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House to House Collections

Guidance Notes

House to House Collections are covered by the House to House Collections Act 1939 and House to House Regulations 1947.

  1. Subject to the provisions of the Act no collection for a charitable purpose shall be made unless the requirements of this Act as to a licence for the promotion thereof are satisfied and the collectors are authorised by the promoter. In the case of Davison v Richards 1976 a collector seen collecting monies from two public houses without having the appropriate licence was convicted of an offence of collecting without a licence.
  2. An application for a licence must be made in the prescribed manner on a form from the Council's Licensing Section - see link below. The Licensing Authority cannot grant a licence for a period longer than 12 months and may refuse a licence or, where granted, may revoke it in circumstances specified in the Act. This Council would normally grant licences for 2 week periods in order to facilitate proportioned collecting throughout the area with other charities.
  3. There is a right of appeal to the Secretary of State against the refusal or revocation of a licence within 14 days from the date on which notice is given of the refusal or the revocation.
  4. Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that a person pursues a charitable purpose throughout the whole, or a substantial part, of England and Wales and is desirous of promoting collections for that purpose, the Secretary of State may by Order direct, in effect, that such person shall be exempt from the requirement to obtain licences from the Licensing Authority as regards all collections for that purpose in such localities as may be described in the Order. (Home Office Exemption Order). The Chief Constable for the Police area has authority to grant permission for collections for a short period. However, within Cumbria the responsibility is transferred to the Local Authority.
  5. Regulations have been made by the Secretary of State under the Act and the Regulations include the following provisions:
    1. Every promoter of a collection must exercise all due diligence to secure that persons authorised to act as collectors are fit and proper persons and secure compliance by collectors with the Regulations.
    2. No promoter shall permit any person to act as a collector unless he has issued to that person:
      1. a prescribed Certificate of Authority;
      2. a prescribed Badge; and
      3. if money is to be collected, a collecting box marked, or a receipt book (with receipts and counterfoils or duplicates consecutively numbered) marked on every receipt, with a general indication of the purpose of the collection, and a distinguishing number.
    3. In the case of a collection in respect of which a licence has been granted, every prescribed Certificate of Authority shall be given on a form obtained from HM Stationery Office, and every prescribed Badge shall be so obtained.
    4. No person under the age of 16 shall act, or be authorised to act, as a collector of money.
    5. No collector shall importune any person to the annoyance of such person or remain in, or at the door of, any house if requested to leave by any occupant thereof.
    6. The promoter of a collection must provide an account of the collection in the form prescribed to the Licensing Authority or the Secretary of State, as the case may be. In the case of the Local Authority this must be within 28 days of the collection date.

Definitions

  • 'Charitable Purpose' means any charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purpose.
  • 'Collection' means an appeal to the public, made by means of visits from house to house to give, whether for consideration or not, money or other property.
  • 'Collector' means a person who makes the appeal in the course of such visits.
  • 'House' includes any place of business.
  • 'Proceeds' means, in relation to a collection, all money and other property given, whether for consideration or not, in response to the appeal.
  • 'Promoter' means a person who causes others to act as collectors for the purpose of the collection.

Application Form

To apply for a house to house licence complete either one of the forms below:

Further Information

  • Contact: Licensing Team, Town Hall, Penrith, CA11 7QF
  • Office Hours:
    Monday to Thursday: 8.45 hours to 17.15 hours
    Friday: 8.45 hours to 16.45 hours
  • Email: admin.licensing@eden.gov.uk
  • Telephone: (01768) 212148 or (01768) 212209 or (01768) 212273
  • Fax: (01768) 890470
Last updated 13 November 2008