House to House Collections

House to House collections for charitable purposes are regulated by the Royal Borough under the House to House Collections Act 1939 and the House to House Regulations 1947. The Act prohibits the making of house to house collections except under licence from the Royal Borough.

The Permit allows charitable organisations to go from house to house collecting money and other items. The Secretary of State also has the power to grant orders for exemptions for house to house collections in respect of a substantial part of England and Wales, for example collections by Christian Aid, Help the Aged etc. If the charity holds a Home Office Exemption Certificate they do not require a licence from the Council but should inform the Council in writing when they intend to carry out a collection to avoid clashes with other charities.

How to apply for a permit

Please contact the Licensing Section to find out what dates are free in the area of the Borough you wish to collect. Applications will be considered in order of receipt but not more than 12 months before the proposed collection date. Priority is given to fixed annual collections.

If the date you want is free, complete the relevant form below and returned it to the Licensing Section. There is no fee for these permits. The application will then be considered under the guidelines laid down in the council's policy and if successful a permit will be issued.

•   Application Form for a House to House or Street Collection Permit (pdf 101kb)

•   Regulations - House to House Collections (pdf 79kb)

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