Charity · Compliance Guide

What must a UK charity website show?

Registered status, company and CIO details, Scottish and Northern Irish rules, fundraising, Gift Aid, privacy and accessibility, checked against the official sources, with a checklist for trustees.

By Kaiser Khan · Updated 25 September 2026 · 12 min read
Quick answer

A registered charity in England or Wales with income over £10,000 must say it is a registered charity on material asking for money, so put it on donation pages and in the footer. Charitable companies also need company details, CIOs must make their CIO status clear, and Scottish charities must show their SC number on the homepage.

General information, not legal or regulatory advice

This guide summarises official rules and guidance as we read them on 25 September 2026. It is not legal advice. Your charity's structure, income and location change what applies, so trustees should confirm anything important with their charity regulator or a charity law adviser.

Does a charity have to show its charity number on its website?

If you are a registered charity and your gross income in your last financial year exceeded £10,000, you must state that you are a registered charity. Section 39 of the Charities Act 2011 requires that statement, in legible characters, on notices, advertisements and other documents that ask for money or other property, and on cheques, invoices, receipts and similar documents.

The Act requires the fact of registration, not the number. Section 39 does not mention websites by name, but a donation page asks for money, so the safest approach is a statement on every page, usually in the footer. Adding the number is good practice because it lets donors check you on the register of charities. A plain footer line works:

[Charity name] is a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number XXXXXXX).

The statement must be in English, except that a document wholly in Welsh may use the Welsh form, “elusen cofrestredig”. Section 41 makes it an offence to issue or sign a document without the statement, with a fine of up to level 3 on the standard scale. In its consultation on financial thresholds in charity law, the government recommended keeping the £10,000 figure.

For context, GOV.UK says a charity based in England or Wales must register with the Charity Commission if its income is at least £5,000 a year or it is a CIO. If you are still waiting for registration, say so plainly; our charity registration service page explains the process we support.

What must a charitable company or CIO add?

A charitable company is a company first, so its website must show its registered name, company number, registered office address and the part of the UK where it is registered (regulations 24 and 25 of the 2015 Trading Disclosures Regulations). If it is exempt from using “limited” in its name, it must also disclose that it is a limited company.

If the company's name does not include “charity” or “charitable”, section 194 of the Charities Act 2011 requires it to state that it is a charity in every place those regulations require its registered name, and the regulations include websites. There are Welsh equivalents for documents written wholly in Welsh.

A CIO is not a company, but section 211 borrows the same list of places: a CIO's name must appear wherever a charitable company would have to state its registered name, so again that includes websites. If the name does not include “charitable incorporated organisation” or “CIO”, section 212 requires a statement that it is a CIO in the same places.

A combined footer for a charitable company might read:

[Name] is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (company number XXXXXXXX), and a registered charity (charity number XXXXXXX). Registered office: [address].

What changes for charities in Scotland?

Scottish charities must show their charity details on the website's home page. OSCR's guidance, based on the Charities References in Documents (Scotland) Regulations 2007 as amended, lists the charity's name as it appears on the Scottish Charity Register, any working name, the Scottish Charity Number (which starts SC), and a statement that it is a charity if the name does not make that clear.

  • SCIOs must use “Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation” or “SCIO” if it is not already in the registered name.
  • The legal requirement covers the website home page, as well as letters, emails, adverts, notices, donation requests, invoices and receipts. OSCR calls it good practice to show the details on all website pages and social media accounts.
  • Details must be added as soon as possible and no later than six months after becoming a charity. SCIOs should add them as soon as possible after registration.
  • OSCR's example wording names the charity, says it is a Scottish charity, gives the SC number and says it is regulated by the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).

Charities registered in England and Wales may need to register with OSCR too, for example if they occupy land or premises in Scotland, carry out activities from an office, shop or similar premises there (depending on how significant those activities are), or are managed or controlled mainly from Scotland. OSCR's cross-border guidance says the Scottish Charity Number must then appear on the charity's formal communications, such as letters, emails, invoices and websites.

What about charities in Northern Ireland?

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland says a registered charity's status must be clearly visible on certain documents: notices, advertisements and other documents asking for money, written orders for money or goods, bills, invoices and receipts, and online fundraising platforms.

