Giving safely

How to check a charity before you hand anything over.

Most giving goes exactly where it should. The checks below are for the small share that does not, and none of them take more than a few minutes. They apply wherever you give — including somewhere that is not us.

• Ask for the registration

  A legitimate organisation gives you its registration number without being pressed, and does not treat the question as an insult.

• Ask where this item goes

  Which programme, which people, roughly when. A specific answer is a good sign; a vague one is worth pausing on.

• Get proof it arrived

  Not proof you sent it — proof it was received, ideally something you did not write yourself.

• Be wary of urgency

  Pressure to decide immediately is common in donation scams and rare in real need, which is usually patient because it is ongoing.

Already know what you want to give? See verified needs near you