Our income for this accounting period is £3.69m, which is comprised of income from the levy of £3.07m (c.83% of total income) and £523k from the registration of small charities and non-charity organisations engaged in fundraising, along with £74k of interest. This compares to a total income of £2.86m last year. 

We incurred expenses of £3.60m (£3.31m in 2023/24). As a result, our reserves have increased to £1.72m (£1.60m in 2023/24). 

We planned to operate a deficit budget for the year of £292k. However, income was higher than planned whilst expenditure came in on budget resulting in a small surplus against budget. Our expenditure is set out in further detail in section four of this report. Some expenditure requires further explanation owing to the year-on-year changes. 

Note 6 of the accounts classifies operating expenditure into a number of cost headings. This year the Fundraising Regulator 
moved into their new office which included a lease reduction on the initial rent period. Increases in expenditure, particularly in recruitment costs in relation to appointing seven new board members of which some will start in the next financial year. Our workforce has increased from 32 to 37 owing to increasing complexities in the fundraising sector. The initiation of business systems improvement projects accounts for the other variances.

We maintain a system of risk management. Significant risks are reported in a register, which is regularly monitored and reviewed by the senior management team and Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. The board also discusses the risk register at least twice a year. Mitigation is applied to emerging risks to reduce the likelihood of the risk crystallising and its impact being realised. This year, a particular concern has been around the risks posed by cyber-attacks. To mitigate this risk and improve our resilience we have been audited against the Cyber Essentials Plus standard. 

Our biggest long-term risk remains funding. Despite an increase in the number of charities paying the levy and registering over the past four years, the voluntary nature of the levy means we cannot predict accurately how many organisations will contribute each year and the speed at which this happens. Positively, charities have so far shown their willingness to continue funding the regulator to maintain our activities and it is clear that most regard funding the regulator as an important and necessary cost of business. 

Governance structure

The Fundraising Regulator is a registered company limited by guarantee in England and Wales and without a share capital, which is governed by articles of association. We have a non-executive Board of Directors (‘the board’) which is responsible for overall control and strategic direction, and whose members are drawn from both within and outside the charitable fundraising sector. The board is led by a Chair, who is supported by a Vice Chair, and is guided by recommendations from three committees: 

• the Complaints and Investigations Committee
• the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee; and
• the Standards Committee. 

The committees have external members (who are co-opted on the basis of relevant skills) and some have observers (who contribute intelligence and advice, but do not have a decision-making role). The board and each committee meet at least four times every calendar year. The board also holds an annual away day to assess progress against the Strategic and Business Plans and to consider future developments. This year’s programme included a session on how charities are using AI to support their fundraising. 

The board is supported by an executive function, led by the Chief Executive. Day to day operation is delegated by the board to the senior management team.

Futures Working Group

The Futures Working Group supports longer term thinking by exploring developments in technology and data that may shape charitable fundraising and regulatory approaches. It is an advisory forum rather than part of our formal governance structure and does not have decision making powers. Its membership includes board members and senior staff, with independent experts as guest speakers. 

The group met four times during the year. Discussions covered modern regulatory approaches, including the potential use of artificial intelligence, future guidance needs, insights from intelligence and fundraising trends, and wider sector or societal developments that may affect fundraising practice and public protection.

Articles of association and terms of reference

Our articles of association are supported by terms of reference which outline the role and responsibilities of the board and committees. All terms are reviewed regularly. The board’s articles, terms and recent meeting summaries are available on the governance pages of our website. Committee terms of reference are available on request.

Recruitment and appointment

All board directors and external committee members are appointed through open competition following a skills gap analysis. Recruitment is either carried out in house or outsourced to an agency, considering opportunities to encourage applications from underrepresented groups. Shortlisting and interviews are carried out by a panel of board members. References are required and all appointees must follow the Nolan ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’. Board and external committee members are normally appointed for three-year terms, with successive terms being permitted up to a maximum of nine years and, in exceptional circumstances, for a tenth year. 

Induction and training

New board members take part in a detailed induction that covers their duties, the history and key decisions of the board and an overview of the regulator’s functions and services. Each is also inducted into the work of the committee on which they will serve, including briefings from the committee Chair and meetings with key staff. 

All directors have an annual appraisal carried out by the board Chair, and external committee members have an appraisal with their committee Chair. Any training or development needs identified are addressed by the board Chair and Chief Executive to make sure members have the tools needed to fulfil their obligations.

Conflicts of interest

All board and committee members are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest before appointment. A register of interests is maintained and reviewed on an annual basis, with any changes updated in the interim. Conflicts are a standing item on every meeting agenda. Any actual or perceived conflicts are raised either in advance of or at the start of each meeting and noted in the minutes. If a person’s interests conflicts with our regulatory interests, they are required to withdraw from the discussion and decision making.

Remuneration and expenses

Board and committee members are remunerated at the rate agreed on their letter of appointment. Reasonable expenses for travel, accommodation and subsistence when carrying out official business are reimbursed in line with our expenses policy.

Risk management

Our strategic risk register is discussed by the senior management team on a quarterly basis and formally reviewed by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and board at each meeting. Key risks this year related to cyber security, financial sustainability, public expectations of our remit, and the regulation of specific areas of fundraising practice. We continued to maintain Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation, provided regular staff training, and strengthened business continuity planning.

The board met four times and discussed topics such as: 

• Approval of the new code and consideration of wider sector engagement.
• Review of the risk register, including matters relating to cyber resilience.
• Finance, levy and registration updates, including budget forecasts, levy collection, investment performance and registration trends.
• Recruitment of new board and Committee members.
• CEO briefings on regulatory priorities and external engagement across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Board meetings are observed by a representative from the Scottish Fundraising Adjudication Panel, which is responsible for regulating fundraising by Scottish charities in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice.

