A new Code of Fundraising Practice (effective 1 November 2025) was published by the Fundraising Regulator in April 2025. Following a comprehensive review initiated in September 2022, the Regulator states that it has made the code 45% shorter than the previous version, with improved signposting to legal requirements and external guidance.
The Regulator also published three support guides:
- documenting your fundraising decisions
- due diligence and fundraising
- monitoring fundraising partners.
And additional guidance on how to engage with the Fundraising Regulator. All the guidance can be found on the Fundraising Regulator website. There are also a number of events through May and June to support organisations implementing the code.
The code sets out the key principles with examples and explanations alongside links to sources of further guidance throughout.
Some areas have been combined and linked to clarify the rules. Key principles remain:
1.1.2 You must take all reasonable steps to make sure your fundraising is carried out in a way that reflects positively on fundraising in general. This includes:
- not unreasonably intruding on a person’s privacy
- not putting undue pressure on a person to donate
- not using unreasonably persistent approaches
- accepting a request to end an interaction.
Further guidance is given on restricted fundraising and secondary purposes and how fundraisers can provide information.
Section 2 of the new Code set out responsibilities for trustees; it will be important for all trustees to review their arrangements during the transition period to the new code to ensure that they are fulfilling their overarching responsibilities.
2.1.1 You must act reasonably and carefully in all matters relating to fundraising. This may include:
- taking overall responsibility for fundraising activities, including those you have delegated to others
- following codes and guidance from relevant regulators
- making sure your fundraising activities keep to data-protection requirements
- getting appropriate advice when needed
- considering the effect of controversial fundraising campaigns
- assessing and managing risks that fundraising poses to your charitable institution’s activities, beneficiaries, property, work and reputation
- meeting any reporting and accounting requirements that apply to a donation.
The new Code makes clear that trustees also have a responsibility to protect their fundraisers from harm, as well as potential donors. Trustees must demonstrate that they have acted in the best interests of the charity when fundraising, including identifying and dealing with conflicts, making sure that donations are complete and making sure that they are used for the purposes for which they are given. There is guidance on complaints, refunds, data protection and payments to fundraisers to support management and trustees.
Next steps
Whilst registration with the Fundraising Regulator is voluntary, registered organisations are entitled to display the Fundraising Badge on their material and are listed in the public directory. For all charities, including those who do not register, but which are required to have an audit, fundraising responsibilities to monitor and report are enshrined in the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016.
We recommend that Trustees consider their transition to the new Code of Fundraising Practice, or adopting the Code when assessing their compliance with fundraising requirements.
Read the latest Charities and Non-profit newsletter to find out more about further changes that will impact the sector.
If you would like to discuss how the points raised in this article might affect you, please get in touch with our team.
Please note that this content is not intended to give specific technical advice. It is designed to highlight some of the key issues rather than provide an exhaustive explanation of the topics. Professional advice should always be sought before action is either taken or refrained from as a result of information contained herein.
