FAQs

UK for UNHCR is currently running a fundraising campaign over the phone in partnership with Angel. You may have been called by the Angel team on 0203 455 7233 as we would like to share an update with you on UNHCR’s work on the ground. With the number of displaced people in the world continuing to rise, we are ramping up our fundraising efforts and we believe you may be interested in setting up or increasing your monthly donation to help provide life-saving emergency payments to displaced families so that they can buy food, fuel, and warm clothes to keep warm and survive this winter.

If you would like to opt out of phone communications you can contact our Supporter Care Team by calling 0800 029 3883, emailing [email protected] or writing to UK for UNHCR, 126 Fairlie Road, Slough, SL1 4PY.

Please click here to make a donation to help UNHCR deliver humanitarian relief to those in need. Thank you so much for donating.  

You can set up a monthly Direct Debit by clicking here. Thank you so much for supporting refugees. 

Thank you for supporting our work.  Please rest assured that any existing monthly payments with UNHCR will continue to go where they have always gone: to support the vital, life-saving work that we do around the world. However, with any existing monthly payments to UNHCR, we cannot claim Gift Aid (even if you are eligible) and we cannot offer the Direct Debit Guarantee.  

As UK for UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency’s official charity in the UK), you can now set up Direct Debit payments with us and if you are eligible, we can claim Gift Aid so that means an extra 25% on top of your monthly donation, at no extra cost to you! If you would like to cancel your existing payment, please contact our Supporter Care Team via email on [email protected] or call us on 020 3761 8094, Monday – Friday between 9am and 5pm. 

You can make a one–off donation or set up a Direct Debit over the phone by calling us on 0800 029 3883. Our team is ready to help, available Monday – Saturday between 8am and 8pm or Sunday between 9am and 6pm. 

You can get our bank details by contacting us on [email protected]

If you would like to donate via post, you can send a cheque payable to UK for UNHCR and post it to “Freepost UK for UNHCR” (this can be handwritten on envelopes and no address or stamp is required).  

You may also see the following address printed on our reply envelopes: Freepost Plus RUEX-ETZU-AJCT, UK for UNHCR, 126 Fairlie Road, Slough, SL1 4PY. This can also be handwritten onto a blank envelope if preferred (no stamp required).  

Please make a note of which appeal you would like this to go towards. If you don’t have a preference, you can give a general donation to support displaced families wherever the need is greatest. If you could please bear with us as processing times might be slightly delayed during this period.

We have now moved to a new address but you can continue to send donations to our UK for UNHCR Fundraising office, our new address is as follows: United Kingdom for UNHCR, WeWork, 1 Mark Square, London EC2A 4EG (a stamp and the full address required for donations sent here.)

The UNHCR branch office (located at 10 Furnival St, Holborn, London EC4A 1AB) is not able to process donations, we would strongly recommend that you do not post any donations to this address.

Our current premises are generously provided free of charge by WeWork, a UK for UNHCR partner, as part of a refugee initiative that aims to bring together companies and refugees in a collective effort to expand opportunities and build a brighter future for all. 

Yes you can donate via CAF Online or you can send a CAF charity cheque to: UK for UNHCR, WeWork, 1 Mark Square, London, EC2A 4EG 

Yes. Please email supportercare@unrefugees.org.uk with the details of your donation and we will assist you as best we can.  

We always ask our supporters to first consider making a general donation to UK for UNHCR as your gift can then go towards funding our vital, lifesaving operations all around the world, and we can direct your donation to the most vulnerable people as new emergencies arise. Situations where people have run for their lives can change very quickly, and UNHCR has to juggle its operational and finite financial resources to ensure that we get to everyone who needs our help as quickly as possible.  

However, you can make donations to specific UK for UNHCR appeals for certain regions, like our Syria appeal or our Yemen appeal. For more information about donating to our appeals, please email us at supportercare@unrefugees.org.uk. 

Your donation will be used to help find lasting solutions for refugees, whether it’s helping them return home or settle in other countries. Your gift(s) will provide lifesaving aid to some of the most vulnerable families, forced to flee their homes, in the form of shelter, health care and nutrition, income generation, water and sanitation, education, legal assistance and protection.  