*Attendance figures reflect changes in board membership during the reporting period. Jenny Williams, David Cunningham, Sacha Deshmukh and Jill Thompson stepped down from the board on 31 March 2025. Four new board members – Paul Amadi, Anne Heal, Nick Jones and Girish Menon – were appointed to the board on 1 April 2025. Attendance is shown against the number of meetings each member was eligible to attend. Anne Heal, Girish Menon and Nick Jones also attended an additional board meeting as observers in February 2025. 

* Attendance figures reflect changes in Committee membership during the reporting period. Jenny Williams stepped down as Chair and from the Committee after the March 2025 meeting. Catherine Cottrell and Andrew Nebel also completed their terms at the March meeting. Anne Heal joined the Committee from March 2025, withDamian Chapman and Valerie Morton joined in March 2025, so their attendance is shown only for the meetings they were eligible to attend. Reshard Auladin became Chair from March 2025. 

* Attendance figures reflect changes in Committee membership during the reporting period. Jill Thompson stepped down as Chair and from the Committee after the March 2025 meeting. Sacha Deshmukh and David Cunningham also stepped down at the same meeting. Nick Jones became Chair from March 2025, and he and Girish Menon joined the Committee during the year, so their attendance is shown only for the meetings they were eligible to attend.

*Attendance figures reflect changes in Committee membership during the reporting period. Several members stepped down from the Committee part way through the year, including David Cunningham and Nick Jones, whose attendance is shown only for the meetings held before their departure. New members Paul Amadi, Adrian Williams and Jen Suter joined the Committee later in the year, so their attendance is recorded only for the meetings they were eligible to attend. Nick Jones became a member of the board from March 2025 and now chairs the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. 

Delivering intelligent fundraising regulation that protects the public

Our work this year focused on delivering proportionate, evidence-based regulation that protects the public and supports trust in charitable fundraising.

Casework

During the reporting period we received 1,284 cases, a 9% increase on the previous year. We closed 1,294 cases in total, (including cases opened in earlier reporting periods).

Of the cases we closed: 

• 499 related to charitable fundraising and were within our regulatory remit. 
• 795 were outside our remit. These mainly concerned personal cause fundraising appeals, suspected fraud, or wider 
  governance issues that other regulators or organisations were better placed to handle.

We continued to see a steady number of concerns raised about a small group of Community Interest Companies (CICs) carrying out public-facing fundraising. Eighteen per cent of all complaints we received related to CICs, an increase from 12% in 2023-2024. Many of these cases involved organisations previously identified through our intelligence work, as well as new CICs carrying out similar activities. 

Self-reporting also remained an important element of our casework, helping to ensure that charities alert us promptly to issues they are facing and enabling us to check that appropriate actions are being taken. We received 19 self-reports this year, compared with 31 last year. None resulted in a formal investigation, and no wider themes emerged.

New Code of Fundraising Practice

This year marked an important milestone with the launch of the new Code of Fundraising Practice (‘the code’) on 28 April 2025. The updated code is shorter, clearer to navigate and designed to reflect modern fundraising practice. It includes new requirements in areas such as convenience giving, unstaffed collections, fundraiser safety and online fundraising platforms. Together with a suite of new guidance, these changes ensure strong public protection and reinforce clear expectations for charitable institutions.

The code was shaped through extensive engagement. More than 6,000 comments were gathered across a three stage 
consultation process involving charities of all sizes, sector bodies, fundraisers and members of the public. This collaborative approach ensured that the final code is proportionate, adaptable and capable of supporting innovation as new fundraising methods emerge.

The new code was positively received across the sector and government. The Minister for Civil Society welcomed the new code, highlighting how it will help ensure charitable giving remains transparent, safe and accessible.

Proactive regulation

This year we strengthened our proactive regulatory work by identifying emerging risks, focusing on areas where the public may be most vulnerable and working closely with a wide range of partners.

Following the publication of new guidance for charities on marketing child and orphan sponsorship programmes, we began monitoring compliance across the sector. Early engagement has already led to meaningful improvements, with a broad range of charities updating their materials to provide clearer information about how donations are used and who benefits. This work will continue into the next reporting year as we assess the impact of the guidance and support further improvements.

Cash collections remained another important area of focus. We worked with major supermarkets to produce practical advice on hosting charitable cash collections, covering the checks that should be made before accepting a booking, expected behaviour on site and secure handling of donations. We also began similar work with the transport sector, including Network Rail, Transport for London and train operating companies, to support safe and well managed collections in stations and other transport settings.

Our work this year in relation to CICs brought together representatives from licensing teams, law enforcement, central government and other regulators to help ensure that charitable fundraising carried out by all CICs meets legal and regulatory expectations. The group is now well established and will continue working to promote good practice.

Supporting fundraising organisations to thrive

Our work this year focused on helping fundraising organisations understand and apply the standards in the new code. 

Preparing for the new code 

During the six month transition period for the new code, we aimed to ensure that organisations of all sizes felt confident, informed and ready to meet the updated standards. 

We delivered a broad programme of guidance, support and engagement. This included webinars, conference sessions, blogs, newsletters, targeted emails and a Are you code confident? quiz on LinkedIn designed to reach senior fundraisers.

Digital engagement was strong throughout the period. Traffic to the code resources increased around each communication and campaign. The code landing page received high levels of activity and the code PDF was downloaded by over 10,000 users. We also published new code support guides covering due diligence, documenting fundraising decisions and monitoring fundraising partnerships, along with additional guidance on fundraising events, social media and online gaming.

Evaluation findings showed significant improvements in understanding, confidence and organisational readiness. Fundraisers reported that the new code is clearer and easier to apply, and that our guidance helped them prepare for its introduction. 

Code Advice Service

The Code Advice Service continued to provide timely and expert support to fundraisers during the reporting period, helping them make informed decisions that reflect legal, open, honest and respectful fundraising. 

