On 1 November 2016, fundraising provisions from the new Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 came into force, requiring:

• Additional provisions in agreements between charities and professional fundraisers / commercial participators; and
• For charities that are legally required to have their accounts audited, disclosure of certain additional information in the trustees’ annual reports.

Where a charity uses a professional fundraiser or commercial participator (“commercial partner”) to raise funds, the Charities Act 1992 and associated regulations require an agreement in writing containing specific provisions including, among other things, a statement of the objectives of the agreement and the methods to be used in pursuing them, and information on how the remuneration or expenses of the commercial partner will be calculated.