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Manage unwanted charity communications

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The Fundraising Preference Service is a free service, run by the Fundraising Regulator, that can help you or someone you know to end contact with charities that you no longer want to hear from.

We know that people can be very generous when giving to charity, but that does not mean they want to hear from every charity. Some people can feel overwhelmed by the number of unwanted asks for donations they get, and do not know where to turn for help.

The FPS is the UK's official service which can help you to manage direct marketing communications from registered charities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are sent by addressed mail, emails, text messages or phone calls.

Search, select and enter your details

Using the FPS means you can stop direct marketing communications from charities registered with the Charity Commissions for England and Wales or Northern Ireland. This is any contact that contains a fundraising ask, such as a request for a donation.

It takes just three easy steps: 

  1. Search by registered charity number or charity name
  2. Select the channels of communication you wish to opt out from – you can choose addressed mail, emails, text messages or phone calls
  3. Enter your contact details and we’ll take care of the rest.

Use the service for yourself or on behalf of someone else

You can use the FPS for yourself, or on behalf of a friend, relative, someone you care for or someone who has died. You can use the service even if consent has been given previously for the charity to stay in touch.

Save time by ending contact with more than one charity

You could contact individual charities directly, but by using the FPS you can save time by ending contact with multiple charities. You can select up to 10 charities in any one visit to the FPS website. If you would like to stop communications with more charities, simply submit a new FPS request. 

Alternatively, you can manage contact from up to 20 charities by calling 0300 3033 517. Please make sure you know the registered charity numbers or charity names before you call.

The FPS is safe and secure to use. Every time you use the service, you will be asked to enter your contact details so that charities can find you on their marketing databases and suppress your details. Your personal information will be accessed through the secure FPS charity portal and will only be used by the named charities for the purpose of matching you against their databases.

It may take up to 21 days for a charity to stop contacting you. This is because many charities plan their communications in advance. 

If you continue to receive direct marketing communications, please wait 21 days from the date of your FPS request. Then, make a follow up request using the confirmation reference code we sent to you by email or text when you first made the request. 

If you are unable to find your reference code, you can ask for a reminder on the follow up page.

If you have waited 21 days and submitted a follow up request but are continuing to receive direct marketing communications from a charity, you can make a complaint about them to the Fundraising Regulator.

You may want to use the FPS on behalf of a friend, relative, someone you care for or someone who has died. We will ask you to provide the contact details of the person you are making the request on behalf of, and we will need your contact details to send you a reference code to confirm the FPS request has been made.

When using FPS on behalf of a living person you will need to confirm that you have the authority to act on their behalf. We will send a letter to the person you are acting on behalf of to let them know that their details have been entered on the FPS. If you do not wish this letter to be sent, we will ask for proof that you have power of attorney. Call us on 0300 3033 517 if you wish to do this.

If you are making a request on behalf of someone who has died, we will not send a letter to this person.

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets someone appoint one or more people (known as an attorney) to help them make decisions or to make decisions on their behalf.

You do not need power of attorney to use the FPS. When you use the FPS on behalf of someone else, you will be asked to confirm that you have the authority to act on their behalf and to provide their personal details, as well as your own.

Usually, we will send a letter to the person you are acting on behalf of to let them know that their details have been entered on the FPS. If you do not wish this letter to be sent, call us on 0300 3033 517 so you can provide proof that you have power of attorney.

People living in Scotland can use the FPS to stop communications from charities registered in England, Wales or Northern Ireland that fundraise in Scotland.

For concerns about the fundraising practices of charities registered in Scotland, please contact the Scottish Fundraising Adjudication Panel.

The FPS can stop direct marketing from specified charities. It cannot stop:

  • people who come to your door to fundraise
  • people who are fundraising on the street
  • delivery of charity bags to your address; or
  • mail that does not have your name on it, but instead is addressed to 'a householder'.

This is because this sort of fundraising is not targeting you specifically, charities have simply chosen your area or postcode to fundraise in. See the FPS website FAQs for more information.

The FPS is unable to stop all forms of contact from charities or stop commercial companies from getting in contact with you. 

People who come to your door

The FPS will not stop people who come to your door to fundraise. You may be able to stop some contact by placing a sign on the front door of your house that says, ‘no cold calling’, ‘no charity fundraisers’ or similar. For information on ‘no cold calling zones’ or ‘nominated neighbour schemes’, contact your local authority.

Items delivered to your house

The FPS will not stop the delivery of charity bags, as this sort of fundraising is not addressed to you specifically. If you do not want charity bags, you can display a sign on your front door that says ‘no charity bags’, ‘no clothing bags’ or similar. Also contact the charity directly to ask them to record your address on their ‘no delivery’ list. See our charity bags advice for the public for more information.

You may be able to stop other mailings by placing a sign that says ‘no junk mail’ or similar on your front door. These other services may also be able to help:

  • Mail Preference Service (MPS): a free service which enables you to have your name and home address removed from direct mail lists used by businesses. Visit the MPS website or call 0207 291 3310 for more information.
  • Royal Mail Door to Door opt out: a free service which stops all unaddressed items from being delivered by the Royal Mail. This service does not cover any other unaddressed mail distributors and the Royal Mail is still obliged to deliver all addressed mail, including mail generically addressed ‘to the occupier’ or ‘the homeowner’. Visit the Royal Mail Personal Customers Help Centre or call 0345 266 0858 for more information.
  • Deceased Preference Service: is a free service operated by the Co-op Group. Visit the Deceased Preference Service website or call 0800 068 4433 for more information.

Phone contact

These other services may be able to help you:

  • Telephone Preference Service (TPS): a free service which enables you to join the official register to opt out of unsolicited sales and marketing calls. Visit the TPS website or call 0345 070 0707 for more information.
  • BT Call Protect service: a free service for BT customers to combat nuisance calls. Visit the BT website or dial 0800 328 1572 and follow the instructions.

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