Frequently asked questions

Can I send you my CV?

Unfortunately, we’re not able to accept applications to work at Tearfund based on a CV alone. You’re very welcome to have a look at our jobs page and see if there is a vacancy that interests you. If you don’t find anything suitable at the moment, you can register your interest by signing up for job alerts in the future.

Can I do work experience at Tearfund?

We can occasionally organise work experience placements. To explore the possibility, please contact our recruitment team recruitment@tearfund.org with a copy of your CV and a short message telling us a little about yourself and what you would like to do for us. We would love to know if there are issues or areas of Tearfund’s work that are of particular interest.

Do Tearfund run an internship or graduate scheme?

Our internship schemes run from September until May/June of the following year with placement opportunities available in specific teams across the organisation. There are opportunities in a number of different areas, focusing on both international and UK-based aspects of our work. We recruit for interns between May and August each year and you’ll find full details on our website during this period. However, do also register your interest via our jobs page to receive email alerts whenever we post new vacancies online.

Can I volunteer overseas?

We run a variety of different overseas placements, ranging from two weeks to six months. You can find out more about the different opportunities by visiting our Global Volunteering webpage.

If you have any questions about the trips, or about your eligibility, please do contact our team on go@tearfund.org, and they’ll be happy to help.

Can I apply for funding from Tearfund?

Unfortunately, due to limitations on Tearfund’s resources, we are presently focusing on building the capacity of our current partners. We are, therefore, not currently able to accept applications for organisational or individual funding. We are also unable to give details of any other sources of funding at present.

Although unable to help with funding, we do like to share our information and experience with those who are interested in development issues around the world. You can view and download all of our development resources by visiting Tearfund Learn.

I’m doing some research – can you help?

As we receive a number of requests for assistance as part of research projects, we are unfortunately not always able to provide individual assistance. However, you might find Tearfund Learn a great place to start. Here we share our learning from more than 45 years of involvement in development work worldwide.

Can I donate items such as clothing and blankets?

We have found that it is best to get supplies either in-country or from neighbouring countries, rather than accepting gifts in kind. This saves us a lot of time and money because we don’t have to collect, pack, or ship the required items. It also means that we can provide culturally-appropriate supplies. We prefer, therefore, to offer financial help to our partners so they can purchase supplies themselves – this also supports the local economy.

I’ve seen that you’re responding to a recent disaster – how can I help?

Thank you for wanting to help. You can be involved by making a financial gift towards the current emergencies we are responding to, which are listed on our giving page.

You can also help by praying for our partners who are working in these areas.

It is possible to give more generally towards our disaster response work, which enables us to store up essential supplies and also build the capacity of our partners. This means we can respond instantly or even before a disaster hits. The rapid onset of disaster situations means it is often difficult to predict and respond to the needs which arise. By giving to this area of our work, you’re helping us to respond swiftly and save lives when disaster strikes.

We do not send out volunteers to aid with these situations, but instead, aim to support our partners already based in the area. In the midst of such terrible situations, we would not wish to exacerbate the challenges facing those undertaking reconstruction work – lack of available accommodation, electricity, water and sanitation – by sending out volunteers.

How do you decide ‘where the need is greatest’?

We decide which countries to work in using internationally recognised indicators of poverty to inform our choices. To find out more about the countries where our partners are meeting material and spiritual needs, visit our About page.

We understand that there are many needs across the world and many places where people are still living in poverty. Tearfund has to make some very hard decisions about how to use the limited financial resources that are entrusted to us and it is not possible for us to support every country.

I have received an email from Tearfund asking for my bank details - is this genuine?

We will never ask you to send us your bank account details by email. Any email from Tearfund asking for financial support for our work will take you to our website beginning with https://www.tearfund.org. Any page on our website which asks for your bank account or card details will be secure - your web browser should show that the page is secure, often by showing a padlock or green “Secure”. If you have any questions at all or if you are in any way concerned about whether a communication from us is genuine, then please call our Supporter Care team on 020 3906 3906 and we will be happy to help you.

