Street Collections
It is illegal in this country to hold a street collection to collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes without obtaining a street collection licence from The Council if that collection is to be held 'in a street or public place'. A 'public place' is a 'place where the public has access'.
People often assume that collections held in shop doorways or car parks do not need a street collection licence because they are being held on 'privately owned land'. This is not true, as the legislation does not mention the ownership of the land or treat collections on 'privately owned land' as exempt from the licensing regulations. A shop doorway or carpark, when that shop is open for trading, is a 'public place' because the public has access at that time. No other licence would be valid. A Pedlars Licence, issued by the Police cannot be used for this purpose. Only local authorities issue Street Collection Licences under Section 5 of the Police, Factories, etc. Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1916, as amended by the Local Government Act 1972 and Schedule 29 of that Act.
There is no cost for the issuing of consent but there are rules to be followed in applying. Street collections are usually made by charities, usually taking place in a town centre on busy shopping days and money is collected in tins. There are regulations which govern this type of collection. Consents are restricted to enable charities to raise money without their collections clashing with those of other charities.
The purpose of the legal requirement to obtain consent is to ensure collectors are properly authorised and that money is collected in a secure way and the total proceeds collected are properly accounted for.
To collect money or sell articles for the benefit of a charitable or other purpose you will require a licence from the local authority.
Am I eligible?
An applicant must be a fit and proper person and submit an application form.
Regulation summary
Please see the Charities Act.
How will my application be evaluated?
No provision in legislation, this is a registration process only.
Apply online
What happens next?
Once your application form has been received The Council will ensure the proposed collection date(s) is suitable. You will be required to notify The Council of the result of the collection.
What if my application is refused?
Please contact the Licensing Service in the first instance.
Consumer complaints
We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first point of contact should be made with the service provider (The Council). If this has not worked and you are located in the UK then contact Consumer Direct or outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.
Registers
There are no public registers for this licence.
Contact us
- Email: licensing@rushcliffe.gov.uk
Charity Collections