Can I use Square for personal fundraising in the UK?

[Laurak1]

The title of this thread has been edited from the original: fundraising UK.

I'm looking into getting a basic card reader to support our fundraising efforts - my son has a big scout trip! So, we're not a business, not a charity etc. can I use square? I just want to make it easy for people to either donate to us, or to buy things if we do craft fairs - no-one carries cash these days! thanks

[Katie_SQ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Laurak1, 

Thank you for reaching out with your interest in Square! I'd be happy to shed some light on this for you.

Square is specifically designed for businesses to process payments for goods and services they directly provide, and accounts must be set up under one of the following supported business structures:

- Individual/Sole trader business
- Limited liability company
- General partnership

Based on what you've described here, these payments would fall outside Square's intended use.

For fundraising purposes like yours, you might want to consider a payment solution designed for peer-to-peer transactions, dedicated fundraising platforms, or working with your scout organisation to see if they have existing payment options you can use.

If your situation changes and you do establish a formal business structure for your fundraising activities, you could certainly apply for a Square account.

I hope this helps clarify things, and best of luck with your fundraising!