# Home Office announces proposals to regulate charity collections

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2003/09/10/home-office-announces-proposals-regulate-charity-collections/
- Published: 2003-09-10T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Home Office Charities Minister, Fiona Mactaggart MP, has unveiled proposals for 
a new integrated licensing scheme for public charitable collections in England and
Wales.
The licensing scheme proposals include applying the same rules for house-
to-house and street collections. By updating old and fragmented legislation, the
Home Office hopes to make the law easier for collecting organisations to understand
and for licensing authorities to implement effectively.

 

 

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The proposals aim to provide fair access to collecting opportunities to all eligible
organisations while deterring bogus collectors. They also seek to address the current
situation where licensing authorities apply the rules differently in different areas.

 

 

The proposals cover collections “for charitable, philanthropic and benevolent purposes”.
There is no suggestion of charging for licences. They include introducing an exemption
for small local collections.

 

 

Ms Mactaggart said: “We need fair, transparent regulation which facilitates responsible
fundraising, but deters bogus collectors and prevents nuisance to the public. This
will help protect the good name of the voluntary and community sector. I am confident
that we will devise a workable scheme to maintain and even improve the level of 
trust and confidence which people feel in our charitable sector.”

 

 

The Home Office is seeking responses from interested parties from from 9 September
to 2 December 2003.

 

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