance to local authorities on what would be a reasonable amount for expenses.
What happens if my Licence Circumstances change?
Please notify the Licensing Office immediately using the Contact Details box below.
