Charity Facts

How do I tell whether a charity is legitimate?


Look out for the charity registration number. This should be displayed on all advertising or fundraising material if the charity has an income of more than £1,000 per year.

The details of all registered charities in England and Wales can be found on  The Charity Commission website. The Charity Commission also offer a telephone helpline on 0870 333 0123.

Fundraisers approaching you in the street should wear an ID badge, and should be able to show you that they have permission to collect on behalf of a charity. Those approaching you over the phone should be able to tell you the registration number of the charity they are representing. Don’t hesitate to ask - genuine fundraisers will be happy to answer questions and won't mind you checking them out.

Late last year a website called Guidestar UK also became available. This facility makes charity accounts and other data more easily accessible to the public through a searchable database.

Don’t forget that many absolutely worthy and legitimate voluntary organisations are not registered charities. If you are in doubt take a note of their contact details and check them out in the appropriate way – for instance, if they are a registered company they can be researched through Companies House. Ask the question of the organisation - how is it set up and why in this way?

To check an organisation is registered as a charity you can contact:

England and Wales Charity Commission
Tel: 0870 3330123

Scotland: 
Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator
Tel: 01382 220446

Northern Ireland:
Charities Branch
Department of Health and Social Services
Room C4
22 Castle Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3PP
Tel: 028 90 522 780