War Charities Act 1940 (repealed 1.9.1992)

1 Prohibition against appeals for war charities unless registered or exempted. E+W+S

(1) It shall not be lawful to make any appeal to the public for donations or subscriptions in money or in kind to any war charity, or to raise or attempt to raise money for any such charity by promoting or assisting to promote any bazaar, sale, entertainment or exhibition, or by any similar means, unless—

(a) the charity is registered or exempted from registration under this Act; and

(b) approval in writing has been given by the management committee or person responsible for the administration of the charity, or a duly authorised officer of the charity;

and if any person contravenes the provisions of this subsection, he shall be guilty of an offence:

Provided that this subsection shall not apply to any collection at divine service in a place of public worship.

(2) A registration authority may exempt from registration under this Act any war charity if they are satisfied that the charity is established in good faith, and is of so limited a character as respects the area in which the activities of the charity are or will be carried on, or as respects the duration or the objects of the charity, or as respects the value of the money and property likely to be obtained, that it is unnecessary in the interests of the public that the charity should be registered; and the registration authority may exempt the charity for an indefinite or a limited period, and may, if they are no longer satisfied as to the matters aforesaid, withdraw the exemption.

The registration authority, on exempting a charity, shall furnish a certificate of exemption which shall, if the exemption is for a limited period, specify that period.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section, so far as it requires the war charity concerned to be registered or exempted from registration under this Act shall not apply to any war charity until the expiration of two months after the passing of this Act, unless the registration authority within that period refuses to register the charity, nor to any war charity pending the decision of the registration authority on an application for the registration or exemption of the charity made within that period.