The Fundraising Regulator has criticised charities that have not paid its recently increased voluntary levy and plans to report them to the Charity Commission.
In an article published on its website this week, the Fundraising Regulator said around 3% of eligible charities had either refused or not responded to its requests to pay the annual fee, which increased for the first time in eight years last September.
It also confirmed that the levy would increase with inflation for the first time next year after previously announced rises are introduced this September.
‘Unfair to those charities that do pay’
The Fundraising Regulator previously announced that its voluntary levy would increase by 25% to £18,750 a year for the largest charities from September 2024.
It thanked the around 97% of charities that had paid the increased levy, a similar proportion to previous years, “despite the difficult economic headwinds that many are facing”.
On those that had not paid, it said: “It’s disappointing that a small minority of charities do not recognise their collective responsibility to fund the independent regulation of fundraising.
“It’s also unfair to those charities that do pay and thus play their part in maintaining and promoting public trust and confidence in charitable fundraising.”
The Fundraising Regulator has marked charities that have not paid the levy as red in its online directory.
It also plans to send a list of those which have not paid to the commission “so that they are aware of the organisations that have refused to support the system of regulation that so many charities and members of the public benefit from”.
A spokesperson for the commission said: “Levy payments are primarily a matter for the Fundraising Regulator.
“We work closely with other relevant regulators as and when appropriate to support our regulatory work.”
Further levy increases
Charities including MSI Reproductive Choices, English National Opera (ENO) and the Cherie Blair Foundation were all listed by the Fundraising Regulator as not having paid the increased levy.
A spokesperson for ENO told Civil Society its payment had been processed and would be completely imminently, while MSI said its failure to pay was an administrative error as the regulator’s main contact at the charity was a former employer.
The Fundraising Regulator previously announced it would increase fees further from September 2025 to a maximum of £22,500 for the largest charities.
In its new article, the regulator confirmed that from September 2026 the levy would increase in line with inflation, but added that it would “reflect on any increases when considering our budget before making any decisions”.
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