We received 668 enquiries, with a seven day response rate of 98.5%, reflecting our commitment to supporting compliance with the code. Many enquiries related to the new code, as organisations sought clarification on how the changes applied to their activities. Questions about lotteries, fundraising events and online fundraising platforms also remained common. 

Casework summaries 

We publish summaries of completed investigations into potential breaches of the code to support learning across the sector and increase transparency for the public. During the reporting period, we opened three new investigations, closed eight and published four investigation summaries on our website.

Across the investigations we closed, we identified a total of 45 breaches of the code. Themes highlighted in the published summaries included oversight of third-party agencies, clarity and transparency in fundraising campaigns, and the treatment of donors in vulnerable circumstances. 

We received three requests for an external review of our decisions. The reviewer recommended reopening one case to improve the clarity of the decision’s wording. 

Sector engagement

We spoke at 27 events over the year, providing updates on the new code and sharing regulatory insights with a wide range of audiences. Highlights included contributions to major sector conferences such as the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF) Fundraising Convention, the Scottish Fundraising Conference, Civil Society Elevate, and the Muslim Charities Convention.

We also delivered webinars for member events run by the CIoF, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and others. Together, these engagements helped us share learning, respond to questions and build understanding of new fundraising standards and guidance. 

Informing the public about principled fundraising

Our work this year focused on giving people clear information to help them make informed decisions about charitable giving. 

Fundraising Preference Service (FPS) 

The FPS continues to play an important role in helping the public manage direct marketing contact from charities. It provides a simple and reliable way for people to request that communications stop, either for themselves or on behalf of someone else, including those who may be vulnerable. 

 During the reporting period, 3,107 requests were made through the FPS, a 1% increase on the previous year. These requests came from 2,667 unique users, a small decrease compared with 2023-2024. In total, the FPS generated 7,527 suppressions, an increase of 2%. This reflects the number of individual charity contacts that were stopped as a result of requests.

Thirty eight per cent of suppressions were made on behalf of another person, and 12% of the requests related to someone who had died. These figures highlight the continued importance of the service in supporting families, carers and others who help manage the affairs of people who may need additional support. 

Digital Fundraising Badge

This year we launched the digital Fundraising Badge, giving the public a clearer way to identify charities that are registered with us and committed to legal, open, honest and respectful fundraising. When added to a charity’s website, the badge links directly to its entry in the Fundraising Directory. This provides a simple way for donors to verify registration and supports greater transparency in how organisations present their fundraising practices.

Since launch, use of the digital badge has grown steadily, with 461 charities adopting it during the reporting period. Charities have also welcomed the automatic update of the registration year, which ensures their digital materials remain accurate without additional work.

Voice for ethical fundraising 

We continued to provide a clear and trusted voice on ethical fundraising, offering expert comment to help shape accurate reporting on issues affecting donors and the sector. Our insights were included in prominent national outlets such as The Times, The Telegraph, iNews and BBC News, as well as leading charity sector publications. We provided commentary on topics including CIC fundraising, online platforms and cash collections, helping to improve public understanding of responsible fundraising practice and reinforcing our role as an independent source of guidance. 

Safer giving 

This year, we continued to promote safer giving through our year-round digital campaign, including targeted activity during Ramadan when charitable giving is particularly high. Our paid social media campaign on Meta platforms (including Facebook and Instagram) performed strongly, achieving over 100,000 views, with average watch times significantly above industry averages.

For seasonal activity, we worked jointly with the Charity Commission and Action Fraud to reinforce safer-giving guidance during the Christmas period. This partnership highlighted simple checks, such as verifying charities on the register and looking for the Fundraising Badge, to help ensure donations reach genuine causes. 

Being a highly effective organisation

Our work this year focused on implementing changes to the levy and registration fees, improving internal processes and casework systems, appointing new board members and developing our approach to artificial intelligence to ensure our operations remain efficient and fit for the future. 

Levy and registration 

This year we completed the implementation of the levy and registration fee changes agreed following the sector-wide engagement exercise carried out in 2023-24. The first phase of the levy increase came into effect in September 2024 and helped ensure we can continue to provide effective regulation needed now and in the future. Updated registration fees for non-charity organisations were also introduced in January 2025, following targeted engagement with those affected.

Despite the financial pressures facing many organisations, payment rates remained strong. We collected around 98% of levy income during the year, consistent with the high levels seen over the past five years. A small number of eligible organisations chose not to pay. In line with our levy policy, these charities were marked red on our public directory to ensure transparency. The information was published and covered in the charity sector press and was also shared with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. 

Registration continued to grow, which was one of our priorities this year. Over 7,000 charities are now registered, reflecting the broad mix of fundraising organisations choosing to demonstrate their commitment to the code.

Office move and sustainability 

We completed our move to 50 Featherstone Street, a modern office space that better supports our hybrid working model and provides a more flexible and cost effective environment for staff. The move also enabled us to take further steps to improve our environmental sustainability. This included reviewing our sustainability policy and embedding more sustainable procurement and office management practices. As a tenant in a serviced building, we continue to work within the responsibilities of the landlord while making proportionate changes that support reduced waste and more efficient use of resources. 

Board appointments 

In January 2025, we appointed four new members to the board. Paul Amadi, Anne Heal, Nick Jones and Girish Menon bring extensive experience across charitable fundraising, regulation and governance, and all started their roles in April 2025. They succeed Jenny Williams, David Cunningham, Sacha Deshmukh and Jill Thompson, whose terms had come to an end. Three of these departing members were founding board members when the Regulator began its work in 2016. These appointments ensure the board continues to benefit from a broad mix of skills and perspectives to support effective oversight of the organisation.

