Regulators urge safer giving to help people impacted by humanitarian crisis in the Middle East
Howard Lake | 17 October 2024 | News
The Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Fundraising Regulator have published advice on how people can help civilians impacted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, urging the public to give through registered charities.
The advice was published on 17 October 2024 as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched a humanitarian appeal to help civilians affected by crises in Gaza and Lebanon. DEC brings together 15 leading registered UK aid charities to raise funds in times of overseas crisis.
The government pledged to match donations received by the DEC appeal up to £10 million, doubling the impact of public generosity.
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Advice from two charity sector regulators
David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said registered charities with experience working in complex and dangerous circumstances across borders are the best organisations to support financially to ensure donations reach civilians in need.
Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Regulator, advised that supporting registered charities with established infrastructure in the region ensures donations reach those who need them.
The regulators advised the public to give safely by donating through the DEC emergency appeal, checking that other charities are registered, looking for the Fundraising Badge, contacting charities directly to understand how they spend funds, and verifying charity names and registration numbers on the Charity Register.
Charities with an annual income of £5,000 or more must be registered in England and Wales. There are separate registers for charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- DEC launches Gaza crisis appeal (22 January 2009)
- Charities launch Israel and Gaza fundraising appeals (13 October 2023)
- Major charities issue urgent statement calling on global leaders to protect northern Gaza (15 October 2024)
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.