British Charities Back Tough Fundraising Rules to Protect Vulnerable Donors

Britain’s top charities have pledged support for proposed tough new rules aimed at preventing the use of aggressive fundraising techniques to target vulnerable and elderly donors after a series of scandals over the summer.

Leaders of 17 charities including Oxfam, the RSPCA, Save the Children, the RNLI, the NSPCC and Cancer Research UK have signed a letter to the Sunday Times backing regulatory measures to prevent the harassment and exploitation of donors, including powers to investigate charity fundraisers and fine them if they break the rules.

Several well-known charities were implicated in a series of reports over the past three months revealing their links to private fundraising firms that used high-pressure tactics to squeeze cash out of elderly donors.