The new regulator was set up in February 2016 in response to the Etherington Review into fundraising following high-profile cases of poor fundraising practice.  It is a self-regulating body for all charitable fundraising undertaken in the UK.

The regulator is responsible for:

  • The code of fundraising and rule books on street and door-to-door fundraising
  • Investigating and taking remedial measures where fundraising has led to significant public concern
  • Hearing complaints from the public which cannot be resolved by the charity concerned
  • Promoting good practice in the sector

In July 2016 a formal memorandum of understanding was agreed with the Charity Commission on how the two organisations will work together.

The regulator has issued a discussion paper on how the much heralded Fundraising Preference Service will operate.  The so-called ‘red stop’ button for individuals to stop fundraising contact from charities.  Interested parties have until 30 September 2016 to give feedback on the proposals.

The good news is that the paper proposes a system that seeks to balance giving control to the public against concern about unintended consequences and would notify charities of the potential loss of a donor.  The proposed system would:

  1. Be limited to charities spending more than £100,000 a year on fundraising
  2. Signpost the existing telephone and mailing preference services, if an individual is just concerned about one or other form of communication
  3. Provide an option allowing individuals to stop specific named charities only from contacting them
  4. Provide a further option to stop receiving all requests for donations. This would come with safeguards including a warning of the consequence for unsubscribing and a period of 28 days in which those charities for which that person was an active donor may contact that person to check if they intended to end the relationship with that charity
  5. Allow further fundraising contact with a person who has registered with the service and then started a relationship with the charity expressly allowing contact

It is thought that it will be between six months and a year before the Fundraising Preference Service will be operational.  Charities are required to start registering with the regulator generally from 1 September 2016.  All charities involved in regular fundraising should be registering.

Charities should also be familiar with the updated guidance from the Charity Commission on fundraising – click here to read our previous article on this.

If you need advice she can be contacted on 01726 74433 or enquiries@stephens-scown.co.uk