Before you read on
Log into your back office and look for a banner that says "Begin verification". If you see it, action is needed. If you do not see it, there may be nothing for you to do yet.
Note: The individual completing verification will need to be a Charity Administrator user on your account. The banner will only show if you are a Charity Administrator on your Enthuse Account
Why is this changing?
Stripe is refreshing its verification requirements for connected accounts. These checks verify who is responsible for an account and help keep account information aligned with regulatory expectations. You can find more detail on Stripe's requirements here.
A quick note on Stripe wording
Stripe’s verification process may use words such as business, directors or board members.
For charities, these words should usually be understood as:
Business = your charity or organisation
Directors / board members = the trustees, directors or senior responsible people who govern the charity or organisation
Account Representative = the person authorised to complete verification for the account
This does not change the legal role of your trustees or mean your charity is being treated as a commercial company. Stripe uses the same verification process for different types of organisations, including charities and non-profits.
If your charity has more than five trustees or directors, you only need to add a maximum of five people in the Stripe process. These should be people who are responsible for the charity and whose details can be matched against your official records.
What is enhanced KYC?
KYC stands for Know Your Customer. Enhanced KYC means the account representative may be asked to complete a stronger identity check than before. This is not limited to a single step, it could involve one or more of the following:
A live photo check combined with a photo ID
A national ID number, where supported
Document upload for manual review
What does this mean for charities?
Charities and non-profits still need to complete payment verification because they receive funds through Stripe.
Stripe may use wording such as business, directors or board members in the verification process. For charities, this means the charity itself and the trustees or senior responsible people who govern it. This does not mean your charity is being treated as a commercial company, and it does not change the legal role of your trustees.
Will every charity need to add another person?
Not necessarily. If the person already on the account is both the sole director or trustee and the account representative, another person may not be needed. If the charity has more than one director or trustee, those additional people will need to be reflected on the account.
Why are trustees or directors being added?
Stripe will compare the directors or trustees shown on the account against relevant charity regulator or registry information. If your charity has more than five trustees or directors, add a maximum of five people in the Stripe process. Missing, incomplete or mismatched names can delay verification.
How will I know if action is needed?
Log into your back office and look for a banner that says "Begin verification". That banner is the trigger to act. If you do not see it, there may be nothing to complete yet, we expect requests to come through in the coming months.
What happens if we do not complete the request?
If a verification request is not completed by the required date, the account may face restrictions that affect payments or payouts.
Do not delay once the banner appears
What bank account should we use?
The payout bank account must belong to the charity.
Please make sure the account name, sort code and account number match the details shown on your bank statement. If the details do not match, Stripe may not be able to verify the account or payouts may be delayed.
Further help
If you have questions or are unsure how to proceed, please get in touch with your Customer Success Manager or contact our support team.