Casework processes 

We improved our casework processes to support consistent and proportionate decision making. This included the introduction of a new compliance case stage, which allows us to gather further information and work with organisations to address concerns without the need for a full investigation. This approach enables us to target our regulatory activity where it can be most effective, resolve issues more efficiently and support charities to make timely improvements in their fundraising practice. 

Artificial intelligence 

This year we continued to develop a careful and responsible approach to using artificial intelligence in our work. Through a series of pilots, we tested how generative AI tools could support routine tasks, particularly within our communications work. The pilots showed clear benefits when used with strong human oversight.

To ensure this is done safely and transparently, we introduced an internal end-to-end approval process for new AI use cases, covering screening, testing, implementation and review. This framework, together with our AI Usage Policy, ensures that any use of AI remains proportionate, risk-aware and aligned with our role as a regulator. We will continue to expand organisational understanding of AI and explore targeted use cases where it adds value.

Priorities for 2025-26

In 2025–26, we will build on the launch of the new code by publishing additional guidance and digital support, including helping charities to understand and apply the new soft opt-in legislation appropriately. We will improve the reporting of complaints data from charities and continue to provide clear, timely advice through the Code Advice Service. Our safer giving work will also grow, with expanded public information campaigns and greater promotion of the digital Fundraising Badge. 

Our focus will continue to be on strengthening public protection, supporting ethical fundraising and improving our effectiveness as a regulator. We will develop our proactive regulatory approach by drawing on intelligence and enhanced data analysis to identify emerging risks, while deepening collaboration with other regulators and enforcement partners. This includes working with the Charity Commission for England and Wales to update its guidance on trustee duties, as well as conducting new research into the public’s experience of fundraising to inform future policy and practice. 

We will also embed improvements to our casework processes, implement the second phase of levy increases agreed in 2023–24, and enhance the systems that support our casework, levy and registration functions. Further priorities include advancing our work on equality, diversity and inclusion, strengthening data management, and continuing to explore the careful, responsible use of artificial intelligence.

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

Our income for this accounting period is £2.86 million, which is comprised of income from the levy of £2.36 million (around 82% of total income) and £399k from the registration of small charities and commercial organisations engaged in fundraising, along with £100k of interest from investments. This compares to a total income of £2.55 million last year.

We incurred expenses of £3.31 million (£2.48 million in 2022/23) throughout the year and operated a deficit of £363k. As a result, our reserves are £1.6 million (£1.96 million in 2022/23), which is the most recent reserve level agreed with the board.

Our planned budget for the year of £3.07 million was overspent by £243,000 (8%). This was the result of more planned project work being completed under the head of proactive regulation and projects. We also took on additional staff to deal with business pressures in a number of areas.

Our expenditure is set out in further detail in our Annual Report pdf (breakdown of regulatory activities page 80). Some expenditure requires further explanation owing to the year-on-year changes.

Note 6 of the accounts classifies operating expenditure into a number of cost headings. This year we reclassified the components of some of these groups to reflect a more accurate cost grouping. This is the reason for some of the wide variations between 2023/24 and 2022/23 expenditure. Increases in expenditure, particularly in consultants and staff costs, are due to an increase to the size of the workforce. The initiation of business systems improvement projects accounts for other variances.

We maintain a system of risk management. Significant risks are reported in a register, which is regularly monitored, and reviewed by the SMT and Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. The board also discusses the risk register at least twice a year. Emerging risks are mitigated to reduce the likelihood of the risks crystallising and their impact being realised. This year, a particular concern has been the risk posed by cyber attacks. To mitigate this risk and improve our resilience we have been audited against the Cyber Essentials Plus standard.

Our biggest long term risk remains funding. Despite an increase in the number of charities paying the levy and registering over the past four years, the voluntary nature of the levy means we cannot predict accurately how many organisations will contribute each year and the speed at which this happens. Positively, charities have so far shown their willingness to continue funding the regulator to maintain our activities and it is clear that most regard funding the regulator as an important and necessary cost of business.

Governance structure

The Fundraising Regulator is a registered company limited by guarantee in England and Wales and without a share capital, which is governed by articles of association. We have a non-executive Board of Directors, which is responsible for overall control and strategic direction, and whose members are drawn from both within and outside the charitable fundraising sector. The board is led by a chair, who is supported by a vice chair, and is guided by recommendations from three committees:

• the Complaints and Investigations Committee
• the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee; and
• the Standards Committee. 

The committees have external members (who are co-opted because of relevant skills) and some have observers (who contribute intelligence and advice, but do not have a decision-making role). The board and each committee meet at least four times every calendar year. The board also has an annual strategy day

The board is supported by an executive function, led by the chief executive. Day-to-day operation is delegated by the board to the senior management team.

Futures Working Group

The Futures Working Group is a steering group that was launched in 2023 and met three times during 2023/24. The group reviews how we can regulate fundraising in a way that includes, among over things, artificial intelligence (AI), data, and digital developments in the delivery of our core services.

The group also aims to ensure that our work is at the forefront of AI, data, and technology regulation as it applies to our remit.

Articles of association and terms of reference

Our articles of association are supported by terms of reference, which outline the role, and responsibilities of the board and committees. All terms are reviewed once every two years. The board’s articles, terms, and recent meeting summaries are available on the governance pages of our website. Committee terms of reference are available on request.

Recruitment and appointment

All board directors and external committee members are appointed through open competition following a skills gap analysis. Recruitment is either carried out in-house or outsourced to an agency, and careful consideration is given on how to encourage applications from underrepresented groups. Shortlisting and interviews are carried out by a panel of board members. References are required and all appointees must follow the ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’. Board and external committee members are normally appointed for three-year terms, with successive terms being permitted up to a maximum of nine years and, in exceptional circumstances, for a tenth year.

