Give confidently to registered charities this Giving Tuesday
Regulators share tips on giving with confidence to registered charities this festive season
To mark Giving Tuesday (2 December 2025), the Charity Commission for England and Wales,听the听Fundraising Regulator and听City of London Police听are encouraging people to give confidently to registered charities, while听taking simple steps to ensure their donations reach their intended cause.听
The campaign comes at the start of the festive season,听traditionally a time of increased giving across the UK. This听generosity is especially听needed听this year, as charities face unprecedented pressures while听supporting record numbers of people.听
The regulators are encouraging the public to continue to give with confidence this festive season by following simple steps for safer giving:听
- Check the charity鈥檚 name and registration number鈥痮n the Charity Register at鈥��� most charities with an annual income of 拢5,000 or more must be registered听
- Make sure the charity is genuine鈥痓efore giving any financial information听
- Be careful when responding to emails听or social media posts,听or clicking on links within them听
- Contact or find out more online听about the charity听you鈥檙e听seeking听to donate to, to understand how they are spending their funds听
- Look out for the Fundraising Badge听鈥� the logo that says 鈥榬egistered with Fundraising Regulator鈥� 鈥� and check the Fundraising Regulator鈥檚 Directory of organisations which have committed to fundraise in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice听
- Never feel under pressure听to donate听immediately.听Ask the collector for more information and, if in doubt, wait and听make a donation听directly at a time that suits you听
- If after making these checks you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate,听visit听Stop! Think Fraud website听to听find where听you can听report听charity听fraud, or other suspected types of fraud, here:听听听
Trends suggest that charitable giving may be under pressure. Research from the Charities听Aid Foundation suggests that individual giving in the UK has declined, with only 50% of people donating in the last year 鈥� the lowest level since 2019.听
At the same time,听recent Charity Commission research听found that charities are supporting three times as many people with essential aid compared to five years听ago.听Nearly half听of charity trustees have been forced to make changes due to cost-of-living pressures, including stopping some services and using more reserves than expected.听
David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said:听
The Christmas season听is a听time听of incredible generosity, when many people dig deep to support the causes they care about, or help others. This year, that generosity matters more than ever.听
Charities are providing a vital lifeline to ever more people, while simultaneously navigating their own financial challenges. The charities on our register rely on this generous giving in making our communities stronger and our society better for all.听
By giving to registered charities, people can have confidence that their donations will be overseen and accounted for in line with charity听law, and听will reach the intended cause to make a positive difference this festive season.
Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Regulator, said:听听
The听British public are exceedingly generous听and听Giving听Tuesday,听and听then听the festive period听are听when many people choose to donate to a cause close to their hearts.听听
Charities perform essential work听at home and abroad听all year round听and听we want to make sure that members of the public are taking appropriate measures to ensure their hard-earned money reaches the causes they care about.
Most fundraising is听legitimate,听but听fraudsters continue to be creative,听By听carrying out a few simple checks you can make sure that you are giving to a genuine cause and that your generously donated money reaches its intended destination.
Data听from the City of London Police points to the importance of听vigilance when donating to charity. Last year, there were听561听charity fraud crime听reports and a total loss of听拢2,160,169.听听
While this is a small figure compared to the overall funds raised听by charities during the period in question,听fraudsters听occasionally听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听charities.
Chief Superintendent Amanda Wolf from the National Lead Force for fraud, City of London Police, said:听听
Each Safer Giving Tuesday, and in the wider festive period, we see thousands fundraised for a variety of different causes.听Unfortunately听this time听of giving does not stop criminals鈥痷sing fraudulent tactics online and in person to mislead the public whilst they pose as genuine charities.听听
We know that generosity when giving to charity goes a long way,听let鈥檚听make sure those donations ends up where we intend and everyone stays vigilant this festive period when donating. To donate safely online or in person, stop and check to see if the charity is legitimate first. Ensure you make a report if you think a charity or fundraising appeal is fake or acting fraudulently.
贰苍诲蝉听
Notes to Editors听
About the Charity Commission for England & Wales听
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听ultimately fulfil听their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more:鈥�
About the Fundraising Regulator听
The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England,听Wales听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 拢100,000 or more each year on fundraising. Other charities outside the levy can register with the regulator by paying an administrative charge of 拢50 a year. The regulator also receives income from registering commercial fundraising businesses. The Fundraising Regulator was听established听following the 2015 Cross-Party Parliamentary Review of Fundraising chaired by Sir Stuart Etherington and assumed responsibility for regulating fundraising from 7 July 2016.听
To interact with the Fundraising Regulator through social media, please tweet @FundrRegulator.听
For further information, please contact the Fundraising Regulator press team on鈥�FR@pagefield.co.uk听
About听the听City of London Police听
The听City of London Police is the听national听policing听lead force for听economic听crime and听fraud,听serving听a crucial role in the co-ordination of the policing response:听identifying,听disrupting听and prosecuting fraud and economic crime across the country. The City of London Police is also responsible for the national reporting service for听cybercrime and fraud, on behalf of policing.听听
Further information:听
- Anyone can check if a charity is registered at鈥�
- Further tips on donating with confidence to registered charities are available on鈥�扒哥吃瓜.听
- Those seeking to support local causes with an income of less than 拢5,000 (which are not听required听to be on the Charity Register) are encouraged to follow the other recommended steps, including听getting in touch with听the cause for more information.听
- Data from听the City of London Police shows听there was a听total听561 charity fraud reports made between November听2024 and October 2025, with total losses of听拢2,160,169.听听
Charity Commission press office contact details听
贰尘补颈濒:鈥�pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk听
Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787