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Supporter help centre

Supporter help centre

Group of older people

Supporter FAQs

Whether you'd like to make a donation, update your details, learn about fundraising, or contact Age UK, you'll find the answers to our most commonly asked questions here.

General

What are your national addresses?

Age UK supports and assists a network of over 150 local Age UKs, which between them provide an extensive network throughout England. The Age UK family also includes Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI.

England

7th Floor, One America Square, 17 Crosswall, London, EC3N 2LB

Phone: 0800 169 80 80

Scotland

Causewayside House

160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR

Phone: 0845 125 9732

Wales

Ground Floor, Mariners House, Trident Court, East Moors Road, Cardiff, CF24 5TD

Phone: 029 2043 1555

Northern Ireland

3 Lower Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NR

Phone: 028 9024 5729

What jobs are available?

We have roles available in a variety of areas, covering retail, marketing, fundraising, campaigning and more. Visit our careers section to view the latest vacancies.

How can I find contact information for local Age UKs?

To find your local Age UK, enter your post code on our in your area page.

Fundraising, Donations & Appeals

How can I make a donation?

Thank you for your support. You can donate online, call 0800 077 8751 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, excluding bank holidays), or by sending a cheque to FREEPOST AGE UK REPLY. No stamp is required. Please include a note with your name and address so we can send you an acknowledgement.

Can I make a donation over the phone?

Yes. You can donate by calling our Supporter Engagement Team on 0800 077 8751 during opening hours of Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, excluding bank holidays.

Can I donate by bank transfer?

Yes, we can accept donations via bank transfer. Please contact our Supporter Engagement Team via email on supporters@ageuk.org.uk for our bank details.

Make a donation from a will

How do I change or cancel my donations?

If you would like to make changes to a Direct Debit, please contact our Supporter Engagement Team on 0800 077 8751 Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, excluding bank holidays or email supporters@ageuk.org.uk.

Please note that Standing Orders can only be amended through your bank.

You can also cancel your Direct Debit, Standing Order or regular gifts made by Direct Credit at any time by contacting your bank.

Can I receive a receipt for my donation?

Thank you for your gift! Donation confirmations are normally issued automatically by email for online donations. If you require a receipt, please contact us via email at supporters@ageuk.org.uk

How can I check if my online donation was successful?

You should receive an email confirmation shortly after donating. Please check your junk folder. If you cannot find it, contact us with the donation amount and date at supporters@ageuk.org.uk.

Can I request a refund for a donation?

Refunds can only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Please contact us as soon as possible if you believe you donated in error at supporters@ageuk.org.uk

How much of my donation goes directly to helping older people?

Your donation helps Age UK provide advice, support, services, campaigning and vital programmes for older people across the UK. Like all charities, we also incur essential costs to operate and raise funds for our work.

Learn more on how your support makes a difference

Can I donate money directly to an older person in need?

No, sadly we are unable to pass donations directly to individuals. Donations support our charitable work and funds our vital services supporting older people across the UK.

Can I donate to a specific Age UK service, project or location?

Donations support our charitable work and services for older people wherever the need is greatest. In some cases, donations can be directed towards specific appeals or projects. Please contact us at supporters@ageuk.org.uk to discuss this further.

I want my donation to go to my local Age UK. How can I do that?

Local Age UKs are self-funding independent charities. If you would like your donation to support a local Age UK, please donate directly to them.

Find your local Age UK

Does Age UK accept corporate donations?

Yes. We welcome support from businesses and organisations.

Please contact us to discuss opportunities at corporate@ageuk.org.uk

Can my employer match my donation?

Thank you for thinking of us. Some employers offer matched giving schemes. Please check with your employer directly.

Can I donate through my salary?

Yes!

Learn more about donating through your salary

Do you use real people or actors in your fundraising appeals and adverts?

Many of the individuals featured in our mailings, online and in our TV ads are real people who have kindly decided to share their lives and stories with us. However, sometimes we do need to work with actors, as you can imagine, some of the issues that older people are dealing with can be highly sensitive and personal, therefore asking people to share this with the general public feels very intrusive. In these instances, we work with individuals to understand their real stories and then actors to bring it to the public.  

