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How to check a charity number UK — verify a charity is legit

In short: Every registered UK charity has a regulator number. Check it on the Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI register — or search name and number on CharityCompare — before you donate or give to a doorstep collector. Registration proves legitimacy of status, not programme impact; Clarity Score then summarises filing transparency on rated profiles.

Data from Charity Commission register, last updated .

People search is [charity] legit UK and check charity number for the same moment: a donate button, a text appeal, a collector at the door. You do not need an accountancy qualification. You need the registration number and two minutes.

This guide is the Trust & Verification checklist. For the wider decision after you know they are real, continue with how to compare charities and how to check a charity is legitimate (deeper filing checks).

Step 1 — Get the official name and charity number

Ask for:

  • the full registered name (not just a trading style or appeal brand),
  • the charity number (England & Wales Commission number, Scottish charity number, or Northern Ireland number),
  • the website domain they want you to use.

Genuine fundraisers can give you these without drama. Pressure to pay immediately, by gift card, or via a personal account is a red flag — see charity scams and fake appeals.

Step 2 — Check the charity number on the official register

NationRegulatorWhat to search
England and WalesCharity CommissionName or number
ScotlandOSCRScottish charity number
Northern IrelandCCNINI charity number

Confirm:

  1. Status — registered / active, not removed.
  2. Name — matches the appeal.
  3. Activities — cover the cause being fundraised for.
  4. Contact / website — align with what you were given.

Borrowed numbers: scammers sometimes quote a real charity’s registration. The number is only safe when it belongs to the organisation receiving the money.

Step 3 — Check the same charity on CharityCompare

Search the charity directory by name or number.

  • Rated profiles show Clarity Score, beacon breakdown, cause spend, reserves and filing signals — a practical financial transparency rating from filings.
  • Basic register profiles still confirm identity, reg number and official facts across the full UK register when a full Clarity Score is not yet available.

Either way you get a stable URL you can reopen later, and a path into side-by-side comparison if you are choosing between two names.

How do I know if a UK charity is financially transparent?

You know a UK charity is financially transparent when it files on time, explains spending in a readable trustees’ annual report, and lets you see the split between charitable activities, fundraising and support costs. Start with the charity number on the official register, then open the CharityCompare profile: Clarity Score — especially the Accountability & Transparency beacon — summarises that filing picture. Look for cause spend, reserves in months, fundraising cost and any late-filing or inquiry warnings. Transparency here means stewardship on paper from regulator data; it is not the same as proven programme impact, and it is not a public reviews wall.

Step 4 — What “legit” does and does not mean

Legit check answersLegit check does not answer
Is this a registered charity?Are programmes highly effective?
Does the number match the name?Is this the “best” charity in the cause?
Are filings roughly in order?Should you ignore every overhead?

Clarity Score helps with transparency and stewardship on paper. It is not an impact medal and not a substitute for reading what the charity says it achieved.

Reviews and complaints

Donors also search [charity] reviews and complaints. CharityCompare does not run a public review wall. Instead you get:

  • filing-based scores and red flags,
  • open statutory inquiry warnings where relevant,
  • links into official registers.

To raise a concern about a charity’s conduct or fundraising, use how to report a charity concern.

Doorstep, phone and QR-code extras

Before you give to a collector or scan a code:

  1. Check charity number independently on your own phone.
  2. Prefer the charity’s official donate page.
  3. Never donate because someone refuses to let you verify.
  4. Keep a record of the number and amount if you give cash.

Quick answers for common searches

  • “Is Macmillan legit UK?” / “Is the RSPCA legitimate?” — Check the number on the register, then open the CharityCompare profile for the filing picture.
  • “Check charity number 207544” (example pattern) — Search the number; confirm the name on the register is the name on the appeal.
  • “[Charity] financial transparency rating” — On rated profiles, start with Clarity Score and the Accountability & Transparency beacon, then read cause spend and filing dates.

When verification is done and you are choosing between two majors, open a head-to-head such as RSPCA vs Battersea or use the compare tool.

Common questions

How do I check a charity number in the UK?

Ask for the full official name and registration number, then search that number on the Charity Commission register (England and Wales), OSCR (Scotland) or CCNI (Northern Ireland). You can also search the number or name on CharityCompare to open the profile and confirm the organisation matches the appeal.

Is a charity legit if it has a charity number?

A valid registration number means the organisation is a registered charity under UK regulation — a strong legitimacy check. It does not guarantee effective programmes or that the person collecting for it is authorised. Match the number to the name, website and bank details of the organisation actually receiving your money.

What if someone will not give me a charity number?

Treat that as a serious warning unless the organisation is a known exception — for example some small England-and-Wales charities under the registration threshold, or certain excepted or exempt charities. Look it up yourself before giving, and prefer paying via the organisation's official website.

How do I check charity number 1234567 or any specific reg?

Paste the number into the official register search or into CharityCompare's directory search. Confirm the name, status, activities and latest filing dates match what you were told. Scammers sometimes reuse real numbers, so the name on the register must match the name on the appeal.

How do I know if a UK charity is financially transparent?

Check whether it files accounts on time, publishes a clear trustees' annual report, and shows how money was spent — cause spend, fundraising costs and reserves. On CharityCompare, use the Clarity Score and especially the Accountability & Transparency beacon as a filing-based transparency rating. Registration alone proves the charity exists; timely, readable filings show whether it accounts for money openly.

What is a financial transparency rating for a charity?

On CharityCompare, rated charities receive a Clarity Score from Charity Commission and other UK regulator filings — including an Accountability & Transparency beacon. That is a filing-based transparency and stewardship rating on paper, not a user-review score and not a measure of real-world impact.

Does CharityCompare show charity reviews and complaints?

CharityCompare shows regulator-based ratings, filing signals and red flags such as late accounts or open inquiries. It does not host public user reviews. For formal complaints about a charity, use the Charity Commission, OSCR, CCNI or the Fundraising Regulator as appropriate — see our reporting guide.

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Information only — not donation advice.