House to House and Street Collections

Persons wishing to undertake charitable house to house collections in Ribble Valley must apply to the Council for a House to House Collection Permit.

Organisations in receipt of a Home Office Exemption 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.

Please note before applying to the Council, applicants should telephone the Licensing Officer to establish that the preferred collection area and date is available and, if available, they will be able to make a provisional booking. It is the Council's policy to allow only one collection in a location at any one time.

Written applications must be received at least 28 days prior to the required date.

On being granted a permit to collect, applicants will be issued with a certificate for the information of H M Stationery 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 Stationery 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 his/her possession the required signed authority and badge. The address of HM Stationery Office is:

St Clements House
2-16 Colgate
Norwich
NR3 1BQ
Telephone number: 0870 600 5522

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

Street Collection 

It is illegal to hold a street collection to collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes without obtaining a street collection licence from the Council.

A street collection permit is needed to hold a public charitable collection in a street or other public place. Only local authorities issue street collection licences under Section 5 of the Police, Factories, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916, as amended by the Local Government Act 1972 and Schedule 29 of that Act.

There is no fee for the issuing of consent but there are rules to be followed in applying. Street collections must be for a charitable purpose but do not need to be by a registered charity. Money is collected in tins. Regulations govern this type of collection. Consents are restricted to enable charities to raise money without their collections clashing with those of other charities

The purpose of the legal requirement to obtain consent is to ensure collectors are properly authorised and that money is collected in a secure way and the total proceeds collected are properly accounted for.

Street Collection Application Form

Street Collection Regulations

Street Collection Form of Statement