Committee and board recruitment 2024

We rely on the voices of fundraisers on our committees and within our board to guide our board on decisions and strategy. This year we have been recruiting to fill several vacancies on our committees and board to replace a number of long serving members who have come to the end of their terms of appointment. We are committed to diversity, equality and inclusion and want all those involved in our governance and our staff team to be truly representative of the society we are here to support and protect so that we are able to regulate effectively. One way we do this is by operating a fair and inclusive recruitment process, which aims to reach a diverse pool of candidates.

Induction and training

New board and committee members take part in a detailed induction that covers their duties, the history and key decisions of the board/ committee and an overview of the regulator’s functions and services. Each induction also includes briefing meetings with key staff. 

All directors have an annual appraisal carried out by the board chair, and external committee members have an appraisal with their committee chair. Any training or development needs identified are addressed by the board chair and chief executive to make sure members have the tools needed to fulfil their obligations.

Conflicts of interest

All board and committee members are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest before appointment. A register of interests is maintained and reviewed on an annual basis, with any changes updated in the interim. Conflicts of interest are a standing item on every meeting agenda. Any actual or perceived conflicts of interest are raised either in advance of or at the start of each meeting and noted in the minutes. If a person’s interests conflict with our regulatory interests, they are required to withdraw from the discussion and decision making.

Remuneration and expenses

Board and committee members are remunerated at the rate agreed on their letter of appointment, which is reviewed every three years. Reasonable expenses for travel, accommodation, and subsistence when carrying out official business are reimbursed in line with our expenses policy.

Risk management

Our strategic risk register is discussed by the senior management team on a quarterly basis and formally reviewed by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee at each meeting and by the board at least twice per year. Key identified risks this year related to public understanding of the limits of our regulation, reputational damage, cyber security, potential regulatory gaps, impact of the code review and proposed levy increases, and staffing recruitment, and retention. In addition to the risk register this year, the board developed, and approved, a new risk appetite statement.

To mitigate risks related to cyber security, we have accredited to the Cyber Essentials Plus standard and reinforced data management best practice with staff. We are also reviewing our business recovery planning.

In our Strategic Plan 2022-2027 our four strategic objectives are:

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

Delivering intelligent fundraising regulation that protects the public

We have taken steps to increase our knowledge and understanding of how the fundraising sector is changing so that we can target our regulation in the most effective ways. We continue to operate an open and accessible complaints service that offers the public independent investigation of their complaints and assistance in getting them resolved. We also want to make sure we understand and keep ahead of developments in digital fundraising, the use of new technologies, and how fundraising is changing more broadly.

Incoming and closed casework

In 2023/24, we received 1,191 incoming cases overall – a 5% increase on 2022/23 (1,137 cases). We closed 1,140 cases in this reporting period (of which three were received in the previous financial year). 

We closed 92% of cases within four weeks, where our target was completing 90% of cases within four weeks of receiving a complaint. 

These figures include a small number of self-reported cases. In 2023/24, we received 31 self-reports (an increase of 55% from the 20 organisations in 2022/23), 12 of which were received in the last quarter of the year. Some were prompted by press stories identifying poor door-to-door fundraising activity carried out by subcontracted fundraising agencies. This resulted in us opening an investigation into the activity identified. 

In 2023/24, 467 of the 1,140 cases were closed as outside our remit. This is 41% overall, which is a slight decrease on 2022/23 (45%). Some of the complaints that we classify as outside of our remit may relate, in part, to charitable fundraising. However, there are aspects to the case that mean it is more appropriate for another regulator or organisation to consider them – such as concerns about wider governance or fraud.

Code review 2022–25 and code consultation

In October 2022, we launched a two-year process of reviewing and updating the Code of Fundraising Practice (the code). The last code review took place in 2018/19, and was largely focused on clarity, length, and accessibility. Since then, changes in legislation, technology and fundraising behaviour have created an environment in which the code requires a full review to ensure it stays up to date, reflects best practice, and remains clear, and accessible.

In September 2023, we ran a 12-week public consultation to gather feedback on our proposals to update the code and make it more principles-based, in common with the approach increasingly taken by other regulators. During the consultation period, we held a series of in-person and online engagement events with key stakeholders to encourage participation and raise awareness of our consultation, including events in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

The consultation closed on 1 December 2023 and received over 4,500 comments on our proposals from over 150 organisations. We redrafted the code taking into account feedback from the consultation – alongside legal advice - which our internal committees and board then approved for a final consultation in September 2024. This second consultation closed on 1 November 2024, and we received 666 responses from 129 organisations. Pending review of the feedback from the consultation, the new code will be launched in early 2025, alongside a timetable for implementation.

Market inquiry into subcontracting in face-to-face fundraising

In October 2023, we launched our first market inquiry to investigate issues related to the use of subcontracting in face-to-face fundraising by charities and fundraising agencies. This followed intelligence from complaints, self-reports, and in the press about poor fundraising practice by subcontracted agencies. As part of the inquiry, we conducted desk research, and engagement with charity regulators and sector bodies, which we followed with a series of five factfinding workshops. The workshops were well attended by senior representatives from charities and fundraising agencies.

In March 2024, we published a report sharing our findings from the market inquiry. The report evaluated feedback from the workshops, analysed workshop discussions, and outlined our proposed next steps. The main recommendations were:

• There needs to be a clear line of sight from charity trustees throughout the subcontracting chain.
• Firms should be monitored and overseen more closely and receive appropriate training.
• Charities and agencies need to be satisfied that the payment model for fundraisers is appropriate and does not lead to bad practice.
• Although there were many examples of good practice, and a widespread willingness to do the right thing, both charities, and agencies need to tighten their contracts and focus more on due diligence and contract management.
• There needs to be a clear line of sight from charity trustees throughout the subcontracting chain.

