If we can’t help, then there are other regulatory bodies who may be able to assist you.
Other regulators
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission is established by law as the regulator and registrar for charities in England and Wales. Its aim is to provide the best possible regulation of charities in England and Wales in order to increase charities' effectiveness and public confidence and trust.
Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)
The OSCR is the independent regulator and registrar of Scottish Charities. Its vision is for a flourishing charity sector in which the public has confidence, underpinned by the OSCR's effective delivery of its regulatory role.
Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA)
Dedicated to high standards of quality, transparency and integrity, the PFRA regulates the use of face-to-face fundraising by charities and professional fundraising organisations and works with local authorities to ensure that fundraising sites are used appropriately. It enforces a code of practice, which aims to make certain that people’s experience of face-to-face fundraising is positive, and uses an accreditation scheme, mystery shopping and feedback from stakeholders and members of the public to monitor their members’ compliance.
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
The ASA is the independent regulator for broadcast and non-broadcast advertisements, sales promotion and direct marketing in the UK.
DM Commission
The DM Commission will handle complaints about the members of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). The DMA represents the 900 or so companies dominating the direct marketing industry in the UK. All its members follow the DM Code of Practice, the best practice standard for the industry.
Press Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission is an independent body which deals with complaints from members of the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines.
Office of Communications (Ofcom)
Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.
Association of Charity Shops
The Association of Charity Shops is a member organisation dedicated to supporting registered charities that run shops as part of their fundraising activites. They have a Code of Charity Retailing which is mandatory for all members.
Trading Standards
Trading Standards work with consumers and businesses to maintain fair trading and safety for consumer goods. They work in partnership with Consumer Direct, a call centre based consumer advice service
Citizens Advice
The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice from over 3,000 locations, and by influencing policymakers.
Other voluntary sector bodies
There are many other bodies working in the voluntary sector who can provide you with information on how charities work.
Institute of Fundraising
The Institute of Fundraising is the professional membership body for UK fundraisers, working to promote the highest standards in fundraising practice and management. FRSB members follow the Institutes Codes of Fundraising Practice when they are fundraising.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
NCVO is a lobbying organisation representing the views of its members, and the wider voluntary sector to government, the European Union and other bodies. It also conducts research into, and analysis of, the voluntary sector. Charity Law and Regulation is a key area of NCVO’s work, ensuring that the sector has a legal and regulatory framework that meets the needs of charities – and the public – in the 21st Century.
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the national body representing the voluntary sector. It works to the following mission: SCVO seeks to advance the values and shared interests of the voluntary sector by fostering co-operation, promoting best practice and delivering sustainable services.
Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA)
NICVA is an umbrella organisation, seeking to represent the interests of voluntary and community organisations throughout Northern Ireland. In its role as a voluntary sector development agency, NICVA acts as a catalyst to promote innovation and new approaches to the challenge of social need.
Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA)
WCVA is the voice of the voluntary sector in Wales. It represents and campaigns for voluntary organisations, volunteers and communities.
ImpACT Coalition
The ImpACT Coalition includes more than 150 charities and trade bodies working together to improve transparency and accountability across the charitable sector. Members range from the smallest to the largest charities in the UK reflecting the diversity of the sector.
Directory of Social Change (DSC)
The DSC was founded in 1975 and is an educational charity. It campaigns for an independant voluntary and community sector. DSC is the largest provider of information and training to the UK voluntary and community sectors.
Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO)
ACEVO is the professional body for the third sector’s chief executives, with 2000 members. Its mission is to connect, develop and represent the sector’s leaders, in order to increase the sector’s impact and efficiency.
Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations (ACOSVO)
ACOSVO is a unique forum for chief officers in the voluntary sector in Scotland which promotes excellence in leadership and management.
CO3
The mission of CO3 is to promote excellence in third sector leadership. It is a membership body for chief officers in the third sector, with almost 200 members who lead organisations across Northern Ireland’s third sector.
Charity Finance Directors’ Group (CFDG)
The Charity Finance Directors' Group is a membership organisation set up in 1987 and specialises in helping charities to manage their accounting, taxation, audit and other finance related functions.
Charity Law Association (CLA)
The Charity Law Association aims to enable those who advise on or use charity law to meet together, to exchange ideas and intelligence and to use their experience and expertise for the benefit of the charity sector.
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
CAF works to raise the profile of giving, lobby for tax breaks and provide an increasingly broad suite of services to charities and their supporters.
Guidestar
GuideStar UK provides a single, easily accessible source of detailed information about every charity and voluntary organisation in the UK. It will promote greater public understanding of the work of charities and how they are managed.