The campaign comes at the start of the festive season, during which people across the UK are more likely to donate to charity than in the rest of the year. A recent study by the Charities Aid Foundation found that 67 per cent of people in the UK had donated money to charitable causes in the past month. Last year, charities’ overall income amounted to more than £90.5bn, enabling them to deliver crucial services and assistance to individuals and communities, invest in medical research and campaign against inequalities, to name just a few causes.
Most fundraising is genuine, with charity-related fraud falling over the past year. But data from Action Fraud underlines the need for continued vigilance when donating to charity, especially at times of increased giving. Last year, there were 484 reports and a total loss of £1,177,773. While this is a small figure compared to the overall funds raised, and a reduction compared to the year previous, regulators want to help donors ensure that all donations reach the intended cause. Fraudsters do take advantage of public generosity, using methods such as fake appeal websites, email appeals that falsely use the name of genuine charities, or appeals from fake charities.
Upon launching the campaign, which spans the festive period, the regulators are encouraging the public to continue give with confidence this Christmas by following their simple steps for safer giving
- Check the charity’s name and registration number on the Charity Register at www.gov.uk/checkcharity – most charities with an annual income of £5,000 or more must be registered.
- Make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information.
- Be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them.
- Contact or find out more online about the charity that you’re seeking to donate to or work with to understand how they are spending their funds
- Look out for the Fundraising Badge – the logo that says ‘registered with Fundraising Regulator’ – and check the Fundraising Regulator’s Directory of organisations which have committed to fundraise in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice.
- A face-to-face fundraiser should have a licence from the relevant Local Authority Licensing team or the Metropolitan Police (in Greater London). Never feel under pressure into donating immediately. Ask the collector for more information and if in doubt, wait and make a donation directly at a time that suits you.
- Those seeking to support local causes with an income of less than £5,000 (which are not required to be on the Charity Register) are encouraged to follow other recommended steps, including getting in touch with the charity for more information.
If after making these checks you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate, report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Gerald Oppenheim, CEO of the Fundraising Regulator, said
The British public are incredibly generous, and the Christmas period is always marked by increased charitable giving.
Charities perform essential work in the UK and overseas, so we want to encourage members of the public to take appropriate measures to ensure their hard-earned money reaches the causes they are so passionate about.
Although fraudsters remain inventive, by following a few simple checks you can reduce your chances of falling victim to fraud and help ensure that charities continue to receive the donations they need to carry out their vital work.
David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said
The Christmas period is a time of incredible generosity, when many dig deep to support the causes they care about, or help others.
The charities on our register rely on this generous giving in making our communities stronger and our society better for all. By giving to registered charities, people can have confidence that their donations will reach the intended cause, and make a positive difference this festive season.
Oliver Shaw, Temporary Commander for Fraud and Cybercrime from the City of London Police, said
We know it’s a busy time of year as we lead up to Christmas and the festive season, but this can be a prime opportunity for criminals to take advantage and trick people into donating to illegitimate charities or fake appeals.
Stay vigilant and donate safely this festive season when giving to charity, make sure your money is going to a real appeal by following our simple guidance. Be wise to fraudsters and check if a charity is legitimate online. Remember to make a report if you think a charity or fundraising appeal is fake or acting fraudulently.
If you have lost money or provided your financial information to someone, please notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Ends
Notes to Editors
- Data refers to charity fraud crime reports submitted to Action Fraud. The number and cost of charity fraud cases has decreased from last year. The total amount lost between November 2023 and October 2024 was £1,177,773 and 484 reports made to Action Fraud, compared to 501 reports and £2,732,170 lost between November 2022 and October 2023.
- Anyone can check if a charity is registered at www.gov.uk/checkcharity
- Information and helpful tools to support charities to raise their awareness about fraud risk can be found here Resources – Prevent Charity Fraud.
About the Fundraising Regulator
The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulator also has a lead role where charities primarily registered in these three countries fundraise in Scotland. The Fundraising Regulator is funded through a voluntary levy on charities spending £100,000 or more each year on fundraising. Other charities outside the levy can register with the regulator by paying an administrative charge of £50 a year. The regulator also receives income from registering commercial fundraising businesses. The Fundraising Regulator was established following the 2015 Cross-Party Parliamentary Review of Fundraising chaired by Sir Stuart Etherington and assumed responsibility for regulating fundraising from 7 July 2016.
To interact with the Fundraising Regulator through social media, please tweet @FundrRegulator.
For further information, please contact the Fundraising Regulator press team on FR@pagefield.co.uk.
Email fr@pagefield.co.uk
Phone 020 3327 4050
About the Charity Commission for England & Wales
The Charity Commission launched its new safer giving campaign on social channels from 1st-12th December, highlighting the positive impact of the sector and encouraging the public to give safely during the festive season.
The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more About us – The Charity Commission(www.gov.uk)
Press office contact details
Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk
Out of hours press office contact number 07785 748787
About Action Fraud
Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime where you should report fraud if you have been defrauded or experienced cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The service is run by the City of London Police, working alongside the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), which are responsible for the assessment of reports made to Action Fraud and to ensure that fraud reports reach the right place. The City of London Police is the national policing lead for economic crime.
