We all like to give something to charities, but recent problems with charities and scams surrounding giving to them mean we all have to be a lot more careful about giving.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales gives advice on ensuring that any charitable donations are being given to genuine, registered charities.
Charitable giving holds a firm place across the UK, irrespective of religious background. As a result, this is often exploited by illegitimate collectors as a means to obtain funds. Street collections, door–to–door collections and even soliciting drivers who stop at traffic lights are all methods that have been used.
It is known that extremist organisations in the UK receive hundreds of pounds through small, anonymous public charitable donations; it is their main source of income. Extremists can portray themselves as charities and disguise their intent for monies to coerce people into donating.
People have a right to feel confident that their generosity is not abused and that their donations are being used for legitimate charitable purposes. We want to ensure the donations people make end up supporting the intended causes and not going towards dubious derivations.
Before giving, check the charity’s name and registration number against the online charity search tool.
