Street Collection Licences
- Licence summary
- Eligibility criteria
- What the law says
- Application process
- How long will it take you to process my application?
- How to apply
- Can I appeal if my application is refused?
- Complaints about street collections
To collect cash or sell items in the street for charitable purposes you need a permit from the local authority. There is no fee for this permit.
Persons under the age of 16 are not permitted to act as collectors and it is the responsibility of the promoter of the collection to enforce this.
Street collections within the borough are limited to two collections per charity each year.
Applications must be made at least one month before the proposed collection date, to allow sufficient time for the Council to check that the collection is for a bona fide charity.
How long will it take you to process my application?
We aim to process your application within 28 days of receiving it. Please contact us if you have not heard from us by the end of this period. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or by using the contact details on this page.
- Apply to run a charitable collection (street)
- Notify us of the result of a charitable collection (street)
Can I appeal if my application is refused?
Please contact your local authority in the first instance.
Any applicant who is refused a licence or wants to object to a condition on the licence can appeal to their local Magistrates' court with 21 days of receiving notice of the decision.
Complaints about street collections
If you wish to complain that a street collection is causing a nuisance such as noise, or if you believe that there has been a breach of licence conditions, please contact the local authority. If you are in the UK, you can also contact Consumer Direct who will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.
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