All programmes are intended to mitigate the harsh circumstances in which refugees find themselves and to create opportunities to re-establish their lives. Special focus is given to the most vulnerable, especially women, children, older people and those living with disabilities. Your donation could go towards funding any of these vital activities. 

We can confidently say that every donation is treated with the utmost diligence and care. We are passionate about transparency with our donors and will publish the annual reports for UK for UNHCR on the website as well as submit them to the Charity Commission. Our 2022 Annual Report is now available to download.

In 2022 we sent 77% of fundraised income to fund UNHCR’s work, with the remainder being invested back into fundraising (to generate more donations to help displaced communities) and part being used to fund the essential running costs of the charity.

UK for UNHCR is committed to treating new and existing supporters fairly and appropriately, this is especially important when supporters are experiencing vulnerable circumstances.  If you would like to inform us of any updates or change the way UK for UNHCR communicates with someone in a vulnerable circumstance, please feel free to contact our Supporter Care Team. 

They are available via phone on 0203 761 8094, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, or you can email the team at [email protected]   

Please note that if you are contacting us regarding an individual who you believe or know to be in a vulnerable circumstance, we may ask to see documentation in order to carry out further action on that individual’s behalf (dependant on the request made.)   

We think it’s important to have a vulnerable people policy as part of our charity’s commitment to honest, fair and ethical fundraising. This policy outlines how we identify potential vulnerabilities, the measures we have in place to protect supporters in these circumstances and the actions we will take. 

This policy also applies to all staff, volunteers, trustees and anyone acting on behalf of or in partnership with UK for UNHCR. To view this policy, please visit. 

UK for UNHCR welcomes feedback (good and bad) from our donors, stakeholders and staff as a key mechanism to learn and improve the work we do.  

The complaints process is integral as it helps us to see where there is room for improvement and means we can develop and grow as an organisation. We will take all complaints seriously and deal with them as quickly, fairly and efficiently as we can irrespective of how they are made, who they are made by and what they are regarding. 

To view this policy, please visit. 

Working together, UNHCR teams up with philanthropists and trust and foundations to help save lives and protect the rights of some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people around the globe. Through support from private partners, we are able to inject new and vital energy into finding responses to refugee needs.

If you would like to discuss how you can leverage your philanthropic giving strategically to empower refugees please email Emma Howell in our Partnerships and Philanthropy team to learn more.

To find out more on how you can raise vital funds and awareness for UK for UNHCR, please visit our community fundraising page or get in touch with us at [email protected] and we’ll be more than happy to discuss your fundraising plans with you.

Gift Aid is a scheme that allows charities to reclaim tax on all eligible donations made by a UK taxpayer. It increases the value of your donations by 25%, meaning that even more money goes to helping people forced to flee – and it won’t cost you extra.

You’re eligible for Gift Aid if you’re a UK taxpayer and have paid income or capital gains tax within the financial year.

If you pay less income tax or capital gains tax in the current tax year than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all your donations, HMRC may require you to pay the difference.

• Donations made by non UK taxpayers
• Donations made on behalf of another person, a group of people or a company. This is because HMRC needs a Gift Aid declaration from each donor who has contributed to the total donation amount.
• Donations made in return for tickets – including auctions, raffles and events.

You will just need to fill out a Gift Aid declaration, the link to download the form is here. Please date it and send it back to us. It will cover all donations you have made to UK for UNHCR within the last four years as well as on current and future donations.

Just remember to let us know of any change to your name, address or tax status, so that we can update our records accordingly.

If you have any further questions on Gift Aid, please get in touch with our Supporter Care Team on 0203 761 8094 or email us at [email protected].

If a Gift Aid declaration is given verbally over the phone, we are legally obligated to send a letter confirming the declaration in writing and this is why you have received the declaration via post.

Gift Aid claimed will be used to help fund the whole of UK for UNHCR’s work, even if the original donation is restricted.

Yes. As UK for UNHCR is a registered charity in England and Wales, your corporate gift is eligible for corporation tax relief. Full guidance is available on the Gov.uk website.

We are incredibly grateful for your interest in contributing to our vital work. We do not currently have any volunteering opportunities with our charity, however for more information on how you can volunteer for the UN Refugee Agency, please visit United Nations Volunteers.

Unfortunately we are unable to collect such items. UNHCR have their own supplies in various locations which are distributed to refugee camps in a cost-effective and efficient way. However, we very much appreciate the thought, and suggest trying your local charity shops.

