Vulnerable Person Fundraising Policy

Introduction  

Heart Research UK believes that any interaction with us should be a positive experience, and we aim to ensure that this is the case for all of our existing supporters and any potential new supporters.   

As a charity that receives no statutory funding, we rely on the generosity of the public to fund our vital work. Therefore, the relationship we have with each and every one of our supporters matters to us. This includes, and is particularly important for, supporters who may be more vulnerable.   

Our commitment  

Heart Research UK will abide by the requirements set out in the Fundraising Code of Practice both in general and in relation to guidance on fundraising activities where an individual may be in vulnerable circumstances which may mean they are less able to make an informed decision, or where they lack capacity to make a decision to donate.  

Heart Research UK is compassionate towards its supporters and we will never exploit vulnerability. We will always do everything we can to ensure that supporters are able to make an informed decision about any support they may choose to give to us.  

We will in particular abide by this section of the Fundraising Code of Practice which states :  

 “[Fundraisers] must take into account the needs of any possible donor who may be in vulnerable circumstances or need extra care and support to make an informed decision. 

 “[Fundraisers] must not exploit the trust, lack of knowledge, apparent need for care and support or vulnerable circumstance of any donor at any time.” 

 In addition, we abide by the following guidance :   

• The Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s  guidance document ‘Treating Donors Fairly’  
• The Direct Marketing Association’s white paper ‘Guidelines for call centres dealing with vulnerable consumers’ 

 Our policy  

Taking the Fundraising Code of Practice’s guidelines, when planning fundraising activity or taking a donation we will consider :  

• Any physical or mental health condition the person may have 
• Any disability the person may have 
• Any learning difficulties the person may have 
• Whether the person is facing times of stress or anxiety (for example, following the death of a loved one, or redundancy) 
• Whether a donation is likely to affect the person’s ability to sufficiently care for themselves or leave them in financial hardship 
• How well the person can communicate and understand what they are being told 
• Whether the person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs 
• The person’s age 

 Heart Research UK has an obligation to protect vulnerable people and those in vulnerable circumstances. If we suspect that someone we engage with is lacking in capacity or is in vulnerable circumstances we will call them a ‘vulnerable supporters’ and will take steps to terminate the contact in a way which seeks to : 

•  Protect that person and their dignity 
• Note any desire they have expressed to support Heart Research UK 

 If a fundraiser suspects that a person they are talking to may be vulnerable they will end the conversation immediately. They will do this politely, without: 

•  Making a request for a donation 
• Asking about the individual’s capacity to make a decision or the existence of vulnerable circumstances 

 We acknowledge that it may sometimes be difficult to decide if someone is in vulnerable circumstances or lacking capacity. Our approach will always be to err on the side of caution, balanced against our belief that everyone has the right to donate if they wish to and are able to do so. In cases where a fundraiser is unsure, they must ask their manager for a second opinion and approval to accept any donation.  

 Furthermore,   

•  When dealing with supporters by telephone we follow the guidance provided by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). Specifically, we will only work with telephone fundraising professionals who agree and follow the DMA’s guidelines for call centres dealing with vulnerable consumers (August 2015) 
• We allow supporters or those acting on their behalf to declare vulnerability 
• We will not contact supporters with the aim of asking for an increase in their giving where the supporters’ records on our database indicate a declaration of vulnerability 
• Regardless of whether or not a declaration of vulnerability has been made, we will not accept a donation where we have reason to believe the supporter may be experiencing vulnerable circumstances and that accepting the donation would be ethically wrong and/or harmful to the donor 
• Should a situation arise whereby we become aware that we have unknowingly accepted donations from an individual during a time that they were experiencing vulnerable circumstances, we will endeavour to return all donations accepted during that period 
• Should we receive information regarding a supporter’s vulnerability from a third party, we will not act on any request to alter the supporter’s preferences unless the third party has evidence that they have the authority to act on the supporter’s behalf 
• Should we become aware that a third party agency acting on our behalf has not acted in accordance with this policy, we may stop working with that agency or ask that individuals responsible for non-compliance with this policy be removed from Heart Research UK campaigns or activities 
• Should a supporter declare that they are self-excluded from gambling approaches through the Gambling Commission, we will endeavour to suppress their address from further such approaches  

 If we at any time undertake door-to-door fundraising activity we will not :  

•  Approach households that display a ‘no charities’, ‘no fundraising’ or any other wording that clearly indicates charity fundraising is not welcome 
• Approach households that display a door sticker stating ‘No Cold Calling’ or similar 
• Approach buildings clearly signposted as Sheltered Accommodation, retirement or supported residence
• Fundraise in areas that are clearly signposted as being legitimate ‘Cold Calling Control Zones’ set up according to Trading Standards guidelines 

 Indicators of vulnerability  

Heart Research UK always seeks to ensure that a person is equipped with the appropriate information in order to make an informed decision about giving. The following guidelines help fundraisers to determine if someone may be lacking in capacity or are in vulnerable circumstances.   

• We do not discriminate against a person due to their age 
• We recognise that sometimes it may be necessary to adapt the way we communicate with a donor (such as using braille or a translation service). The need to adapt communications does not necessarily mean that the donor is vulnerable 
• We recognise that each interaction between a supporter or potential supporter and the charity is different, and that it may be difficult to determine vulnerability. However, all fundraisers are required to put the needs of the individual first and assess whether they are able to make an informed decision to donate 

The following may help fundraisers to identify vulnerable supporters: 

• Request for repetition or to speak more slowly 
• Evidence of being confused, eg replying ‘yes’ to a question that requires a more detailed answer, going off on a tangent and talking about irrelevancies 
• Repeating themselves 
• Becoming upset during the conversation
• Taking a long time to answer simple questions or a long time to answer the telephone 
• Explaining that a friend or a relative deals with their finances or personal matters 
• Explaining that there is a language barrier and they do not understand 
• Saying they have no knowledge of Heart Research UK or any donation they have made 
• Asking who they are talking to several times 
• During a telephone interaction, mistaking the caller for someone else despite being told the call is from Heart Research UK 
• Talking about personal issues and asking for advice 
• Explicitly stating that they are or feel vulnerable 
• Heart Research UK expects all fundraisers and other third parties to seek clarification of understanding of any agreement to support or donate if there is any indication that the supporter may be vulnerable. This will usually be by asking them to repeat the details of any agreed gift or support of time 

Fundraisers or other third parties must also seriously consider the following: 

• Whether the supporter is able to understand the discussion they have been having 
• Whether they are able to make an informed decision based on the conversation 
• Whether they know all the facts necessary to make a decision and 
• Whether they are able to communicate their decision regarding a donation 
• A person who states they are vulnerable or where there are indicators of vulnerability will be treated respectfully and will always be given the opportunity to disengage their conversation about Heart Research UK