Guide Charitable collections

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5. Apply for a house to house collection

Coronavirus guidance

The Fundraising Regulator publishes guidance and resources to support charities, fundraising organisation and the public during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Overview

If you want to carry out a charitable house-to-house collection in East Devon you'll need to apply for a permit.

Exemptions

If you have a Home Office exemption you don't need to apply for a permit.

Even if you have a Home Office exemption please still tell us about the date and location of your collection so that we can try and avoid double booking an area.

Authority

When we grant a permit to collect we'll also send you a certificate for the information of HM Stationery Office. This certificate must be taken or sent to HM Stationery Office who will issue you with the prescribed certificates of authority and number of badges that you need.

Please be aware that it is an offence for any collector to collect without having in his or her possession the required signed authority and badge.

The address of HM Stationery Office is:

St Clements House
2 - 16 Colgate
Norwich
NR3 1BQ
Telephone number: 0870 6005522

When you've carried out the collection you'll need to fill in and send us a return giving an account of monies raised. You'll need to supply us with a return for a house-to-house collection within one month of the collection.

How to apply

You can apply for a charitable house-to-house collection online.

Before you apply you'll need to email us to make sure that the collection area and date you want is available. If it is available we can give you a provisional booking.

We must receive your application at least 28 days before the collection date

You'll need to tell us:

your details
details of the charity, fund or organisation to benefit
your preferred dates and hours for collecting
if you intend to collect money, property or offer anything for sale
how many people you plan to authorise as collectors

If you are planning to hold a street collection alongside your house to house collection you will also need to apply for a Street Collection Permit .

Data Protection

Find out about our Privacy Notices and how we will use information about you.

Start the journey

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More info about the journey

If you're collecting for a charity or organisation you are collecting including the registered charity number if it is a registered charity.

If you are a business collecting on behalf of a charity you will also need to attach a letter of authority from the charity.

When we receive your application we'll check it to make sure it's been completed correctly. We'll contact you if there is anything else we need.

We'll send you the house-to-house collection permit by email for you to print off. Should you be unable to print the permit please let us know and we will arrange to send it by post. Please be aware that this will take longer to reach you.

We will also send you a certificate for the information of HM Stationery Office. You will then need to order the certificates of authorisation and badges for your collectors.