The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We also regulate fundraising in Scotland where it is carried out by charitable institutions where the lead regulator is the Charity Commission for England and Wales or Northern Ireland. The Fundraising Regulator also owns the Code of Fundraising Practice, which applies across the UK.

Find out more about us and the scope of our regulation.

Our strategic plan 2022–2027

We are committed to delivering independent self-regulation that ensures public protection, accountability, and excellence in 
fundraising now and into the future.

1. To deliver intelligent fundraising regulation that protects the public.
2. To support fundraising organisations to thrive.
3. To inform the public about principled fundraising.
4. To be a highly effective organisation.

We will be do this by being:

• Innovative: we keep abreast of digital and wider social developments and how these may shape fundraising into the 
  future.
• Proactive: we improve our capacity to identify fundraising concerns before they crystallise and to prevent harm by early 
  intervention.
• Intelligent: we use our data more intelligently to support the development of the Code of Fundraising Practice and our 
  compliance work. 
• Collaborative: we remain a thought leader in fundraising and make sure that fundraisers and the public have a greater 
  voice in developing our policies.

For more information, see the corporate publications page of our website. 

In this year’s report, we reflect on the outcomes and objectives set out in our business plan for the financial year 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025.

A message from our Chair

This year marked an important step forward for fundraising regulation with the launch of the new Code of Fundraising Practice. The board was closely involved throughout its development and approval, and we are grateful to the many charities, fundraisers, sector bodies and members of the public whose thoughtful contributions helped shape it. The new code is clearer, more accessible and better aligned with modern fundraising, supporting innovation while ensuring strong protection for the public.

Our ability to deliver effective regulation relies on a sustainable levy system and strong participation from the sector. This year saw the first phase of the agreed levy increase come into effect, plus increases to registration and the non-charity levy. I am grateful that payment rates remained high despite the challenging economic context. We also saw continued growth in registrations, including many smaller charities, reflecting the sector’s commitment to transparent and ethical fundraising.

This year also saw important developments in how we operate as an organisation. We completed our move to new offices, providing a more flexible and cost effective working environment that supports our hybrid model. The board also oversaw further progress in embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into our policies and decision making. In addition, we supported the organisation’s careful and responsible approach to using artificial intelligence, ensuring that any new tools are adopted safely, transparently and in line with our regulatory responsibilities.

The board was also pleased to welcome Paul Amadi, Anne Heal, Nick Jones and Girish Menon, who joined in April 2025. We were equally grateful for the contributions of departing members Jenny Williams, David Cunningham, Sacha Deshmukh and Jill Thompson, whose insight and steady leadership have shaped the organisation over many years since the Regulator started its work in 2016.

Next year marks ten years since the Fundraising Regulator was founded. It will be an important moment to reflect on a decade of independent self-regulation, the progress we have made and the opportunities ahead. As we look towards this milestone, the board remains committed to championing ethical fundraising and ensuring the public can continue to have confidence in the charitable causes they choose to support.

Lord Toby Harris

A message from our Chief Executive

The launch of the new Code of Fundraising Practice was a major focus of our work this year, and I am grateful to the many charities, fundraisers, sector partners and donors who engaged so constructively throughout the transition period. We delivered a broad programme of support – including webinars, events, new guidance and social campaigns – and worked with sector bodies on selected joint sessions to help organisations prepare confidently for implementation. Evaluation findings showed strong improvements in understanding, confidence and organisational readiness ahead of the new code becoming operational.

Alongside this, we continued to develop our approach to proactive regulation. Our work this year focused on areas where the public may be most at risk, including supporting safer practice around cash collections in partnership with major retailers and transport operators. We also welcomed the Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s updated guidance on charity-agency partnerships and payment models, which responds directly to a key recommendation from our 2024 market inquiry into subcontracting in face-to-face fundraising.

As part of our wider work to strengthen public trust and transparency, this was also the first full year of where charities could use our digital Fundraising Badge. When charities display the badge on their websites, it links directly to their entry in the Fundraising Directory, making it easier for the public to check they are genuine and supporting greater transparency in online fundraising. Use of the badge has continued to grow steadily over the year.

We also published the Annual Complaints Report for the final time in its current format. In response to sector feedback, we have paused the collection of charity-reported complaints data for two years so that we can work with organisations to improve how this information is gathered and shared. During this period, we will continue to report on complaints received directly by the Fundraising Regulator and provide additional insights from investigations to support sector learning.

As we approach the Fundraising Regulator’s ten-year anniversary in 2026, I remain grateful to our board, committee members, staff, sector partners and registered charities, whose commitment to voluntary regulation underpins this work. Over the past decade, the fundraising landscape has evolved considerably, and we continue to adapt guidance and approach to reflect new and emerging practices. Together we will continue to promote ethical fundraising and strengthen public trust in the years ahead.

Gerald Oppenheim