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Fundraising Permits and Licences for UK Charities Explained | LegalDocuments.co.uk

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Written by Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)
Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice.
Updated June 2026 · England & Wales
For most UK charities, fundraising events are the lifeblood of the work they do. Whether it's a village fete, a sponsored sky-dive, a charity auction or a festive raffle, these activities bring in the money that keeps frontline services going. What many trustees and volunteers don't always realise is that running an event in public, or one involving things like alcohol, gambling or street collections, often triggers a set of legal permissions that need to be sorted out well before the day itself. Getting this wrong can mean fines, refused permits next time round, or in the worst case, having an event shut down. This guide walks through the main permits and licences a charity in England and Wales is likely to encounter, who issues them, and the practical things to think about when planning an event that stays on the right side of the law.

What this document is

A fundraising permit is a general term for the various authorisations a charity may need from a local council, the Gambling Commission, or another regulator before holding a public-facing event. There isn't one single "charity fundraising licence" in UK law.

Instead, what you need depends entirely on what your event involves and where it is taking place. A small bake sale on private property might need nothing at all. A street collection in your local town centre will almost certainly need a permit from the council.

A raffle with cash prizes sold to members of the public falls under gambling legislation, while an evening event serving wine and live music brings the Licensing Act into play. Some permissions are free or low cost; others involve formal applications and statutory notice periods.

The common thread is that responsibility sits with the organising charity, not with the venue or the volunteers running the stall, so trustees should treat compliance as part of the event planning process from day one.

How to use this document

  1. Map out exactly what your event involves. Before approaching any authority, write down every activity planned: collections, raffles, alcohol sales, live music, food, late opening, use of public land, prize draws, online ticketing. Each of these may attach to a different permit. Trying to apply for permissions before you know what you're actually doing tends to lead to last-minute scrambles or having to amend applications.
  2. Contact your local council early. Most fundraising permits, including street collection permits, house-to-house collection licences, temporary event notices and premises licences, are issued by the local authority where the event is taking place. Councils have their own deadlines and these can be surprisingly long, often several weeks or months ahead. Speak to the licensing team as soon as you have a date and a venue in mind.
  3. Check whether gambling rules apply to your raffle or lottery. Small raffles run entirely at the event itself may fall under an exemption, but tickets sold in advance, online or across multiple locations usually count as a society lottery and need to be registered with the council or, above certain thresholds, with the Gambling Commission. The rules on prizes, ticket prices and proceeds are quite specific, so check the current position before printing tickets.
  4. Sort alcohol and entertainment permissions separately. If you plan to sell alcohol, run regulated entertainment, or open later than usual, the venue's existing premises licence may already cover it. If not, a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) submitted to the council is the usual route for one-off occasions. There are limits on how many TENs can be used at a single venue each year, so don't assume one is automatically available.
  5. Keep records and brief your volunteers. Once permits are in place, keep copies on site at the event and make sure whoever is running each activity knows the conditions attached. Many permits carry rules about signage, age checks, accounting for proceeds, or returning collection paperwork to the council afterwards. Failing to comply with conditions can affect future applications, so treat the admin as part of the fundraising effort itself.

Common questions

If you're dealing with this kind of situation, speak to an experienced legal adviser who can walk you through it — from £149.

Common questions

Q Does a small charity bake sale on private land need a permit?
Generally no, if the event is held on private property with the owner's permission, doesn't involve alcohol sales, regulated entertainment or gambling, and isn't a public collection. As soon as you start selling raffle tickets, collecting from passers-by, or serving alcohol, you move into territory where permissions may be required. If in doubt, a quick call to your local council's licensing team is the safest first step.
Q Do we need a licence to hold a raffle at a charity event?
Raffles where tickets are sold and drawn entirely at the event on the same day often fall within an incidental lottery exemption and don't need a licence. However, if tickets are sold in advance, online, or away from the event, the raffle is treated as a lottery under the Gambling Act and usually needs to be registered. Check the current Gambling Commission guidance, as the thresholds and conditions are specific.
Q Who issues street collection permits?
Street collection permits are issued by the local authority covering the area where collecting will take place. In London, the Metropolitan Police historically had a role for some boroughs, though arrangements vary. Each council sets its own application process, deadlines and rules about which streets and dates are available. Popular high streets are often booked up months in advance, so apply as early as you reasonably can.
Q What is a Temporary Event Notice and when do we need one?
A Temporary Event Notice, or TEN, is a notice given to the local council to authorise licensable activities at a venue that doesn't already hold the right premises licence. It's commonly used for selling alcohol, providing late-night refreshment or putting on regulated entertainment at a one-off event. There are statutory limits on how many TENs can apply to a single venue or be given by one person each year.
Q Do online or postal raffles have different rules?
Yes. Once tickets are sold remotely, the small lottery exemptions usually no longer apply, and the activity is treated as a society lottery. Smaller society lotteries are registered with the local council, while larger ones must be licensed by the Gambling Commission. There are detailed rules on what must be printed on tickets, how proceeds are used, and reporting requirements after the draw.
Q Are charity trustees personally responsible for getting the right permits?
Trustees carry overall responsibility for the charity's compliance, including its fundraising activities. While day-to-day arrangements are often delegated to staff or volunteers, the trustee body should make sure proper systems are in place to identify and obtain the necessary permits. Failures can lead to enforcement action against the charity, and in serious cases reflect on trustees' duties under charity law.
Q What happens if we run an event without the correct permit?
Consequences range from warnings and refused future applications through to fines, prosecution, or the event being stopped on the day. Beyond the legal risk, there is reputational damage to consider, particularly for charities that rely on public trust to attract donors. Regulators and councils generally prefer to help organisers get things right, so an early conversation is far better than trying to deal with problems after the event.
If you're dealing with this kind of situation, speak to an experienced legal adviser who can walk you through it — from £149.

Sources

This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.

Brad Askew, Solicitor (non-practising)

Written & reviewed by

Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)

Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice. LegalDocuments.co.uk is not a law firm and does not provide regulated legal advice.

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Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.