We make it easy for you to make a one-off donation, or give regularly, to your favourite causes. Our FAQs tell you everything you need to know about applying for and managing your giving through a CAF Charity Account.

About the CAF Charity Account

  • What is a CAF Charity Account?
    The CAF Charity Account helps you to put money aside for your charitable giving, and lets you control how and when you choose to support the causes you care about. Either make one-off donations to major emergency appeals or regularly support the causes that are close to your heart. Top-up with small regular contributions or infrequent payments, and the funds will be kept safe until you’re ready to donate.
  • How do I know that my donations are going to valid charities?
    Before we send your donation to an organisation, we check to make sure that it’s charitable. That way you can rest assured that your money will be used to make a difference. Find out how we validate charities.
  • What charges are there for a CAF Charity Account?
    Please refer to the fee schedule.

Opening a CAF Charity Account

  • How long does it take to open a CAF Charity Account?
    It’ll take about five minutes to complete the online application form. Once we've received your application it usually takes around five working days to open your CAF Charity Account. We’ll be in touch if we need any further information.
  • What checks do you carry out before I can open a CAF Charity Account?
    When we process your application for a CAF Charity Account we carry out an electronic check to verify your details, which doesn’t affect your credit rating. In some cases, we may need to contact you for further information.
  • Can I open a joint CAF Charity Account?
    No, in order to make the most of your charitable donations, we can only claim Gift Aid against a single taxpayer's income. However, two people can make donations from one CAF Charity Account - just complete the Additional Signatory section of the application form.

Funding my CAF Charity Account

  • How do I top up my CAF Charity Account?

    You can top-up your balance at any time through:

    • One-off top-ups: top up quickly by logging into your CAF Charity Account, selecting ‘manage funds’ and from the dropdown list click ‘top up with a single payment’.
    • Direct Debit: an easy way to regularly fund your CAF Charity Account. Simply log into your CAF Charity Account, select ‘manage funds’ and ‘top-up with Direct Debit’. We’ll send you a Direct Debit application form to complete.
    • Payroll giving: Fund your CAF Charity Account straight from your salary through CAF Give As You Earn or another payroll giving scheme. Find out more about CAF Give As You Earn.
  • Can CAF refund the money to me once I’ve paid it into my CAF Charity Account?
    No, once a payment is paid into your CAF Charity Account, we’re unable to make any refunds. However, you decide which charities the money is distributed to.
  • Do you apply the interest made to the money in my CAF Charity Account?
    No, the CAF Charity Account is not designed for long-term investment. We ensure that your funds are available for you to use immediately, so any interest accrued is minimal and we’ll keep this to maintain low fees.

    If you’re interested in long-term giving, a CAF Charitable Trust can help you plan your philanthropy. You’ll need to initially fund the account with at least £10,000. For further information about opening a Trust, please contact us on 03000 123 028 (between 9am and 5pm Monday - Friday, except public holidays).

Donating from my CAF Charity Account

  • I'm having problems donating
    We’re always happy to help. You can contact us here or call our Customer Service team on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays).
  • Can I set up a regular payment to the charity of my choice?
    Yes, you can set up regular payments to your favourite charities. Simply log in, choose ‘manage donations’ then ‘maintain standing orders’.
  • Can I amend my standing orders online?
    Yes, simply log into your account and select 'manage donations' and then select 'maintain standing orders' where you will be able to view, update and delete your existing standing orders. If you wish to change the frequency or payment date of your donation, you will need to cancel the original standing order and set up a new one.
  • How do I cancel a standing order?
    Log into your account and select 'manage donations' and then select 'maintain standing orders' where you will be able to view, update and delete your existing standing orders.
  • Can I use funds from my CAF Charity Account to pay for goods and service?
    No, you can only use the funds from your CAF Charity Account for charitable purposes. This means that you cannot use these funds for any personal benefit, including goods and services.
  • Can I use funds in my CAF Charity Account to bid for items at a charity auction?
    Vouchers cannot be used to pay for an item won at an auction. However once you have paid for your item by cash or other means you can use your voucher to make a separate donation if you wish.
  • Can I use my CAF Charity Account to sponsor friends or family?
    If you want to sponsor someone, you can make a donation directly to the charity and add details of who you’re sponsoring in the ‘Special instructions’ field.
  • Why can’t I see the donation I just completed?
    If there aren’t enough funds in your account to pay the donation, then we’ll be unable to honour the request until sufficient funds are available. You can top-up by logging in and selecting the 'manage funds' option.