Following the publication of the report, we have been working with the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF) and the Charity of Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) to help support updated guidance and ensure consistency for the sector. The learnings from the inquiry have informed drafting the new Code of Fundraising Practice. The new code, and accompanying code compliance guidance on due diligence and monitoring partnerships, complement, and align with the principles expressed in the inquiry report.

Other proactive regulation projects

This has been the first full year of the Fundraising Regulator’s proactive regulation function, following the appointment of our first Head of Proactive Regulation and Projects in May 2023 and the subsequent appointment of two other team members.

Proactive regulatory projects respond to identified issues with the aim to minimise the risk of potential harm to the public through advice and support to the sector. They are always collaborative, and sectorfocused, and commonly incorporate workshops, and working groups.

The launch of proactive projects comes from intelligence, so the focus this year has been to lay the foundations for robust intelligence gathering, and to build collaborative networks with other regulators and sector bodies. We have started to refine our internal intelligence sources, such as the use of our customer relationship management (CRM) system, and to deliver our external stakeholder engagement plan. We have developed a formalised bi-monthly Intelligence Report, which we use to identify trends and emerging issues, which in turn are analysed and considered for proactive regulatory projects.

In addition to the market inquiry, we have started proactive regulatory projects into the marketing of child sponsorship, cash collections at private sites (most notably supermarkets) and have convened and chaired multi-agency working groups about the regulation of CICs. With these foundations in place, the proactive team is well set to build further collaborative relationships with fundraisers and regulators to help ensure safe fundraising and best practice into the future.

Research on the public’s experience and expectations of charitable fundraising

In September 2023, we commissioned Opinium to conduct research into the public’s perceptions, experience, and expectations of charitable fundraising. The sector has access to a great deal of information about how people give, and which causes they support, but little is known about the public’s real-world experience of fundraising practice. In our role as a regulator, we are committed to using public research to underpin and inform our work. Understanding the motivations and experiences of those who support charities is an important part of this.

Opinium conducted a comprehensive mixed-method research programme, including surveying a representative sample of 3,000+ UK adults. We were heartened to find that overall charities perform well when it comes to public trust, with half of those surveyed generally trusting charities to deliver on what they promise. We were also pleased to find that the experience of current donors is good, with around two-thirds of respondents having had a positive experience of supporting charities over the last 12 months.

When it came to the public’s experience of fundraising through different methods, the research showed that donation methods where the individual had more control, such as sponsoring an individual, and lotteries, and prize draws, were generally rated positively. Approaches that were more direct, such as door-to-door, and street fundraising, were seen more negatively.

Encouragingly, two-fifths of survey respondents said that the existence of the Fundraising Regulator would make them more likely to trust regulated charitable fundraisers. This demonstrates the value of charities displaying the Fundraising Badge to show they are committed to best practice when fundraising.

The research also identified significant concern regarding scams and fraud. We regularly run safer giving campaigns in collaboration with the CCEW and Action Fraud, and we will continue to explore opportunities to collaborate with other partners to get this information shared more widely.

Informing the public about principled fundraising

The last few years have shown us that people continue to give generously, despite the financial pressures that many of them are under. It is our role to make sure that regardless of whatever fundraising is taking place, standards remain high, and the public continues to be protected. We continue to provide a way for the public to manage their communications with charities through the FPS and promoting the Fundraising Badge as a symbol of commitment to fundraising best practice.

Operating the FPS

The FPS is one of the key services we operate to protect the public, especially vulnerable members of the public. Our FPS website and phone helpline enable people to request charities to stop direct marketing communications.

In 2023/24, 3,083 requests (13% increase on 2022/23) were made by 2,349 unique users (15% increase), resulting in a total of 7,344 suppressions (7% increase). Thirty-six percent of the suppressions were made on behalf of someone else, and 9% of the requests were made on behalf of someone who had died.

Changes to how we list charities that breach the code in relation to the FPS

On our website we publish a list of charities that are in breach of Section 3.2.5 of the Code of Fundraising Practice because they have not logged on to the FPS charity portal to access the requests to stop direct marketing communications. Our approach to FPS compliance was reviewed by our board this year. It was recognised that our casework processes allow for a more nuanced approach than was being applied to FPS breaches. To tackle this, the board agreed that a more proportionate approach to publicly naming charities for code breaches in relation to the FPS would be implemented going forward. This also brings the approach more in line with that taken in casework.

The board decided that charities would not be named on our website until there were at least three uncollected suppressions from the public (previously a charity could be named with only one uncollected suppression). In addition, we would include the names of charities that have accessed the charity portal in the past to collect suppressions but then fail to collect more than three suppressions within the required time later on.

Promoting the FPS – digital marketing

We promote the FPS to the public by undertaking paid search advertising of the FPS through targeted Google Search Ads and Google Display Ads on relevant websites. We also conduct targeted paid social media campaigns using Facebook and YouTube to broaden its reach. As part of these campaigns, we continue to use our animation explaining the FPS to members of the public.

Advice and guidance 

Developing advice for members of the public to protect them is an important part of our role. This includes helping them understand fundraising practice so they can make informed decisions on whether to give to a particular charity. 

We continue to provide safer giving advice and run campaigns at key holidays and when emergency appeals are launched. In 2023/24, this included safer giving campaigns around Christmas and Ramadan and fraud awareness campaigns in partnership with Action Fraud. We also responded to the attack in Southport in July 2024, where we worked closely with the Charity Commission, National Emergencies Trust, JustGiving and GoFundMe, and the charities involved, to ensure funds were effectively distributed to the families impacted by the tragedy.

Press engagement 

In the last year, the Fundraising Regulator has significantly increased its press activity. In 2023/24, we were featured in 1,582 pieces of coverage (a 699% increase on 2022/23 where we were featured in 198 pieces of coverage). 

