Over the summer of 2015, Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, led a Government-commissioned review into the self-regulation of charity fundraising.

Among the recommendations accepted by the government were that:

• A new single regulator should be established to investigate poor fundraising practice and assume the role of setting standards (the “Code of Fundraising Practice”). This is the Fundraising Regulator.
• The new regulator should have strong links with the Charity Commission and with the Information Commissioner’s Office in order to ensure that charities followed its rules.
• A new Fundraising Preference Service (“FPS”) should be created that would enable the public to opt out of fundraising communications.

As stated on the new website of the Fundraising Regulator, which replaces the Fundraising Standards Board, it has been set up to:

• Set and promote the standards for fundraising practice (‘the code’ and associated rulebooks) in consultation with the public, fundraising stakeholders and legislators.
• Investigate cases where fundraising practices have led to significant public concern.
• Adjudicate complaints from the public about fundraising practice, where these cannot be resolved by the charities themselves.
• Operate a fundraising preference service to enable individuals to manage their contact with charities.
• Where poor fundraising practice is judged to have taken place, recommend best practice guidance and impose proportionate sanctions.

The Fundraising Regulator is scheduled to launch in Summer 2016.