You should always consider whether you need insurance cover for your fundraising activity.


Key insurance types to consider whilst Fundraising include:

Public Liability Insurance Cover

In the unfortunate case of an incident occurring during fundraising, somebody could take legal action against you for accidental injury or property damage. Public Liability insurance provides you with cover for legal costs in such a case. Public Liability Insurance is not mandatory, but it may be prudent to get if your event is open to the public. If hiring equipment or a service, you will also need to check that the provider has full insurance before signing the contract.

Event Cancellation and Abandonment cover

Recommended for bigger events where substantial sums of money could be lost if the event needed to be cancelled.

RLSS UK Members

RLSS UK Member Insurance includes cover for RLSS UK fundraising activity (where fundraising activity is low risk).

Please refer higher risk fundraising activities to [email protected] so that we can advise whether you are covered or not e.g. parachute jumps, cold water immersion, large visitor attractions, firework displays, bouncy castles.

Click here for full RLSS UK Member Insurance information

Non-RLSS UK Members

RLSS UK recommends that anybody carrying out fundraising considers whether insurance cover is required. Fundraising Insurance cover is easy to purchase via a number of insurance providers.

We are extremely grateful for all fundraising activity carried out in aid of The Royal Life Saving Society UK. Please ensure that your fundraising activity is organised efficiently and safely.


Public collections 

If you would like to undertake a public collection on behalf of RLSS UK, please get in touch via email or call us on 0300 323 0096

You will need to complete a simple registration process so that we can issue you with an I.D. badge, (a requirement of the Fundraising Regulator for all collectors), and will be able to offer you advice with regards to gaining the appropriate permissions and/or licences in order to collect responsibly.

We can also provide you with the materials you need, along with guidance on collection do’s and don’ts.

For a paying in form, click on the link here.


Health and Safety

We recommend that you complete a simple risk assessment to identify any hazards when organising your fundraising activity.

For some examples and a checklist of the things you should consider, take a look at the Health & Safety Executive website.

If you are using any equipment, make sure it is in good working order, and that you are using it in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines.


Catering at your Event

If you are serving food at your fundraising event, make sure you follow the food hygiene guidelines provided by the Food Standards Agency.

If you wish to serve alcohol, please contact your local authority to find out if you need to obtain a temporary licence. Find your local authority here.

For further information, visit the Food Standards Agency website.


Holding a Raffle

Including a raffle in your activities can really help to enhance the funds your fundraising, but do be aware that there are laws around anything that could constitute gambling.

An ‘incidental non-commercial lottery’ doesn’t require any permissions or licences. These are held at non-commercial events, such as local fêtes and all ticket sales and draws must take place during the event.

If you plan to sell tickets before an event or over a period of time, your raffle will constitute a ‘small society lottery’ and requires a licence from your local authority.

More details about running a raffle for fundraising can be found in the ‘Lotteries FAQs’ section on the Gambling Commission website, or contact the licensing officer at your local authority.


Involving Children

If children are taking part or attending your fundraising activity, you need to make sure they are properly supervised and have permission to take part from a parent or guardian.

Where adults are put in charge of supervising children, you need to make sure the appropriate checks have been carried out.

For further information, please refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service (previously CRB), Disclosure Scotland or the Department of Justice (NI)


General

To view the full updated fundraising regulations guidance, visit the Fundraising Regulator’s website, or review their Code of Practice document.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK is a member of the Fundraising Regulator.

We have a range of tips, advice and information on fundraising events, including a helpful guide on event health and safety considerations. If you have any questions at all about arranging a fundraising event, please drop us a line at [email protected].