The Institute of Fundraising has released a revised House to House Collections Code which aims to tackle both bogus collections and the oversaturation of goods collections.

The Institute has released its revised code, reworked as a result of the “astronomical rise” in the number of charities doing house-to-house collections and the increase in the types of arrangements charities can enter into, after a lengthy consultation which drew 44 responses.

Guidance has been released to accompany the code informs the public as to how to identify and deal with bogus collections, and also explains the different kinds of collections arrangements charities may enter into.

Kidney Research UK’s marketing director Peter Storey chaired the working party which developed the revised code said that the whole-sector approach to developing the code has been important.

“We are delighted to launch this new code, which has achieved consensus within the wider fundraising sector around how to conduct house-to-house collections,” he said. “At a time when clothes collections were getting a difficult press, and this fundraising technique was under threat the sector has come together.

“We are now in a stronger position to counter bad practice and bogus collectors while at the same time enhancing public trust and confidence.”