House to house collections are governed under the House to House Collections Act 1939 and House to House Collections Regulations 1947.
Charities may make appeals to the public with house to house collections. In order to do this you will require a house to house collection licence. You can contact the licensing team for an application form.There is no fee required.
House to house collections are mostly carried out by larger charities that leave envelopes with householders and then return on a set date to pick up the donation. Some charities request clothing or bric-a-brac to be left out. These activities also need to be licenced.
You don't need a licence for a collection that takes place:
- Under an exemption (from the police or Home Office)
- During a public meeting
- By using an unattended collecting tin, kept in a fixed position, in a public place
How to apply
Download the application form from our download section. This then needs to be submitted to the council 20 working days before you plan to start collecting.
If you don’t get a licence before starting house to house collections you could face:
- Up to 6 months in prison
- A fine of up to £1000