I’ve received a call from Tearfund – is it genuine?

We do like to call our supporters from time to time, primarily to keep them up to date with what we’re doing and to thank them for their support. We occasionally do take the opportunity to ask whether they would consider increasing their support of our work. If the supporter would like to make a donation, or to set up a regular gift, then it will be necessary for the caller to ask for your bank details. If you are concerned/feel that the call may not be genuine, or you’re uncomfortable with providing this information over the phone, please do call our Supporter Care team on 020 3906 3906, and they will be more than happy to help. If you’d prefer that we don’t contact you by phone going forward, then please notify us by calling the the Supporter Care team, or emailing info@tearfund.org.

Our calling lists are screened against the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). We do not call anyone who has signed up to TPS, unless they have previously provided consent to use that number for marketing purposes.

How often will you contact by post or email?

We try to ensure that all our correspondence is tailored to your requests, so the type and number of mailings you receive depends on what you have requested or agreed to. Our magazine, Tear Times, is sent out three times a year, and our mailings regarding emergencies and disasters are sent out as and when there is a crisis. If you would like to change the type or number of mailings/emails you receive, you can call us on 0020 3906 3906 or email info@tearfund.org – we would be more than happy to help!

Why haven’t I received a Created Gifts catalogue?

After nearly 40 years of pioneering sales of fairly traded products Created Gifts, previously known as Tearcraft, drew trading to a close in 2014. Since 1975, when the business was launched, we have seen consumer awareness grow with fair trade items now available on the UK high street. We're very proud of the part we had to play in this.

Can I contact you on behalf of someone else?

You are welcome to contact us on behalf of someone who has asked you to do so. There are some changes that we’re able to make without hearing directly from the supporter themself; for instance we can amend the frequency of news and appeals that we send. However we’re not able to make changes to an individual’s giving, or share any of their financial information or history, without speaking to the supporter themself (even if it’s just for them to say that they’re happy for us to talk to you about it) or unless we see a Power of Attorney document.

I have Power of Attorney for one of your supporters

If you are the Power of Attorney for one of our supporters, please do let us know by sending us written evidence of the Power of Attorney; this can be a scan or email version. When we receive this information we can record it on the supporter’s record to ensure that you’re free to make any necessary changes to their records in future.

How can I give a gift to Tearfund?

The Giving section of our website gives information on how you can make a secure donation online or set up a regular Direct Debit to Tearfund. Please note: giving online reduces our processing costs by 25 per cent compared with a phone or postal donation.

To give by credit or debit card over the phone please call Supporter Enquiries on 020 3906 3906.

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, most of our staff are working from home at the moment, in accordance with current government guidelines. We are so thankful for your continued support and would encourage you to give via the website or by phone wherever possible. If you give by cheque, CAF or Stewardship voucher, there may be a delay in banking and acknowledging your donation. Please accept our apologies for this.

We can take gifts from Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and CAF cards. Gifts from Maestro and CAF cards can be made over the telephone only. You can also give to Tearfund using the CAF website. We are unable to accept American Express, Diners Club, Solo or Visa Electron cards. For security reasons please do not send your credit/debit card details by e-mail.

Giving by Maestro card

We are not able to take payments using a Maestro card online currently.

You can give by Maestro card by calling us on 020 3906 3906, Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm

How do I set up a Direct Debit to Tearfund?

By giving through World of Difference your money goes to projects that are supporting people where the need is greatest. All our projects help empower people to lift themselves out of poverty, whether that is giving them access to clean water and safe sanitation or helping children to overcome malnutrition. Your gift will transform lives.

What are Tearfund's bank details?

It is most cost-effective for Tearfund if you are able to give via the website. However if you are making a one-off gift to Tearfund by bank transfer, please remember to quote your Tearfund supporter number when making the gift, so that we can identify your gift and ensure it is allocated correctly to your record. Please do contact us (020 3906 3906, info@tearfund.org) if you need to know your Tearfund supporter number.