Some of the key themes from our press coverage this year included:

• Replying to several high-profile media stories involving subcontracting in door-to-door fundraising (including discussing our market inquiry into this issue).
• Responding to the bad fundraising practice being undertaken by several CICs.
• Sharing safer giving messaging during times of emergency, such as during the Southport attack.
• Encouraging charities to have robust oversight of their fundraising after several high-profile scams involving individuals fraudulently fundraising for charities were uncovered in the media.

Supporting fundraising organisations to thrive

We maintain the Code of Fundraising Practice (the code) to ensure organisations involved in charitable fundraising can do so in a way that is legal, open, honest, and respectful. We also share learnings through our Annual Complaints Report and summaries of our casework investigations and provide information and guidance through various channels, including our website, media activity, newsletter, and social media, as well as through participating in events.

Casework investigations 

We publish summaries of completed casework investigations into potential code breaches to share learning with the sector and the public. 

In 2023/24, we opened 16 new investigations, closed five investigations, and published four investigation summaries on our website and in our monthly newsletter. Through four of the five investigations we closed, we were able to identify 19 breaches of the code. In the other investigation we closed we issued regulatory advice to the charity. We had no requests for external review of any closed cases. 

The themes covered in the investigation summaries included: pressured fundraising, restricted campaigns, complaints handling, customer service, treating donors fairly, misleading information, no cold-calling signs, vulnerable circumstances, third-party fundraisers, fundraiser behaviour, fundraising licences, causing an obstruction, wearing appropriate identification when engaged in street fundraising and learning from complaints.

Self-reports 

During the last year, we received a steady number of self-reports through our self-reporting pathway each month. Since it launched in early 2022, we have had 61 self-reports submitted to us. The self-reports came from 31 organisations in 2023/24, which was an increase of 55% from the 20 organisations that submitted self-reports to us in 2022/23. This year we opened investigations into two self-reports; both were related to separate media articles regarding door-to-door fundraising.

It is extremely helpful to be able to work with charities who make self-reports to us so we can offer support and advice to help them overcome any fundraising difficulties. For most self-reports, the organisations had taken appropriate action to resolve their issues before contacting us. For others, we were able to offer advice and have constructive conversations with the organisations concerned. 

The themes of some of these self-reports included handling personal data, charity governance related to fundraising, potential fraud, and vulnerable circumstances of donors. We also received four self-reports about hacking/ransomware cyber security incidents, three of which were from hospices and small hospitals. It is notable that these selfreports were made at a time when there had been a suggestion that these types of incidents within the sector may be on the rise.

Annual Complaints Report 

We publish our Annual Complaints Report to share insights and learnings from the Fundraising Regulator’s casework and complaints received by 58 of the largest fundraising charities. We also share advice for charitable organisations on how to mitigate and respond to complaints about charitable fundraising. 

Insights from 2022/23’s report showed that door-to-door fundraising activity had increased since the pandemic. Because of this, we saw a significant increase in complaints about the practice, and for the first time in our reporting, door-to-door fundraising had generated more complaints than any other method. This included both complaints made directly to the Fundraising Regulator (15% of overall complaints) and to the sample of charities surveyed where the number of complaints more than doubled since 2021/22 (one in five overall complaints). 

The most common complaints to the Fundraising Regulator after door-to-door fundraising remained consistent with previous years – charity bags and clothing banks, addressed mail, and digital marketing. Online appeals drew the second-highest number of complaints made directly to the sample charities, followed by addressed mail then challenge and sponsorship events.

Changes to the way we report on complaints data from charities 

We surveyed over 450 charitable organisations in July 2023 to understand how they currently use the information we share about fundraising complaints in our Annual Complaints Report. 

Respondents told us how useful they find the data we share from the sample of charities and the information published about our casework. Respondents made suggestions as to how we could improve reporting this data to ensure it is useful, relevant, and accessible for charities. This included increasing the sample size of charities that submit data to make it more representative of the wider sector (we currently only collect data from some of the largest fundraising charities), presenting data in more accessible and interactive formats, and improving the way we collect data for analysis. 

In response to these findings, we have decided to pause the collection of data from charities for part two of our Annual Complaints Report (ACR) for around two years while we develop improvements to the way we share information with the sector. In the meantime, we will continue to report on the complaints we receive from members of the public (ACR part one).

Code Advice Service 

We provide one-to-one advice for fundraisers and the public through our dedicated Code Advice Service. In 2023/24, we responded to 679 enquiries (a 9% decrease on the 744 enquiries received in 2022/23) covering a range of issues, including online platforms, events, personal-cause fundraising, lotteries, and licences, and permissions. 

We carried out work this year to make our enquiries form for the Code Advice Service more accessible and easier to find on our website to improve user experience. The Code Advice Service has now been given a dedicated space on the website sitting both with the Code of Fundraising Practice and guidance sections on the website.

Guidance and sharing learnings 

We continue to share guidance and additional resources for fundraisers on our website and through our monthly newsletter and social media channels. 

This year, we published new guidance for charitable organisations who work with commercial participators and professional fundraisers. This was in response to requests made through our code consultation in autumn 2023, where some respondents said they would benefit from guidance in this area. We also regularly receive enquiries about commercial participator and professional fundraiser arrangements through our Code Advice Service. The legislation in this area can be complex, so the guidance aims to simplify the necessary information with helpful examples.

Strengthening our engagement across the UK 

We have participated in charity sector events throughout the year to raise awareness of the Fundraising Regulator’s work and the code. Events we joined included: 

• Chartered Institute of Fundraising
• Fundraising Convention 2024 and the Scottish Fundraising Conference
• Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) - The Gathering
• Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) - GoFod3
• Association of Charity Independent Examiners Conference
• Charity Practitioners’ Forum – Annual training day
• Omagh Forum for Rural Association
• Muslim Charities Convention
• CIMA virtual conference
• Beeston-Clarke Accountants – Charity Chatter
• Supporter Care Forum

We delivered extensive engagement activity from September - December 2023 as part of our code consultation, which involved attending events, and webinars in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

We have strengthened our engagement with the fundraising sector in Wales and Northern Ireland through the work of our stakeholder and policy managers in each of these countries. This has included attending and speaking at events, contributing articles and blogs to sector publications, and working to build effective partnerships with key stakeholders in both the voluntary and public sector.

