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House to House Collections

Please note: If you need to see a member of the Licensing section, they will only be available between the hours of 10.00am and 12.00 noon and 2.00pm and 4.00pm.

Persons wishing to undertake a House to House collection within Surrey Heath must apply to the Council for a House to House Collection permit.

Organisations in receipt of a Home Office Exception are not required to apply locally, however they are requested to advise the Council in writing of the existence of their exemption along with the date and location of collection. Having received this information the Council can avoid double booking an area.

On being granted a permit to collect, applicants will be issued with a certificate for the information of H M Stationary Office to enable them to obtain prescribed certificates of authority and the number of badges required. This certificate must be taken or sent to H M Stationary Office from which the prescribed certificates of authority and badges will be issued. It is an offence for any collector to collect without having in possession the required signed authority and badge.

Following the collection, a form of statement must be returned to the Council within one month giving an account of the monies raised.

It is the Counci's policy to allow only one collection in a location at any time.

Face to Face Collections (Direct Debtors)

There is currently no law controlling face-to-face fundraising. 'Cash collection' is clearly defined and regulated in the street by the Police (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916, and 'door-step collections' by the House-to-House Collections Act 1939, but neither law recognises Direct Debit. This means that face-to-face collectors do not need a permit issued by any local authority.

A voluntary system is in place within Surrey Heath. Organisers of face-to-face collections contact the council's Licensing section and book days when no street collection or any other direct debit collections are taking place.

Information regarding face-to-face collections can be found on the public fundraising regulatory association website: Public Fundraising Regulatory Association Opens in a new window. (www.pfra.org.uk)