If you are setting up a Standing Order to Tearfund we would be very grateful if you could contact us first (020 3906 3906, info@tearfund.org), to ensure that we have your bank details, and a reference number to quote to your bank with each Standing Order payment. This will help us greatly in identifying your gifts, and allocating them correctly to your record. Otherwise it is likely that the gifts will come to us anonymously, meaning that we cannot reclaim tax on the donations, we would not be able to thank you for them and we would not be able to trace the gifts should a query arise.

Tearfund's account details are:

Main Bank account - Sterling £
Account number: 5380 3058
Sort code: 20-00-00
Account name: Tearfund
Address: Barclays Bank, 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP
IBAN No: GB65BARC 2000 0053 8030 58

For supporters in the USA, or in a country using the Euro, please refer to the separate accounts below

Account for gifts in US$ only
Barclays Bank
1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP
Account Name: Tearfund
Account No: 65468955
Swift Code: BARCGB22
IBAN No: GB22BARC 2000 0065 4689 55

Account for gifts in Euros only
Barclays Bank
1 Churchill Place, London. E14 5HP
Account Name: Tearfund
Account No: 84014388
Swift Code: BARCGB22
IBAN: GB38BARC 2000 0084 0143 88

Can I print out a general giving form?

If you need to print out a giving form, it can be downloaded here.

Can I give a gift anonymously?

We are very grateful for any gifts we receive but we would ask supporters to give their name and postal address. If gifts are given anonymously we are unable to trace the gift in case of a subsequent query about the gift, and we are unable to claim Gift Aid if we cannot identify the supporter who has given the gift.

If you are concerned that giving your name and address will result in lots of unwanted mailings, please be assured that we will not give your details to any other organisations. If you do not wish to receive any mailings from Tearfund, please do let us know.

Can I print out a direct debit form for Tearfund?

Your support is vital in helping the millions of people all over the world who are living in poverty without sufficient food, water or adequate sanitation. Help meet those needs where they are most severe.

You can set up a Direct Debit online at www.tearfund.org/giving, or by calling us on 020 3906 3906, but if you would prefer to download a form, you can do so here.

Please send the completed form to Tearfund, 100 Church Road, Teddington, TW11 8QE.

Can I support children overseas through Tearfund?

In 1999 we discontinued our child sponsorship scheme and developed a new programme called Children at Risk.

By making donations to Children at Risk, you can support a variety of projects designed to help children who cannot be reached through a sponsorship programme - children who live in countries torn apart by war, street children, children who have suffered abuse, orphans, and children abandoned by their parents. Unstable environments and extreme deprivation make it very difficult to help children like these - but it's certainly not impossible.

Give to Children at Risk

Alternatively, you can phone our Supporter Enquiries Team on 020 3906 3906.

Debit or Credit card...Which is the most cost effective for Tearfund?

If you're giving a gift of £18 and over, processing costs are cheaper with a debit card. A credit card donation works out more cost effective for gifts of less than £18.

The current costs associated with processing gifts are as follows:
(as of 11th Nov 2016)
Debit cards: 25p per transaction
Visa and MasterCard credit cards: 1.5% of each transaction
PayPal: 1.4% of each transaction & a 20p donation fee

This means, for example, that a gift of £100 made by Debit cards incur a 25p fee and Visa/MasterCard credit cards incur a £1.50 fee. For donations given via the website there is an additional 15p charge on top of the figures quoted above.

How can I arrange for gifts for Tearfund to be made in memory of a friend or relative?

Gifts in memory can be sent to Tearfund, either individually, or collected as a group, or you may wish to check if the funeral director can provide this service. It would be very helpful if a short covering note accompanied any letter, stating that the gift is given in memory, and giving the name and address (or just the name and the village/town) of the deceased.

A letter will be sent to the next of kin to acknowledge receipt of these gifts.

