The Fundraising Regulator has published a new guide to help charities and their partner organisations comply with its code of practice when processing personal data in fundraising.
Published today, the updated guidance comes nearly a decade after the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force, and the regulator felt it was time to update its resources for fundraisers.
Writing in a blog post also published today, the regulator’s head of policy Paul Winyard said the data compliance experience within many charities had “grown” in recent years.
He said the updated guide takes into account new legislation such as the Data (Use and Access) Act (DUAA) 2025, which received royal assent on 19 June 2025 and amended the UK GDPR.
“It’s crucial to get things right when charities and their partner organisations are processing the personal data of supporters, donors, and beneficiaries,” he said.
“Failure to do so can be damaging to the people whose data is involved, to public trust in charities, and to the reputation of charitable fundraising.
“Charitable fundraising organisations may also risk enforcement action by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if they get things wrong.”
‘Soft opt-in’ guidance planned
In his article, Winyard also said the regulator plans to publish its own guide on fundraising marketing, which will include information about how new “soft opt-in” powers can work in practice.
Last week, the ICO published its final guidance on the charitable purposes soft opt-in provision, introduced as part of the DUAA on 5 February.
The change means that charities can now send electronic mail marketing about their charitable purposes without the recipient’s consent, provided that they meet certain requirements.
Winyard said the new powers presented an opportunity “to strengthen relationships with supporters and potentially facilitate greater fundraising” but warned charities not to use them “in ways that could damage public trust and confidence in charitable fundraising”.
He said the Fundraising Regulator’s guidance would complement the ICO’s and be published soon.
