Guidance

Charity fundraising events: exemptions

How your charity or not-for-profit organisation can check if a fundraising event qualifies for VAT exemption.

Documents

Details

This guidance is for charities and qualifying bodies that raise money through fundraising events. It explains the conditions for direct tax and the VAT exemption that apply to fundraising events held on or after 1 April 2000.

It covers all fundraising events, including small scale events directly undertaken by charities and other qualifying bodies, as well as larger fundraising events organised by the trading subsidiaries of charities.

How VAT affects charities (VAT Notice 701/1) gives guidance on the VAT exemption for fundraising events held before 1 April 2000.

Updates to this page

Published 27 January 2011
Last updated 18 June 2025 show all updates
  1. The 'Fundraising events: exemption for charities and other qualifying bodies' helpsheet has been updated to include a new section 3.3 for 'The primary purpose' and further sections have been renumbered.

  2. This page has been updated because the Brexit transition period has ended.

  3. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page