We will send an acknowledgement letter to anyone who gives a gift in memory. However please be assured that the names and addresses of anyone who gives a gift in memory of a friend or relative will not be added to our mailing list, and we will not give these details to any other organisations.

Find out more about leaving a legacy to Tearfund

Can I use my birthday/wedding/anniversary to raise money for Tearfund?

Whatever your special occasion may be, you can use it to help transform the lives of people living in poverty by encouraging your friends and family to make a donation instead of buying gifts.

Birthdays - Simply visit our Birthday web page and pledge your birthday. Then, when your big day is approaching, we’ll get in touch to help get your JustGiving page up and running so you can start fundraising. For those hosting birthday parties or other special celebrations, we have a number of resources that you can order online to help you fundraise at your event.

Weddings and Anniversaries - If you would like to use your special day to raise money for Tearfund, please contact teamtearfund@tearfund.org to arrange a call back. We have a number of resources you may like to use at your wedding and we’d love to support you in whatever way we can.

How do my friends and family donate to Tearfund instead giving presents for my birthday/wedding?

The easiest way of doing this is to set up a JustGiving page for your friends and family to donate to. We have resources to help you promote your JustGiving page to your friends and family. By fundraising in this way, Tearfund will be sent the money automatically and we will know it’s from your event. If you pledge your birthday or sign up to fundraise through your wedding here, we will help create your JustGiving page.

If you would prefer to fundraise offline, you can collect the money from your friends and send a cheque to Tearfund with a letter explaining that it is from your birthday/wedding.

To save on admin time and costs, it would be helpful if we received all the proceeds from you directly. If, however, your friends and family are sending in cheques for the event themselves, it would be very helpful if they could include a short covering note, stating that the gift is given in lieu of wedding/birthday presents, as well as stating your name, address and your supporter number (we can provide you with this).

If your friends and family would like to donate via our website, they can follow these steps:

• click ‘donate now’ on our website
• under ‘I want to give to’, select “where the need is greatest”
• under “this gift is”, select ‘this gift is in lieu of a wedding/birthday etc…’
• fill in the box that tells us who the celebrator is (the name of the person asking for donations instead of presents)
• then proceed with the payment

We hope that you understand that it is not always possible to link every gift that comes in on your behalf. This is because we may not have received sufficient information to link the gift to you. To help us link as many gifts as possible, please encourage your friends and family to complete the form on our website as fully as possible.

How can I give from outside the UK?

You can make a credit card gift to Tearfund on our website or over the phone on 00 44 (0)20 8977 9144 during UK office hours (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday). We can take gifts from Visa or MasterCard. Gifts from CAF cards can be made over the telephone only. We are unable to accept American Express or Diners Club cards. For security reasons please do not send your credit/debit card details by e-mail.

Can I give from the USA?

Yes, you can!

You can do this by giving to the work of Tearfund USA.

Tearfund USA is a registered US 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with EIN 83-1116586. Please go to Tearfund USA's website to donate.

How can I make a gift to an emergency appeal?

Details of how to give to any current emergency appeal will be found in the Giving Zone. You can give on our website or by calling us on 020 3906 3906.

How do I amend my existing Direct Debit to Tearfund?

You can amend an existing Direct Debit via our online giving forms. Go to www.tearfund.org/give and select your current Direct Debit fund that you would like to amend from the dropdown list under 'I want to give to'. Then select 'Regularly' and 'Pay by Direct Debit'. Complete the first page of the form with your details and select 'Next'. In the 'Direct Debit Instruction' section, under 'Direct Debit instruction is' select 'Add to existing' or 'Replace existing' depending on how you want to amend your Direct Debit. Then complete the rest of the details and submit the form.

Alternatively you can call us on 020 3906 3906 during office hours, or e-mail giving@tearfund.org with the details you wish to be amended.

We will send you a confirmation of the Direct Debit so that you can check all the amended details are correct.

I do not have a bank account or credit card. How can I give a gift to Tearfund?

