Britons back charities with Direct Debit

Claims that regular charity donations have plummeted because of the economic downturn are misleading, according to figures released by Bacs Payment Schemes Limited (Bacs), the company behind Direct Debit.

While processing data up to April this year shows that cancelled and returned Direct Debits have risen to 33,000 - up from 18,000 in 2007 - the number of Direct Debits to charities has risen by half a million over the same period, demonstrating that charities are gaining more than they’re losing.

And, at the same time, the average value of each payment has also gone up, increasing from £8.41 in 2007 to £11.52 this year.

Michael Chambers, Managing Director of Bacs, said: "Our data demonstrates that, while some people may have cancelled their donation or are struggling to meet that payment, more are signing up to support charities by Direct Debit.

"Perhaps committing to a regular payment is helping people budget to support causes they feel strongly about, enabling them to plan their payments and spread the cost across the year rather than facing finding a lump sum when money is a little tight."

The processing figures cover more than 30 of the UK’s major charities; one of those is the British Red Cross which has seen a leap in numbers of Direct Debit donations, with those processed more than doubling over the past two years.

The charity’s Head of Direct Marketing, Liz Williams, said: "These figures reinforce our own experience and underpin what we already know, that British people are generous even in the face of their own financial challenges.

"While, inevitably, there have been those who have found ongoing support difficult – and we do appreciate their situation – more people have found ways to regularly donate than the number we have lost. That means we are making headway when it comes providing crucial, and sometimes costly aid where it’s needed.

"Of course, there’s always room for more!"

The data, released today, is based on actual processing figures from Bacs during the period April 2007 to April 2009.