How do I make a Gift Aid Declaration or update my Gift Aid status?

You can find information about Gift Aid and update your details through our website.

Find out more about Gift Aid

If you've made a Gift Aid Declaration while visiting one of our shops, please contact retailgiftaid@ageuk.org.uk

I don’t like your advert

We’re sorry to hear this. We understand that advertising can sometimes be difficult to watch, particularly when it highlights the challenges faced by many older people.

Through our adverts, we aim to promote our work and raise awareness of the challenges older people can face, while showing how vital our support services are.

We’ve worked hard to reach as many people as possible because the need for our services is increasing, and we want to ensure that we can continue to be there for the growing number of older people who need our help.

How much do you spend on TV advertising?

Our adverts are developed with core marketing budgets, and we remain mindful of costs.

Through our adverts, we hope to raise awareness of the unfortunate challenges facing many older people and to highlight how vital the charity’s services are, so that the public continue to support Age UK. Public support is key to our ability to support older people, influence Government and to generate income. 

Are your Fundraisers genuine?

Age UK has trained professional fundraisers who work throughout England to promote the Age UK Weekly Lottery and our regular giving programme.

You may see them at shopping centres, garden centres, your local town centre, airports and shows. Our fundraisers will be wearing branded Age UK clothing, display ID cards and have Age UK printed materials with them, including pull-up stands and thank you cards.

Our fundraisers will also have Age UK-branded digital entry forms on individual tablets. They will use these secure tablets to sign people up as regular givers or weekly lottery players. They will only sign up people via direct debit, so will never ask for cash. In line with our fundraising policies, Age UK does not undertake door-to-door fundraising.

Check our current fundraising locations

I’ve received a call asking me to donate – is it genuine?

You may receive a phone call asking if you'd be interested in supporting our work.

These calls are made by a small number of trusted telemarketing agencies, working in partnership with Age UK. We'll only ever call you if you've given us a phone number and your express permission to use this number to contact you. You can see a list of the agencies we use and the numbers they call from on our website.

Our professional fundraisers

Fundraisers must start a call by introducing themselves, and naming the agency they are working for. You will never receive a call from a withheld number on behalf of Age UK.

If you'd prefer not to hear from us by phone, you can change your preferences any time by emailing supporters@ageuk.org.uk

If you are concerned about a scam, please contact Report Fraud.

In Memory Giving & Gifts in Wills

How can I donate or fundraise in memory of a loved one?

A gift in memory of your loved one can help us continue to provide the advice, support and services many older people are relying on. You can donate or create an in-memory fundraising page via our website.

Find out more on how to donate in memory

How do I leave a gift to Age UK in my will?

Information about leaving a gift in your will can be found on our website.

Learn more about leaving a gift in your will

How do I pay in money left to Age UK in a will?

Information for executors and estate administrators is available on our website.

Find out more about executors and estate administration

Lottery, Raffles & Superdraws

How does Age UK fund the prizes for the Weekly Lottery, Raffle and Superdraw?

In 2025 Age UK’s Raffles and Superdraws successfully raised £1.6 Million and £9.7 Million through our Friday and Tuesday Lottery draws. We have a serious responsibility to ensure that our valuable funds are spent wisely. The prizes awarded through our Raffle and Lottery make up only 10% of the total amount raised. 

How do I check if I've won a prize?

Winning numbers and prize details can be checked through the Age UK Lottery and Raffle winner pages.

How will I know if I have won?

Winners are notified according to the rules of the relevant lottery, raffle or draw. You can also check our website.

Check the rules

How do I update my lottery payment details?

Please call us on 0800 849 6070 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, excluding bank holidays) or email lottery@ageuk.org.uk

What happens if my lottery payment fails?

Our lottery team will provide guidance on any missed or failed payments. Please call us on 0800 849 6070 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, excluding bank holidays) or email lottery@ageuk.org.uk

Can I cancel my lottery membership?