You can give to Tearfund by sending a postal order to: Tearfund, 100 Church Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 8QE Alternatively you may wish to ask a friend/relative to make out a cheque on your behalf, or enquire if your church has a Tearfund representative.

We are very grateful for any gifts we receive but we would not encourage supporters to send gifts of cash in the post because of the possibility of the gifts going missing.

I am doing a sponsored event for Tearfund. Is there a website that can help me in collecting donations?

You can set up a fundraising page on the JustGiving website where people can support your sponsored event. Gift Aid can also be claimed on gifts made through this site.

Fundraising resources

Sponsorship forms

What do I do if I want my money to go to a specific area/project?

Simply include a note with your gift specifying the area of Tearfund's work that you would like to support.

Alternatively, if you would like to give by phone you can tell us then.

Tearfund encourages supporters to give as flexibly as possible. You can do this by giving to our ‘Where the need is greatest’ general fund – or through our regular giving programme which is divided into four themes:

Children at risk
Water and sanitation
HIV/AIDS
Disaster response

Each theme supports a number of programmes working in related fields. This cuts administrative costs and allows us to direct supporters’ money to the areas of most need.
However, we also recognise the importance of informing you about individual partners' work and we do have a limited range of larger programmes that can receive specific gifts. For further details, please call the Supporter Enquiries team on 020 3906 3906.

If you don't think your money has gone to the right fund.

Please contact us immediately if:

• we inform you that the money you donated is directed to a fund that you did not specify or,
• you would like the money to go to a particular fund, but have not previously specified which one. ​​Notify us of your preference within 21 days of our acknowledgement and we will make sure the money goes to the fund of your choice.

Why does Tearfund encourage supporters to give by Direct Debit?

If you are able to give on a regular basis, we greatly appreciate supporters setting up a Direct Debit. It’s straightforward and convenient for you and it reduces the costs we have in processing gifts, and ensures that a higher percentage of your donations are spent on helping the poor. Regular giving enables us to plan effectively, and faithfully support our local partners, all year round, as we commit to long term visions.

Please go to the Giving Zone to set up a Direct Debit.

What is Gift Aid?

The Gift Aid system allows Tearfund to reclaim the tax on a gift from a UK taxpayer, and add it to the value of the gift. If you make a Gift Aid declaration to Tearfund, we can reclaim the tax on every gift you make while you are a UK taxpayer.

How do I make a Gift Aid Declaration to Tearfund?

You can make a Gift Aid declaration to Tearfund if you are a UK taxpayer by completing the Gift Aid section when making a gift online or setting up a Direct Debit​, using our online form or by printing and sending us a completed paper form.

Alternatively you can make a Gift Aid declaration over the phone by calling us on 020 3906 3906, or by contacting us for a form (020 3906 3906; giving@tearfund.org).

The declaration covers all your gifts to Tearfund in the future, while you remain a UK taxpayer. The declaration also covers any gifts you have made to Tearfund in the last four years, provided that you have been a UK taxpayer throughout that period.

Can you reclaim tax on all my gifts?

In order for the tax to be reclaimed, the gift must come from a source of income that has been taxed by income tax or capital gains tax. Other taxes such as VAT and Council tax do not count. Gift aid cannot be claimed by a charity where inheritance tax has been paid.

Gift Aid cannot also be reclaimed on the following:

• donations from a church, school, company or other organisation
• proceeds from the sale of goods or services (e.g. Big Bake or other bake sale, a coffee morning, a craft sale, an auction or ebay sales)
• collections uplifted at an event and paid to the charity as a single amount from an individual
• sponsorship money collected and paid to the charity as a single amount UNLESS it is accompanied by a sponsorship form, or on an online platform where the individual's details Gift Aid status is clearly marked (please note full addresses including postcodes of individuals are needed to claim Gift Aid)
• money collected from multiple individuals in a collection box and donated as single amount from an individual
• donations resulting from the sale of a ticket to an event.

