Who can complain
Our service is free and can be used by anyone who believes they have been affected by poor fundraising practice.
Concerns about fundraising that we can review may be raised by members of the public, the media, other regulatory or enforcement bodies or may be identified in another way.
If we receive multiple complaints about the same issue, we will open an investigation based on this intelligence but may not correspond with complainants individually.
Before making a complaint to us
We ask that you first make a complaint to the fundraising organisation you have concerns about before contacting the Fundraising Regulator. This gives the organisation a chance to respond to the complaint and is often the quickest way to reach a resolution. It also helps the organisation to improve its practices.
If you have a complaint about a third-party organisation that is fundraising on behalf of a charity, please contact the charity about your concerns.
You should usually give the organisation four weeks to respond. If you do not hear back at all, please check they have received your complaint before contacting us. You can bring your complaint to us if you are unhappy with its response or don’t hear back within four weeks.
If you cannot make a complaint yourself
If you cannot make a complaint yourself, you can ask someone to make the complaint to us on your behalf. We will ask the person making the complaint to provide us with adequate consent from you before proceeding.
If you need reasonable adjustments
If you have difficulties making a complaint because of a disability, we will make reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs.
Unacceptable behaviour
We understand that in some cases people may contact us who are distressed and need support. However, if individuals are abusive or unreasonable we may restrict our contact with you. In some cases, unreasonable behaviour may mean we are unable to proceed with our consideration of the complaint. Please refer to our unacceptable behaviour policy for more information.
How to complain and what do I need to make a complaint
The easiest way to make a complaint is to complete our online complaints form. If you have any difficulties completing the complaints form, you can contact us by:
emailing: complaints@fundraisingregulator.org.uk
calling: 0300 999 3407 (Monday to Friday, 09.30 am-4.30pm)
sending a letter to: Fundraising Regulator, 50 Featherstone Street, London, EC1Y 8RT
When making a complaint we need you to provide:
the name of the organisation(s) that you are complaining about
when the incident took place
a brief summary of what happened
your name and how you would like to be contacted by us.
copies of any fundraising materials that may have given rise to the complaint
any other evidence you consider supports your complaint; and
details of the response you received from the charity and why you were not happy with it.
We will not disclose your identity to the organisation(s) complained about without your consent. In most cases, we will ask for your consent to allow the organisation to respond to any enquiries we may make. If you do not wish to give consent, this may affect whether we can deal with the complaint.
Raising concerns as a fundraiser, trustee or charity employee
Fundraisers and others working for a charity can: