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This guide explains what an NLA copyright licence for UK charities covers, what activities require it, the NLA licence cost, and how charities can respond to declaration requests safely and responsibly. I'm aware of various charities being asked to sign forms and buy copyright licences, including backdated fees. This company is not a scam, so this resource has been created to minimise the risk of incurring NLA copyright licence fees, unless you need the material they license.
The Newspaper Licensing Agency, now known as NLA Media Access, is a UK publisher-owned organisation that licenses the reuse of newspaper and magazine content. Charities and other organisations are subject to copyright law and may need a licence to legally copy, share, or redistribute press content.
Charities do not need an NLA licence to:
These practices respect copyright boundaries and help avoid accidental infringement.
Charities are likely to need an NLA licence if they:
Even occasional use of press content without permission may trigger licence requirements.
NLA Media Access offers charity discounts. Costs vary based on staff numbers, turnover, and usage level.
Charities may receive a declaration form asking whether they have copied copyrighted material without a licence. Charities should first check to see if they accidentally breached copyright. If you cannot find any evidence of having done so, you may choose to respond in writing without signing, perhaps along the lines of my draft below.
We take copyright compliance seriously and strive to avoid unauthorised reuse of media content. We are not aware of any use that breaches licensing requirements. If you believe otherwise, please provide details and evidence of specific incidents for our review.
This does nor admit any liability and puts the ball back in their court whilst remaining cooperative.
To avoid breaching guidelines, charity staff and volunteers should follow these steps:
Ensure this is reflected in your guidance, induction, training or similar for the people in your charity who manage comms and digital media.
A CLA licence, issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, allows organisations to legally copy and reuse content from a very wide range of published sources, including books, journals, magazines, and websites. This guide explains what the Copyright Licensing Agency is and does, what you need to do, other copyright licences, and a bit about copyright itself, with links to other sources of information at the end. WE have a separate guide for the CLA.
Copyright is a legal right that protects original works like:
The creator automatically owns the copyright when they make something. You can’t use it without permission — unless certain exceptions apply.
| Situation | What It Means | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Obtain Permission | Asking the copyright owner for approval to use their work | Contact them directly, explain usage, and get written permission (email is fine) |
| Creative Commons Licence | Pre-approved licences that allow use under specific terms | Check licence type: credit the creator, don't alter if prohibited, and use only non-commercially if required |
| Fair Dealing | UK law allows limited use without permission in special cases like teaching, review, or news reporting | Use only what's necessary, credit the author, and don’t harm the original work’s value |
| Public Domain (CC0) | Creator has waived all rights — anyone can use freely | No permission needed, credit is optional |
| Non-commercial Use | Use that doesn’t generate income (e.g. awareness campaign) | Even non-commercial use may need permission unless it's under fair dealing or a CC licence |
| Reporting Current Events | Quoting or showing copyright material to report news or timely topics | Allowed under fair dealing — but photos are excluded |
| Parody or Satire | Using material to make humorous or critical commentary | Usually allowed under fair dealing, but be cautious with tone and extent |
| Educational Use | Using material in teaching (e.g. lessons, training materials) | If you make copies of newspaper content for teaching purposes, you need an Educational Establishment Licence. |
It's probably far too niche to apply to many but my understanding is that, if you're licensed directly with the publishers represented by NLA, you may not need an NLA licence.
In the UK, fair dealing allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission — but only in specific cases:
It must be fair — meaning that you:
For example, quoting a few lines from a book in a blog post about literacy is likely fair dealing. Copying the whole chapter probably would not be.
If you do copy content.
If in doubt, ask! Its' better to be safe than sorry.
A registered charity ourselves, the CEF works for any non profit, not just charities.
Plus, 60+ policies, 8 online health checks and the huge resource base. Quick, simple and very effective.
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This Article on NLA Copyright Licencing is not Professional Advice
This article on NLA copyright licencing is for general interest only and does not constitute professional legal or financial advice. I'm neither a lawyer, nor an accountant, so not able to provide this, and I cannot write guidance that covers every charity or eventuality. I have included links to relevant regulatory guidance and resources to help you. However, in making use of my work you accept that I have no responsibility whatsoever for 3rd party content and that you will check to ensure that whatever you create reflects correctly your charity’s needs and your obligations. In using this resource, you accept that I have no responsibility whatsoever from any harm, loss or other detriment that may arise from your use of my work. If you need professional advice, you must seek this from someone else. To do so, register, then login and use the Help Finder directory to find pro bono support. Everything is free.
Ethics note: The draft of this article was created using AI.
Thank You
My thanks to 3rd Sector PR and comms Facebook Group for their help in improving this guidance, particularly Carol Flint and Andrew Horton.