Can Tearfund reclaim tax from my business account?

If you are operating your business as a Sole Trader or a Partnership, tax can be reclaimed on gifts from business accounts through the Gift Aid scheme, by completing a Gift Aid declaration.

Tax on charitable donations from other business accounts can be reclaimed through corporation tax, on a business tax return.

I am not in regular employment. Do I pay enough tax to cover Gift Aid?

Tearfund can still reclaim the tax if you pay tax at the lower rate, or are not in regular employment. Provided that we do not claim more back in tax, in any financial year, than you have paid to HMRC in tax, then we can make the claim.

For Tearfund to reclaim Gift Aid, is there a minimum amount that I have to give? Do I have to commit to making regular gifts?

Unlike previous Gift Aid systems (before April 2000) there is no minimum amount, no restriction over where the gift can be used, and there is no need to commit to a set amount of giving over a specific period. Unlike other countries, Gift Aid is claimed by the charity, and not by the supporter.

How much Gift Aid is reclaimed?

In simple terms it is an extra 25% on top of the gift you donated.

For example, if you are a UK tax payer and give Tearfund a gift of £100, we will be able to reclaim an extra £25 back.

I am organising a collection for Tearfund in my church/group. Can tax be reclaimed on the gift from a group?

If you are having a collection in a church/group, the easiest way of ensuring that gifts are Gift-aided is by using Gift-aid envelopes, where a gift aid declaration can be made and the amount of the gift and the identity of the supporter given, all on a single form.

Please do contact us (020 3906 3906, info@tearfund.org) if you require Gift Aid envelopes or you can order them on our website.

I pay tax, but not UK tax. Can you reclaim the tax on my gifts to Tearfund?

Tearfund are only able to reclaim tax from the UK government and the States of Jersey. If you are a supporter from Jersey, please do contact us (020 3906 3906, giving@tearfund.org) for details on a Jersey Deed of Covenant.

Many countries operate a Gift Aid scheme where tax on charitable donations is repaid to the supporter, rather than the charity. Therefore you may be able to reclaim the tax on your donations, and we would of course be extremely grateful if you chose to send that reclaim tax to Tearfund. However, this is not something we can facilitate.

I pay tax at the Higher Rate. Can Tearfund reclaim all the tax on my gifts?

Tearfund can only reclaim tax at the basic rate for all supporters. For Higher rate taxpayer, there is a section on your tax return where you can reclaim the extra tax on your charitable donations, and specify the charity(ies) that you would like this extra tax sent to.

We are giving from a joint account. I am a taxpayer but my spouse is not. Can Tearfund still reclaim the tax?

Tax can be claimed on gifts from a joint account, where one of the couple is a taxpayer and the other is not. If the gift is coming from a joint bank account, only one gift aid declaration (from a/the tax-payer) is needed to reclaim the tax. If the gift is made by cheque, it can be signed by either partner (it does not need to be signed by the taxpayer).

I have recently stopped paying UK tax. What do I need to do to stop my Gift Aid declaration?

Please contact us (020 3906 3906, giving@tearfund.org) with your name, address and the date of when you stopped paying UK tax. We will cancel the Gift Aid declaration and ensure no further tax is reclaimed on your gifts.

Can you reclaim Gift Aid on my fundraising?

Gift Aid cannot be reclaimed on the following:

• donations from a church, school, company or other organisation
• proceeds from the sale of goods or services (e.g. Big Bake or other bake sale, a coffee morning, a craft sale, an auction or ebay sales)
• collections uplifted at an event and paid to the charity as a single amount from an individual
• sponsorship money collected and paid to the charity as a single amount UNLESS it is accompanied by a sponsorship form, or on an online platform where the individual's details Gift Aid status is clearly marked (please note full addresses including postcodes of individuals are needed to claim Gift Aid)
• money collected from multiple individuals in a collection box and donated as single amount from an individual
• donations resulting from the sale of a ticket to an event.