Yesterday a working group outlined the key proposals for the Fundraising Preference Service. We summarise the main recommendations here.
The full report of the Fundraising Preference Service working group was published yesterday, and a consultation on its proposals will take place until the end of March. The six key recommendations are below.
Scope
"We propose that the FPS should apply to fundraising communications - communications carried on for gain and wholly or primarily engaged in soliciting or otherwise procuring money.
"Accordingly, registration with the FPS should not prevent other forms of communication."
Channels
"The FPS should enable individuals to manage their contacts, and should therefore not generally apply on a household basis.
"We propose that the FPS should apply to the following channels.
- Addressed mail
- Telephone, including mobile
"We propose that the ‘reset’ option should necessarily relate to all channels of communication, as it requires ‘no further contact’ after registration. It will be for the Fundraising Regulator to decide whether any exceptions are to be made on operational grounds."
User choice
"The FPS must provide users with the ‘reset’ option if they wish simply to end all fundraising communications. However it should also give users the option of listing organisations from which they wish to continue receiving fundraising communications.
"Individuals have the ability at any point thereafter to override this registration of their preferences by taking action to engage or re-engage with charities and, in so doing, giving the charities a renewed consent to send fundraising communications."
Duration
"We are not proposing that FPS registration should be time-limited but believe the Fundraising Regulator must keep the service and the quality of the data under review in light of regulatory and other changes.
"We propose that the FPS should provide users with the ability to amend their FPS registration, to ensure their contact details and preferences are up to date."
Application
"We do not propose to exempt particular types of organisation or fundraising from the FPS.
"However for practical reasons, we propose that fundraising organisations with an income below £1m should not be required to check their fundraising campaigns against the FPS."
Vulnerable people
"We propose that an individual with a duty of care or family member should be able to register someone on the FPS if they believe this is necessary given that person’s potential vulnerability and lack of ability to manage fundraising communications."
How the preference service will look
NCVO also published a diagram explaining how users will make their way through the FPS. Only in certain cases, such as if an individual is vulnerable, will the FPS allow no contact.
See below for more details.
