The public can opt to give money to charity at selected cash machines
National Funding Scheme survey shows only 2 per cent of respondents have used 'round-pound' schemes and 7 per cent have donated through text message
The take-up of many new giving technologies remains low, with only 2 per cent of adults taking advantage of ‘round-pound’ schemes to donate, according to a poll by the research company Ipsos Mori.
In May, the company asked 974 adults which methods they had used to make donations to charity. Fifty-nine per cent said they had used collection tins and 31 per cent said they had given through donation boxes at charitable institutions. Only 2 per cent had used ‘round-pound’ schemes, which allow people to round up their bills, with the difference going to charity. The same percentage had donated using digital TV.
Seventeen per cent said they had added voluntary donations to purchases made in shops and 14 per cent had donated through online sponsorship sites.
Seven per cent of respondents said they had donated by text message and 4 per cent said they had used payroll giving, a method the government is keen to promote.
The survey was carried out for the National Funding Scheme, which is due to be launched next spring and will allow people to make digital donations to participating cultural institutions in the UK.
Researchers also found that less than 1 per cent of respondents had so far donated using cash machines.
Only 2 per cent said they would try cash-machine giving. Ten per cent said they would add voluntary donations to purchases from shops.
Sally Panayiotou, head of charities research at Ipsos Mori, said: "It is about changing people’s mindsets. A lot of people don’t think about adding a voluntary donation when buying something in a shop because they are used to seeing collection boxes by the till.
"ATM giving is not something people are used to and they are conscious of wanting to get in and out quickly."
