That’s one of the reasons I never donate to any of the endless stream of “For just £3 a month” adverts on TV. Your donation “could help” – so, equally, it might not, either fully or in part. All of it could go somewhere else.
Shouldn’t these charities be obliged to say exactly what percentage of your donation goes directly to what it is you think you’re donating to? And where the rest goes?
I am more interested in who they are going to sell my details to and how many phone calls I will receive.
Rather sad but I would say to people not to give to charities as you don't know what is going to happen.
Charities have a duty to be clear and honest about the way their finances are run - if they aren't a report to the Charity Commission should be made.
As with all businesses their yearly reports are also able to be inspected.
There is hopefully some headway to be made on the selling on of donors details, though it has taken tragedies to make them sit up and accept this was wrong.
I used to support a few "big" charities but no longer. I now only support small local ones as in my experience they are run less like big business and more like, well, charities.
I try and help a few charities, mainly animals' and children's charities but one notable occasion had me speechless. I started donating to McMillan's and the ink was barely dry on the DD mandate before someone phoned me asking me to increase my donation. I cancelled it immediately. Quite a few have contacted me asking if I could give more and they've all met with the same result. On each occasion I move my donations somewhere else.