CCNI recommends the statement “Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland” followed by your charity number, which begins with NIC. This comes from CCNI's welcome pack for newly registered charities (version 9.0, approved 20 August 2025).

Does a charity have to register with the Fundraising Regulator?

No. Registering with the Fundraising Regulator and paying its levy is voluntary, according to CCNI. The Charity Commission's CC20 guidance, updated on 3 February 2026, still says trustees should register and follow the Code of Fundraising Practice.

What that means for your website:

  • CCNI says only organisations that pay the levy and sign up to follow the Code can use the Fundraising Badge. Do not show it otherwise; CAP Code rule 3.52 also bars displaying a trust mark without authorisation.
  • CCNI says charities that decide not to register are still expected to comply with the Code when fundraising.
  • CC20 says the Fundraising Regulator covers fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland where the fundraising is carried out by a charity registered in England and Wales or Northern Ireland.
  • The CAP Code applies to fundraising appeals on your own website: its scope includes direct requests for donations as part of an organisation's own fundraising.

Charities whose accounts must be audited also have to report on fundraising in their trustees' annual report, including whether they were bound by a voluntary scheme or standard, any failures to comply and the number of fundraising complaints received (section 162A of the Charities Act 2011). That is an annual report duty rather than a website rule.

What wording should an online Gift Aid declaration use?

HMRC does not produce an official form, so you can design your own, but HMRC recommends adapting its model declaration. Whatever wording you use, HMRC's guidance says the declaration must include:

  • your charity's name;
  • the donor's full name and home address (for UK addresses, HMRC accepts the house name or number and the postcode);
  • a description of the gift, or whether the declaration covers past, present or future donations;
  • a statement that the donor wants Gift Aid to apply; and
  • an explanation that the donor must pay at least as much UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax as all charities and CASCs will claim on their gifts, and that any difference is their responsibility.

HMRC's model forms put that tax statement next to the Gift Aid tick box and ask donors to tell the charity if they want to cancel, change their name or address, or stop paying enough tax. Online, a tick box is acceptable and no signature is needed. Keep records of every declaration, whether written, online or verbal, for six years from the end of the accounting period they relate to.

A website form collects the declaration; it does not make a claim. Your charity still has to check eligibility and submit claims to HMRC. If you are planning a new donation journey, see our Stripe donation page service.

What privacy, cookie and email rules apply?

Give privacy information when you collect data, get consent for cookies that are not essential, and set up sign-up forms correctly if you plan to use the new charitable purposes soft opt-in.

  • Privacy. Under the UK GDPR right to be informed, you must give privacy information when you collect personal data: who you are, why you use the data and your lawful basis, who you share it with, how long you keep it, people's rights and their right to complain to a supervisory authority. The ICO says it must be concise, transparent, intelligible, easily accessible and in clear, plain language.
  • Cookies. PECR requires you to tell people about cookies and similar technologies, explain what they do and get consent, unless they are strictly necessary for the service the user asked for. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 added exceptions, including one for statistical purposes aimed at improving your site, provided you give clear information and a simple, free way to object. The ICO finalised its guidance on these technologies on 29 April 2026, and says advertising purposes still need consent.
  • Email and text marketing. Since 5 February 2026, charities can send marketing by email, text and social media direct message to people who have expressed an interest in, or support for, their charitable purposes without first getting consent, if strict conditions are met. You must collect the details directly from the person, give a simple way to opt out when you collect them and in every later message, and use it only to further your charitable purposes. It only applies to contact details obtained on or after 5 February 2026. If you intend to rely on it, your donation and sign-up forms need that opt-out.

Does a charity website have to meet accessibility regulations?

Only some charities are covered by the public sector accessibility regulations, but every charity that provides services has duties under the Equality Act 2010. The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 exclude non-governmental organisations unless they provide services that are essential to the public, or that specifically address the needs of, or are meant for, disabled people.

GOV.UK's summary says charities are outside the regulations unless they are mostly financed by public funding, provide services essential to the public or are aimed at disabled people. If your charity is covered, its website must meet WCAG 2.2 level AA and publish an accessibility statement.

