Phone donations plummet due to ‘declining popularity of telethons’

Charity donations made via phone paid services fell by more than a quarter over the last year, official figures have revealed.

While £50m in donations were made over the phone in 2021/2022, this total fell 28.1% to £35.9m in 2022/23, according to figures published by the Phone-paid Services Authority.

It says that factors in the decline include a slump in popularity of telethons, the cost-of-living crisis and a reliance on the popular Stand Up to Cancer telethon on Channel 4, which did not run in 2022/23.

We just published the Annual Market Review for 2022/23, some highlights:

✔️UK consumers spent £593.7m on phone-paid services in 2022/23
✔️market is outperforming expectations, with operator billing recording strong growth

Link to full report in replies ⬇️
— Phone-paid Services Authority (@PSAuthorityUK) August 9, 2023

“Donations fell in 2022/2023 primarily because of the bi-annual nature of the Stand Up to Cancer telethon, the declining popularity of telethons overall, and consumers’ reduced discretionary income in light of the cost-of-living crisis,” said the Authority.

Last year’s tally of £35.9m is the lowest total raised via phones over the last six years and significantly down on 2020/21’s peak of £65.8m.

The Authority says that the fundraising total for 2021/22 would likely to 2019/20’s tally of £40.1m if it wasn’t for Stand Up to Cancer and Concert for Ukraine that year.

It said there was a “general year on year decline in telethon viewership and popularity”. This is in line with a decline in mainstream TV viewing post Covid amid increasing use of streaming platforms.

Stand Up to Cancer

While support for telethons overall is declining the Authority highlighted the continued popularity of Stand Up to Cancer’s bi-annual event.

“It is one of the largest telethons in terms of on-the-night donations and has raised an increasing amount of donations each year, with £31.2 million raised in 2021 across payment channels (that is, donations processed via phone-paid mechanisms and other payment methods),” it said.

The Authority added: “The other key contributor to the decline in charity donations via phone-paid services was the increasing pressure on consumers’ disposable income as the cost-of-living crisis continues.”

In 2022/23 the Authority estimates that phone-paid donations excluding televised events totalled £10.6, down on £12.5m the previous year.