Charities Run Out of Money — Just When They Need it Most

There are also growing concerns that the public has become less willing to donate as belts are tightened during times of economic hardship.

Rapidata, which handles more than four million direct debit transactions for the charitable sector, said cancellations of monthly donations "skyrocketed" after the collapse of Northern Rock last summer and that donations have continued to decrease since. Its latest figures reveal that direct debit cancellations in December were 67 per cent higher than the average pre-recession December.