If you are not covered, GOV.UK still says all UK service providers must make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland. WCAG 2.2 is a W3C Recommendation with three conformance levels, A, AA and AAA. Level AA is sensible good practice for any charity website, and it gives you a testable target when you brief a designer. Our charity website cost guide explains what a build with us includes.

What should be on the checklist?

Use this for a new build or an audit. “Where to show it” is our practical suggestion unless the source sets a location.

RequirementWho it applies toWhere to show itSource
Statement that the charity is registeredRegistered charities with gross income over £10,000 in the last financial yearFooter on every page, and on donation pagesCharities Act 2011, s.39
Charity numberRegistered charities (good practice in England and Wales)FooterGood practice; public register
Registered name, company number, registered office and part of the UKCharitable companiesFooter or legal page2015 Trading Disclosures Regulations, regs 24 and 25
Statement that it is a charityCharitable companies whose name lacks “charity” or “charitable”Everywhere the registered name must appear, including the websiteCharities Act 2011, s.194
CIO name, plus CIO status if not in the nameCIOsWebsite and documentsCharities Act 2011, ss.211 and 212
Name, SC number and charity statementCharities on the Scottish Charity RegisterHomepage (legal requirement); all pages (good practice)OSCR guidance
“Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland” and NIC numberCharities registered in Northern IrelandFundraising pages and online fundraising platformsCCNI welcome pack
Fundraising Badge only if entitledCharities registered with the Fundraising Regulator and paying the levyDonation pages, if usedCCNI welcome pack; CAP Code rule 3.52
Gift Aid declaration with HMRC's required contentCharities claiming Gift AidDonation form, beside the tick boxHMRC Gift Aid declaration guidance
Privacy information at the point of collectionAnyone collecting personal dataPrivacy notice linked from every formICO: right to be informed
Cookie information and consent, unless an exception appliesSites using non-essential cookies or similar technologiesCookie banner and cookie policyPECR; ICO storage and access guidance
Opt-out when collecting details and in every messageCharities using the charitable purposes soft opt-inSign-up and donation forms; every emailICO electronic mail marketing guidance
WCAG 2.2 AA and an accessibility statementCharities within the 2018 public sector regulationsWhole site; statement page2018 Accessibility Regulations; GOV.UK
Reasonable adjustments; WCAG 2.2 AA as good practiceAll charities that provide servicesWhole siteGOV.UK accessibility guidance; W3C WCAG 2.2

If you publish your charity number in structured data as well as the footer, keep the two identical; our schema checker shows what a page currently declares.

Where can I check these sources myself?

Sources and further reading. These are the official pages this guide relies on. We checked each one on 25 September 2026. Where we could not verify a point from an official source, we left it out.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Trustees should check with the Charity Commission, OSCR, CCNI, HMRC or their own adviser before making decisions. If you spot something out of date, our corrections policy explains how to tell us.

Charity website legal requirements — frequently asked questions

Does a small charity have to show its charity number?

Section 39 of the Charities Act 2011 applies to registered charities whose gross income in their last financial year exceeded £10,000. It requires the fact that the charity is registered, not the number, on documents that ask for money. Smaller charities are outside section 39, but showing the number still helps donors check the register.

Is Fundraising Regulator registration compulsory?

No. Registering with the Fundraising Regulator and paying its levy are voluntary, and only organisations that do so can use the Fundraising Badge. The Charity Commission's CC20 guidance still says trustees should register and follow the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Do we need our Scottish charity number on our website if we are registered in England?

Only if you are also on the Scottish Charity Register, which OSCR requires if, for example, you occupy premises in Scotland or carry out activities from an office or shop there. OSCR's cross-border guidance says the Scottish Charity Number must then appear on formal communications, including websites.

Can we write our own Gift Aid declaration?

Yes. HMRC does not produce an official form, so a charity can design its own, but HMRC recommends adapting its model declaration. It must include your charity's name, the donor's full name and home address, which donations it covers, the donor's wish to Gift Aid, and an explanation of the donor's tax responsibility.

Does a charity website need a cookie banner?

If you use cookies or similar technologies that are not strictly necessary, PECR requires clear information and, in most cases, consent. Since the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, some uses, such as statistics to improve your site, can rely on an exception if you give clear information and a simple, free way to object. Advertising purposes still need consent.

Want a charity website that gets these details right?

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