Establishing a mechanism for engaging fundraisers and fundraising compliance staff to share insights on fundraising practice 

This last year we started work to establish a mechanism to proactively engage with fundraising professionals to allow them to share insights on fundraising practice and have a voice in our policy work. We have been liaising with the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF) to explore ways of engaging with its existing networks of fundraisers on such topics as reviewing new guidance and discussions about emerging issues and challenges in the sector. The new process is expected to be up-and-running in 2025.

Being a highly effective organisation

We continue to carefully monitor our expenditure to ensure we are offering value for money and make efficiencies where possible. We are keenly aware of how we are funded through the Fundraising Levy and registration scheme and take our budgeting responsibilities seriously. We are sensitive to the wider societal and political environment in which we operate and our position as a regulator in this context. This means we take matters such as sustainability and equality, diversity, and inclusion seriously and continuously strive to make improvements in these areas.

Our registration scheme and the Fundraising Levy

Payment of the Fundraising Levy and registration fees for smaller charities is the primary means of funding for the Fundraising Regulator. The cost of the levy is shared among charities who spend the most on their fundraising activity (those that spend more than £100,000 on fundraising activities annually). The levy has historically represented around 90% of our overall income and it funds our core activities, which include running our Code Advice Service and the FPS, handling and investigating complaints, and maintaining the code and guidance. 

We are pleased to report that we collected nearly 98% of the levy in this financial year from 2,108 charities. This consistently high payment rate of the levy over the past five years demonstrates that our regulation is now an established part of the fundraising landscape, and our fee is an accepted cost of business. 

However, around 2% of those eligible to pay the levy (61 charities) refused to pay. It is disappointing that a small minority of charities do not recognise their collective responsibility to fund independent regulation of fundraising. It is also unfair to those charities who do pay. We will continue to work alongside statutory regulators and sector bodies to make it clear that the levy should be paid by all fundraising charities spending more than £100,000 on fundraising as a matter of fairness. Choosing not to contribute does not only affect the charity concerned; it means that our regulation and services, which are beneficial to all fundraising organisations and the wider public, will be underfunded.

We exceeded our target of 6,500 registered bodies this year (which includes the 2,108 levy payers). Our total registrations – 6,553 by 31 August 2024 – is an increase of 8% on the previous year (6,056 registrations). This year, we once again found that smaller charities are increasingly recognising the value of voluntary regulation, as we saw a significant increase in their registrations: up 19%, or 680 charities. 

We have invited non-charity organisations to register with us since early 2017 as we recognise the value and role that they play in the fundraising sector. We currently have approximately 190 non-charities registered, and they contribute about 6% of our income (approximately £230,000). Organisations engaged in newer forms of fundraising have registered, for example online fundraising platforms and some of those running free prize draws from which charities benefit.

Fundraising Levy and registration fees changes

This year, we conducted a review of the Fundraising Levy (the levy) and registration fee for the first time since our creation in 2016. A rise in the levy has been necessary for us to meet an increasing caseload demand, achieve our strategic goal of being a more proactive regulator, and remain sustainable for the future.

In December 2023, we launched a review on proposals to increase the levy for all applicable charities, but proportionately more for charities that spend a greater amount on their fundraising. We also proposed an increase to the fee for small charity registration from £50 to £60 to reflect a rise in our processing costs since 2016.

We received 222 responses to the review from across the sector. We found that 51% of respondents supported our proposals to increase the levy, but that 70% of levy payer respondents (representing 3.6% of all current levy payers) were opposed to our plans. Many respondents who were against the proposals shared a common concern about the size of the increase at a time when charities are facing significant financial pressures. Some also raised concerns about our plans to increase the levy annually in line with inflation in future.

Recognising these concerns, our board agreed that although the levy will need to go up for the first time in eight years, the proposed increases should be phased in over two years instead of one. The board also decided that from September 2026, the levy will increase in line with inflation, but that it will carefully reflect on any such increases when considering and setting each year’s budget.

Non-charity fee changes and review

In July 2024, we conducted a review on our proposals to increase the fees non-charities (mainly commercial companies) pay to help fund our work, to give affected organisations the opportunity to feedback on our proposals.

Non-charities benefit from our regulation in the same way that charities do, so we set out plans for an increase in those fees consistent with those which were applied to charities. Subject to the review, we expect any revised fees to take effect in January 2025. 

Based on the responses to the review, we have published a summary of our decision to raise fees.

Increased costs

This year the Fundraising Regulator funded a deficit budget using underspending from previous years that had been delayed. The effect of this was to run down our reserves to a more optimal level. Increased costs this year included the cost of establishing and increasing the work of our proactive regulatory function, including running projects postponed from 2022/23 while we recruited our new Projects Manager. Other large projects that have contributed to these increased costs include the implementation of casework audit review recommendations and the code review (including attending external events as part of the engagement exercise for the code consultation). We have also seen more unexpected recruitment costs over the past year, as staff turnover has been higher than previous years leading to increased recruitment costs.

Developing our Sustainability Policy

To support our strategic plan, we implemented a sustainability policy in February 2024 as part of our commitment to maintaining and promoting environmental sustainability, both in and outside the workplace, and reducing the negative environmental impact from our operations. The new policy meant we made improvements in our use of materials and resources as well as waste management. We will proactively review our operations in line with the policy to maintain our commitment to environment sustainability