    Once there are sufficient funds in your account, the donation will be paid automatically. Any donations that remain unpaid after 60 days will be cancelled.
  • My charity says they haven’t received my donation
    Please ask your charity to contact us on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays).
  • Can I donate overseas?
    Yes, find out more from our donate overseas page.
  • I live overseas and am trying to donate to a UK appeal, but my address isn’t recognised
    If you don’t have a UK address, please enter your address manually when you make a donation.
  • Can I donate more than the balance of my CAF Charity Account?
    We can only make donations with the money available in your CAF Charity Account at the time the donation is requested, or a CAF Voucher is processed. If there are insufficient funds, we’ll continue to try and make the donation from the account for up to 60 days. Once the balance of your account is large enough, the donation will be paid automatically. Any donations that remain unpaid after 60 days will be automatically cancelled.

Managing my CAF Charity Account online

  • How do I register my CAF Charity Account online?
    You can register your CAF Charity Account online here. Please note that you’ll need your 8 digit CAF Charity Account number and your memorable word, which you should already have recorded with us. If you are unsure of this, please call our Customer Service team on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays).
  • I have more than one account – can I manage them all online?
    Yes, it's easy to manage all of your CAF Charity Accounts online; just make sure that you have requested to manage each account online. When you next log into the site, you’ll be presented with a list of your accounts and asked which one you’d like to manage. Please call our Customer Service team on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays) if you need any help.
  • Where can I log into my account?
    You can find the 'log in' option in the top-right corner of each page on our website.
  • Why can't I log in?
    Your password or username may not match our records; you can reset your password here. If you can't remember your username or you are still unable to log in please call our Customer Service team on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays).
  • How do I reset my password?
    You can reset your password here. You’ll need your username. If you don't have a memorable word or can’t remember it please call our Customer Service team on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays).
  • How do I update my details?
    You can update your details online by logging into your account and clicking on 'my profile'. If you’d like to request a change of name, please put this in writing with a copy of your change of name documents (eg your marriage certificate).
  • I’ve changed my email address, can I update my username?
  • Why can't I download my statements?
    Our statement downloads are set up to work with the latest versions of most browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome. If you need any help, please call us on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays).
  • Why can’t I see the Gift Aid on my donation?
    We send a report to HMRC each week detailing Gift Aid claims. It can take 6 to 8 weeks for us to receive these funds. Once we’ve received them, we’ll add the Gift Aid to your account.

Contacting us about your CAF Charity Account

  • What are the Customer Service opening hours?
    You can call our Customer Service team by phone on 03000 123 000 or by email between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays.
  • How do I opt out of receiving e-newsletters about my CAF Charity Account?
    You can change your preferences by logging in to your CAF Charity Account and updating your preferences, clicking on the ‘Unsubscribe’ link on any marketing emails you receive from us or by calling our Customer Service team on 03000 123 000 (between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday, except public holidays).

Closing a CAF Charity Account

  • How do I close my account?
    Sorry that you’re thinking about closing your CAF Charity Account.

    Please confirm to us in writing that you wish to close your account, stating your full name and account number, at charityaccounts@cafonline.org
  • How do I report the death of a CAF Charity Account customer?
    Please email or post the original death certificate to us at:

    Charities Aid Foundation, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, Kent ME19 4TA or email charityaccounts@cafonline.org

    We’ll contact you with details of what to do next.
  • How do I register a lasting power of attorney for a CAF Charity Account customer?

    Please send us details of your name, address and date of birth, along with evidence that you’re entitled to act for the account holder.

Our team

Our Customer Service team is here to help you with any questions you may have about the CAF Charity Account.

Phone
03000 123 000
(Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, except bank holidays)