---
title: "How to check a charity number UK — verify a charity is legit"
description: "Check charity number and registration in the UK — how to verify a charity is legitimate before you donate, what a charity number means"
source: https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-number
retrieved: 2026-08-18T00:47:38.287Z
license: "Charity data © Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0"
---

# 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](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/), last updated 29 July 2026.

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](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-compare-charities) and [how to check a charity is legitimate](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/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](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/charity-scams-and-fake-appeals).

## Step 2 — Check the charity number on the official register
| Nation | Regulator | What to search |
| --- | --- | --- |
| England and Wales | Charity Commission | Name or number |
| Scotland | OSCR | Scottish charity number |
| Northern Ireland | CCNI | NI charity number |

Confirm:

- **Status** — registered / active, not removed.

- **Name** — matches the appeal.

- **Activities** — cover the cause being fundraised for.

- **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](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/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](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare-charities) 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 answers | Legit 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](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-report-a-charity-concern).

## Doorstep, phone and QR-code extras

Before you give to a collector or scan a code:

- Check charity number independently on your own phone.

- Prefer the charity’s **official** donate page.

- Never donate because someone refuses to let you verify.

- 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](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/rspca-vs-battersea) or use the [compare tool](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare-charities).

## 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.

## Read next

- [The CharityCompare donor guide Verify the charity number, match the delivery model to what you want funded, then use the four Clarity Score pillars from UK regulator filings — not a single overhead ratio — before you give.](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/donor-guide)
- [How to check a charity is legitimate Verify a UK charity by finding its registration number, checking it on the official register, confirming its accounts are filed on time, and matching the contact details on its own website.](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-is-legitimate)
- [How to compare charities in the UK Charity comparisons work when you match like with like — same cause, similar delivery model — then check legitimacy, cause spend, reserves, fundraising costs and filing record from Charity Commission accounts. Use Clarity Score to rule out weak administration, not as a measure of impact. Put up to four charities side by side on CharityCompare before you give.](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-compare-charities)

Ready to check a specific charity? Every profile shows a free Clarity Score from regulator filings.

[Search charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity-directory) [Compare](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare-charities)

**Information only** — not donation advice.