Charity regulator urges donors to support registered charities to help those affected by the crisis in Afghanistan
The Charity Commission is encouraging donors who want to support people in Afghanistan to give safely to registered charities.
This follows the launch of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Afghanistan Crisis Appeal. The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to raise funds quickly and efficiently at times of crisis. They are all registered charities.
The Appeal, launched by the DEC on 14 December 2021, aims to relieve what the United Nations World Food Programme describes as “the worst humanitarian crisis on earth”, and it is vital that any donations reach those in need.
By supporting registered charities, including through the DEC, the public can be assured that their donations will be regulated in line with the charity law framework.
Helen Stephenson CBE, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said:
The British public are generous at times of crisis and particularly at this time of year, and we want to see all charitable contributions count. This appeal from the Disasters Emergency Committee will help address the substantial humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan right now.
While most fundraising is genuine, the regulator warns that fraudsters and criminals may sometimes take advantage of public generosity at times of increased giving, using various methods such as fake appeal websites, email appeals that falsely use the name of genuine charities, or appeals from fake charities.
It therefore encourages people to ensure they support genuine relief efforts by following a few simple steps before giving:
• check the charity’s name and registration number on the Charity Register at gov.uk/checkcharity. Most charities with an annual income of £5,000 or more must be registered
• make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information
• be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them
There are currently 474 charities on the charity register that list Afghanistan as an area they work in overseas.
If you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate, report it to the police. If you think the collection is fraudulent report it to Action Fraud over the phone at 0300 123 2040 or online.