How to plan a Christmas appeal for your charity in six weeks

A six week timeline for a UK charity Christmas appeal, from goal and team to Gift Aid declarations, raffle rules and the final push before 24 December.

In short You can plan a Christmas appeal in six weeks if you start on 12 November and give each week one job: goal, team and Gift Aid, donation page, launch, momentum and final push. Check early whether you need a lottery registration or collection permit. This timeline shows what to do and when.

Six weeks is enough for a small charity if you keep to one focus a week. This guide runs from 12 November to 24 December 2026 and builds on our Christmas fundraising ideas.

Weeks 1 and 2: choose a goal, a team and your Gift Aid plan (12 to 25 November)

Start with one number and one sentence: how much you want to raise and what it pays for. Then name a small team, ideally 5 to 10 people, each owning one task.

Check now whether you can claim Gift Aid. Only a charity recognised for tax, or a registered community amateur sports club, can claim it, so a group without UK charity status cannot. For each £1 given, the charity can claim an extra 25p, so a £100 gift becomes £125 and the donor pays nothing extra.

Decide how you will collect declarations before the first gift arrives. A valid declaration needs the following:

a description of the gift and the charity's name;
the donor's full name and home address with postcode;
a statement that the donor wants Gift Aid to apply, which can be a tickbox online;
the date;
confirmation that the donor pays at least as much Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax as all charities together claim on their gifts.

There is no required layout, and written, online and spoken declarations are all accepted. Keep each declaration for 6 years after the last gift you claim on. You then have 4 years from the end of the period in which the gift was received to make the claim, so January is fine once the rush is over.

Weeks 3 and 4: build your donation page and plan your events (26 November to 9 December)

Now build the place where gifts land. One clear page beats five scattered links. Show the goal, one honest story, a few suggested amounts and a single button. Every poster and email should point to it.

With WeGlow.world you can set up a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details and summary. Donors can give once or monthly, each with its own amounts and a label per amount, such as "a warm meal". It works on a phone. The form asks for a first name and email address. Gift Aid needs a full name and address, so plan how you will collect declarations alongside it, and ask us if you want to talk it through. Our guide to online Christmas fundraising has more.

Use these weeks to line up a live event. Our guide to a Christmas fair fundraiser covers stalls and volunteers.

Lotteries and raffles: only what is confirmed

A raffle is a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005, so it needs the right form. Before you sell a single ticket, pick one of the routes below and ask your local council or the Gambling Commission if you are unsure which fits.

Incidental lottery at an event: for a fair or dinner, tickets sell only at the event, and the draw can be during or after it. You may spend up to £100 on costs and £500 on bought prizes, while donated prizes are unlimited. Rollovers are not allowed.
Small society lottery: your charity registers with the local council, where you have your head office. Ticket sales are capped at £20,000 per lottery and £250,000 per calendar year. At least 20% of the proceeds must go to your cause, and tickets are only for people aged 16 or over.

We could not confirm whether these caps changed for 2026, so check them first. Fees and the deadline for the return after the draw vary by council: ask yours. Raffle tickets are payment for a chance to win, not gifts, so Gift Aid cannot be claimed on them.

Collections on the street and at the door

Collecting in a public place in England and Wales needs a permit from the local council. Each council sets its own rules, and some ask for at least four weeks' notice, so apply early or leave it out.

Carol singing from door to door for a cause needs a house to house collection licence from the council, unless your organisation has an exemption order. Collecting without one is an offence. Scotland has a different system, so ask your council.

Week 5: launch, share and give supporters a way to join (10 to 16 December)

Launch with a message to the people who already know you. If you email them, check your consent before you send. Some registered charities may rely on a charitable soft opt-in, but we could not confirm the ICO's final guidance, so ask the Fundraising Regulator or the ICO first.

Ask your closest supporters to start their own action page. On WeGlow.world, supporters can start a fundraiser page for your campaign or event and share their own story with their own circle. A thank you email goes out automatically after each gift if you have written a thank you text, so write it now. More inspiration is in our Christmas fundraising hub.

Week 6: the final push (17 to 24 December)

The last week is for reminders, not new ideas. Send one email on 17 December, one social post every two days, and a final message on 23 December. Share a running total so donors see their effect.

WeGlow.world is also developing four Christmas experiences, which are concepts until the official launch. One fits this week well: the Card Wall, with envelopes on a string where each gift is a card with a stamp. Invite donors to leave a short message.

After Christmas: thank, claim and report

Thank every donor in the first week of January, by name where you can. Then claim Gift Aid from HMRC through Charities Online. Payment usually arrives by BACS within 4 weeks of an online claim, or 5 weeks if you apply by post. Above 1,000 donations, software is required.

If you took small cash or contactless gifts of £30 or less at a fair, the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme can help, without donor details. It does not apply to online gifts or to gifts that already carry a declaration. Then note what worked for next year.

Frequently asked questions

Is six weeks enough to plan a Christmas appeal?

Yes, for a small and focused appeal. Begin on 12 November and use the weekly blocks above. If you need a lottery registration or collection permit, contact your council in week 1.

Who can claim Gift Aid on a Christmas gift?

Only a charity recognised for tax or a registered community amateur sports club. The donor must have paid enough Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax to cover the claim. Raffle and event tickets are not eligible.

Do I need a Gift Aid declaration for every donor?

You need one for each gift you claim on, apart from small cash and contactless gifts under the Small Donations Scheme. Keep each declaration for 6 years after the last gift you claim on.

Can we run a raffle at our Christmas fair?

Often yes, through an incidental lottery, with limits of £100 on costs and £500 on bought prizes. A registered small society lottery is the other main route. Ask your council or the Gambling Commission which fits your plan.

Can we sing carols at doors for our charity?

Only with the right licence. House to house collections need a licence from the council under the House to House Collections Act 1939, unless an exemption order applies. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so ask your local council first.

Sources

All sources were checked on 9 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm the details before you rely on them.

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