Charity text donations – an increasingly popular way to give
10 June 2014
Charity text donations have become increasingly popular in recent years - both for those who want to give and as a means of fundraising.
It's predicted that by next year text donations could be raising as much as £150 million a year for charities, ten times more than they were in 2010.
And they don't just have to be for one offs - text donations can be used as regular way of giving to charity.
Charities view text donations as a more flexible way to raise money - they help bring new supporters to their cause and they're especially popular with younger people.
For consumers, text donations offer a simple and convenient way to give.
Research from premium rate regulator PhonepayPlus found that donors saw a text donation as like dropping money in a digital tin.
How does it work
Typically you will be asked to text a word to a premium rate five number mobile shortcode.
For example, 'To donate to the appeal, text APPEAL to 70***.'
You can give up to £10 per text.
You will be charged the cost of your donation plus one message at your standard network rate and the charge will show on your next bill or be deducted from your pay-as-you-go credit.
The immediacy of text donation meant they could react spontaneously to a campaign, such as a poster on a train or a TV appeal, by simply sending a text without having to fill out forms or give out their details.
Some people also choose to regularly give by text as an alternative to setting up a direct debit.
Each month a set amount (£3, £5 etc) is taken from their mobile bill. They're then sent a regular message each month giving them the opportunity to either skip a payment or stop altogether.