Yes absolutely. If you would like to change your communication preferences at any time, please email us at [email protected]

Please beware of fraudulent correspondence. United Kingdom for UNHCR does not charge a fee or ask for financial transactions at any stage of the recruitment process (including application, interview, meeting, traveling, processing, training etc.). We will also never ask for donations to a personal bank or PayPal account. 

If you are unsure or concerned about the legitimacy of correspondence sent to you on behalf of or by UK for UNHCR, please feel free to contact our Supporter Care team on [email protected]  

We can confidently say that every donation is treated with the utmost diligence and care. We are passionate about transparency with our donors and will publish the annual reports for UK for UNHCR on the website as well as submit them to the Charity Commission. Our 2023 Annual Report is now available to download.

While UK for UNHCR was appointed as UNHCR’s official charity partner from 2020, UNHCR has fundraised in the UK for many years.

A minimum of 75% of funds raised directly supports relief operations on the ground, with the remainder being invested back into fundraising (to generate more donations to help displaced communities) and part being used to fund the essential running costs of the charity.

UNHCR colleagues, both national and international, remain on the ground in Afghanistan. UNHCR, as part of the broader UN country team, will stay and deliver for the Afghan people, including through partners, for as long as we have access to populations in need and safety for our colleagues and partners. Additional international support is critical as these needs continue to grow.

Most displacement in 2021 was internal – Afghan civilians were being forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in other parts of the country.   

Outside Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan have, for several years, hosted nearly 90 per cent of displaced Afghans – more than two million registered Afghan refugees in total. Both countries have generously hosted Afghan refugees and granted them access to health and education systems. 

UNHCR welcomes these governments’ continued commitments to hosting asylum-seekers amidst the added health and socio-economic challenges of COVID-19.

Every supporter is important to us and without your help, we wouldn’t be able to help people fleeing conflict and persecution to seek protection and rebuild their lives. That’s why we work hard to make sure that your experience when donating is as easy and hassle-free as possible but we understand that sometimes mistakes happen and things can go wrong.  

Like all registered charities, we are obligated to follow the laws set out and defined in The Charities Act 2011 (more information here) which specifies that charities are not permitted to refund donations, other than in specific circumstances.  

However, there may be an occasion when you need to speak to someone in our Supporter Care Team to discuss your donation so please feel free to email us at [email protected]  or give us a call on 0203 761 8094.  

We might need to ask you a few questions to understand what’s happened and so we can assist you in the best way possible. Usually, we will also ask you for paperwork or documentation before we can consider your request. We are committed to the highest standards of supporter care and legal compliance so every refund request will be treated with the utmost importance and we will always keep you updated on what’s happening.  

If you would like to update your address details at any time, please call us on 0800 029 3883 or email us at [email protected] and we can do this for you straightaway. 

You can contribute Sadaqah through our Ramadan appeal to help displaced families in need in countries such as Syria, Bangladesh, Yemen and Lebanon. To make a Zakat contribution, please visit our Born Connected campaign.

Unfortunately, we are not able to split a single post or phone donation to go towards two distinct appeals. If you wish to donate to differing appeals, you will need to send two sperate cheques or make two separate transactions over the phone.

Please call us on 0800 029 3883 before making the donation, and we can check to see if we are running an appeal for your specified location.

When UNHCR was established by the UN General Assembly in 1951 (originally with a focus on post war displacement in Europe), there was already a separate UN agency dedicated to supporting Palestinian refugees. This agency was the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) and launched in 1949. The UN General Assembly provided UNHCR and UNRWA with complementary mandates to assist and protect refugees.

To this day, UNRWA continues to lead the delivery of support and services to Palestine refugees within its five fields of operations: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Therefore, Palestine refugees living in these areas do not fall under UNHCR’s mandate and are supported by UNRWA. However, UNHCR has a mandate regarding Palestine refugees when they are outside the UNRWA areas of operations in certain circumstances.

UNRWA is co headquartered in Amman and Gaza. For the further information on UNRWA, including latest statements and information on its relief work for Palestinian refugees, please visit their website.

Our social media channels are a platform for meaningful engagement and discussion. Our community can have honest and open conversations about crises forcing people to flee, and how we can support them from the UK.