Why do I need a Street Collection Permit?
To collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes in England or Wales, you may require a street collection licence from your local council.
Apply online or use the Street Collection Application Form. (PDF, 251KB)
It is illegal in this country to hold a Street Collection to collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes without obtaining a Street Collection Licence from the Council if that collection is to be held 'in a street or public place'. A 'public place' is a 'place where the public has access'.
It is often assumed that collections held in shop doorways or car parks do not need a Street Collection Licence because they are being held on 'privately owned land'. This is not true, as the legislation does not mention the ownership of the land or treat collections on 'privately owned land' as exempt from the licensing regulations. A shop doorway or car park, when that shop is open for trading, is a 'public place' because the public has access at that time.
No other licence would be valid. A Pedlars Licence, issued by the Police cannot be used for this purpose. Only local authorities issue Street Collection Licences under Section 5 of the Police, Factories, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1916, as amended by the Local Government Act 1972 and Schedule 29 of that Act.
What are the legal requirements?
There is no cost for the issuing of consent but there are rules to be followed in applying and these are attached to the application form. Street Collections are usually made by charities. Collections usually take place in a town centre on busy shopping days. Money is collected in tins. There are regulations, which govern this type of collection. Consents are restricted to enable charities to raise money without their collections clashing with those of other charities.
The purpose of the legal requirement to obtain consent is to ensure collectors are properly authorised and that money is collected in a secure way and the total proceeds collected are properly accounted for.
An application for a permit shall normally be made no later than one month before the date on which it is proposed to make the collection.
If the location of the collection is privately owned (e.g. shopping malls, car parks, supermarkets, etc) you must provide proof of permission to collect with this application.
Is the licence granted if you do not hear from the Licensing Authority? (Tacit Consent)
No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the local authority within the target completion period of 28 days, please contact us. If you applied through the UK Welcomes service, you can do this online.
Fees
No fee.
How to Apply
Apply Online:
Download application form and apply by post:
- Street Collection Application Form. (PDF, 251KB)
- Notify us of the result of a charitable collection (PDF, 25KB)
What if my application is refused?
- Please contact Milton Keynes Council in the first instance.
What if my permit is revoked?
- Please contact Milton Keynes Council in the first instance.
Making a complaint against a street collector
We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the permit holder by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, please contact Milton Keynes Council.
The public register of the current Street Collection Permits that have been issued is available by clicking on the following link: