SafeXmas

The Charity Commission has teamed up with the Fundraising Standards Board to encourage the public to give safely to charities this Christmas by remembering the ‘Safe Xmas’ acronym. Both regulators will also be issuing the advice on social media, which can be found by following #SafeXmas.

Christmas is a traditional time for giving and charities work hard to raise money during this time to fund their work throughout the year. The general public give generously to charity and in a survey of people’s giving habits last Christmas, 85 percent of people said they give directly to charity at Christmas, donating an average of around £40 to the good causes they care about.

Almost all collections are genuine, but some people will try to abuse the generosity of others for their own gain. With some charities and supporters having experienced fraud, it is vital that the public know that their donations are going to the right place. The commission and the Fundraising Standards Board have come together to issue a few simple tips for giving with confidence this Christmas.

Remember #SafeXmas:

• S - search for a charity’s name, registration number and landline on fundraising materials
• A - ask to see a collector’s ID badge and don’t be afraid to ask questions
• F - find the FRSB tick logo, showing that the charity’s fundraising is regulated
• E - ensure the collection device is sealed
• X - xtra information about charities can be found at www.gov.uk/charity-commission
• M - make sure clothing collection bags are clearly branded with a charity’s details
• A - always check email and web links are genuine before donating
• S - still unsure? Contact your favourite charity direct and donate

For further information on fundraising regulation visit www.frsb.org.uk and the commission’s fundraising statement at www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-statement-on-the-charity-commissions-regulation-of-fundraising.