The Code of Fundraising Practice 2025 – what’s changed?

If you’re involved in charity fundraising, whether as a trustee or part of a fundraising team, the updated Code of Fundraising Practice 2025 (effective from 1 November 2025) is something you’ll want on your radar.

On the face of it, the core principles remain the same, and much of the structure will feel familiar. But look a little closer, and there’s a noticeable shift in how the rules are written, and how they’re expected to be applied in practice as well as a handful of substantive changes.

In this blog, we’ve pulled out what really matters: what the Code is, what’s changed, and what it means for you in practice.

A quick reminder: what is the Code, and why does it matter?

The Code of Fundraising Practice sets the standards expected of charitable fundraising across the UK. It applies whether activity is carried out by your own staff and volunteers or by third parties acting on your behalf.

At its heart, the message is simple. Fundraising should always be:

• legal
• open
• honest
• respectful

What’s sometimes less front-of-mind, though, is where responsibility sits. Even if the day-to-day delivery of fundraising is delegated, trustees remain ultimately accountable. That includes oversight, managing risk, and protecting the charity’s reputation.

The Code itself is still broadly structured in three parts:

• the standards that apply to all fundraising
• rules around working with others
• rules for specific fundraising methods

The biggest shift: less prescription, more judgement

If there’s one theme running through the updated Code, it’s this: greater reliance on judgement.

The 2025 Code takes a more principles-based approach. Instead of setting out detailed instructions for every situation, it focuses on broader expectations leaving charities to interpret what’s “reasonable” or “appropriate” in their own context.

Overall, this is a positive move. It makes the Code more flexible and better suited to modern fundraising methods (particularly digital and emerging technologies). It also avoids the need to constantly update rules as the landscape evolves.

But it does come with a trade-off.

Where previously you may have been able to point to a specific rule and say “we’ve followed that”, there’s now more emphasis on being able to explain why you took a particular approach and why it was the right one.

For trustees especially, this makes oversight a little more nuanced. It’s less about ticking boxes, and more about asking, “Are we comfortable that this reflects our values and meets the spirit of the Code?”

A simpler Code - but not necessarily a simpler job

Another noticeable change is that the Code itself has been streamlined. Sections have been condensed, duplicated content removed, and clearer signposting introduced.

On paper, that should make life easier, and to an extent, it does. The Code is more accessible, and easier for teams and volunteers to navigate.

However, there’s a subtle shift here too.

Because some detailed content has been removed (particularly where other regulators take the lead), there’s now greater reliance on understanding the wider regulatory landscape; whether that’s data protection, Gift Aid, or other requirements.

So while the Code is shorter, it does place more responsibility on organisations to join the dots.

It's also worth noting that the 2025 Code is not simply a redrafting exercise. It introduces several new requirements, including measures designed to protect fundraisers from abuse and harassment, and new provisions governing convenience giving and unstaffed collections. Organisations using donation stations, collection boxes or similar arrangements should review these carefully against existing practices.

Clearer expectations when engaging with donors

One area where the update feels particularly helpful is how it brings together expectations around fundraiser behaviour and donor interaction.

Previously, these expectations were spread across different sections. In the new Code, they’re more clearly grouped and framed around a simple idea: fundraising should reflect positively on the sector.

In practical terms, that includes:

• respecting people’s privacy
• not being overly persistent
• avoiding any sense of pressure
• stepping back when someone doesn’t want to engage

These aren’t new concepts, but the way they’re presented now makes them harder to overlook. There’s also a stronger and clearer focus on ensuring communications don’t mislead, whether through what’s said, or what’s left unsaid.

For many charities, this is a good opportunity to pause and sense-check how fundraising is actually delivered in practice, particularly across different channels.

A stronger spotlight on governance

While trustee responsibility has always been part of the Code, the 2025 update significantly strengthens expectations around governance.

There’s a clear expectation that trustees should be actively engaged in:

• overseeing fundraising activities
• understanding and managing risk
• making informed decisions, particularly around more complex areas like accepting donations

This doesn’t necessarily mean doing more, but it does mean being able to demonstrate that oversight is happening, and that decisions are being thought through properly.

The charities that navigate this well are those where:

• fundraising is regularly discussed at board level
• reporting is clear and meaningful
• there’s a shared understanding of risk and appetite

So, what does this mean in practice?

For most charities, the changes won’t require a complete overhaul of fundraising activity. But they do call for a bit of reflection.

In particular, it’s worth asking:

• Do our policies still reflect how we actually fundraise?
• Are trustees getting the right level of visibility and information?
• Would we be able to clearly explain and justify our decisions if challenged?

The move to a principles-based Code means that process and documentation matter more than ever. Being able to show how decisions were made, not just what was done, is likely to be key.

Final thoughts

The updated Code of Fundraising Practice is, in some ways, an evolution rather than a revolution. There’s now a greater focus on judgement, accountability and demonstrating good governance in practice.

Whilst the new code will not require wholesale changes to policies and procedures, it is likely some change will be needed. We recommend that organisations check any fundraising policies and procedures they have and update them so that they align with the new Code and related law and guidance. That may just mean updating code references, or wider or more in-depth changes may be needed to ensure compliance.

If you’re working through what these changes mean for your charity, or would like a sounding board on your approach, please do get in touch.

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Lee Robinson | Manager in our Not for Profit team | Based in Ipswich, Suffolk