We understand circumstances can change and you may need to cancel your entry. Please call us on 0800 849 6070 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, excluding bank holidays) or email lottery@ageuk.org.uk

Age UK shouldn’t encourage people to gamble

We raise vital funds through many means including our raffle and lottery which enables us to be here for every older person with a place to turn to and access our support. Our raffles and weekly lottery are another way of helping us to spread awareness of our work and they provide a fun and alternative way for supporters to get involved with the charity.

Age UK is committed to ensuring that individuals play our weekly lottery responsibly and we have a duty to ensure that information and guidance about gambling is accessible to all.

Learn more about responsible gambling

How much does it cost to play the weekly lottery?

One entry to the Age UK Weekly Lottery costs £1 per week and up to six entries can be made. To guarantee entry into the weekly draw, payment must made to us in advance and individuals have a number of payment options to choose from. The most popular option is via a monthly Direct Debit.

This monthly breakdown cost is calculated based on paying £1 per week over a 52-week year period. If all months in the year, every year, had the same number of weeks, then the monthly direct debit would be an even amount. However, whilst most months have four weeks, some do have five weeks, so the additional £0.34p is to build up enough credit to cover the entry on the fifth week in those months. This method accrues an amount of 8p per year per entry, which is credited to the individual’s Lottery account at Age UK. 

Contact Details & Communications

Why have I received mail from Age UK?

If you have received a piece of mail that has not been addressed to you individually, it’s likely that we have delivered mail in areas where we believe there will be many individuals interested in supporting Age UK. This is the most cost-effective way to reach new supporters, however because of its nature, we cannot check it against individual preferences on our database.  If you don’t wish to receive unaddressed mailings via Royal Mail’s door drop service, you can register with the Royal Mail opt out service. 

How to opt out of advertising mail

We will also double check to make sure that we have your mail preferences recorded on our system so that you won’t receive any other mail from us.  

If you have received a piece of mail addressed to you individually, it’s likely you have interacted with Age UK in the past. This may include via your local Age UK shop, interacting with Age UK Trading, or supporting one of our campaigns. If you no longer wish to hear from Age UK, please contact us at supporters@ageuk.org.uk with your full address and we will ensure our records are updated. Please note that amendments to our database can take up to 21 days to take effect.

How do I update my address?

Please email us at supporters@ageuk.org.uk with your previous and new address and we will update our records. Please note that amendments to our database can take up to 21 days to take effect.

How can I update my contact preferences?

All marketing communications contain information about how you can opt in or out of hearing from us. If you'd like to update your preferences, including the topics and activities you'd like to hear more about and those you'd rather not hear about, please contact us at supporters@ageuk.org.uk. Please note that amendments to our database can take up to 21 days to take effect.

How do I stop receiving fundraising appeals from Age UK?

All marketing communications will contain information about how you can opt in or out of hearing from us. You can also contact us at supporters@ageuk.org.uk. Please note that amendments to our database can take up to 21 days to take effect.

How long does it take for changes to my contact preferences to take effect?

Changes are usually processed promptly, but because communications are planned in advance to help the charity keep costs as low as possible, they may take a few weeks to fully take effect.

I don’t want to receive post – its bad for the environment

The Age UK Fundraising team aim to print all of our mailings on sustainably sourced or recycled paper, and we will always include the FSC or other logo on the mailing to assure our supporters of the classification and source of the paper. Since 2021 we have worked with our suppliers to carbon-offset or carbon-neutralise our print activity too wherever possible. We also add wording to all mailings to encourage potential supporters to recycle anything they do not wish to respond to, and have reduced the number of additional items included in our mailings which we hope will help with this. 

Printed advertisements and mailings are still one of the most cost-effective methods of reaching the general public and inspiring them to make a donation to Age UK. Many of our supporters prefer to engage with us via post and that’s why we take the steps outlined above to make our printed communications as sustainable as possible.

If you no longer wish to receive post or would like to receive communications electronically instead, please let us know by emailing us at  supporters@ageuk.org.uk Please include your full address and postcode. Please note that amendments to our database can take up to 21 days to take effect.

Data Protection & Privacy

What is Age UK's Privacy Policy?

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and protect your personal information.

How do I request that my personal data be deleted?

You can contact us to request deletion of your data. We will review the request in line with data protection law and any legal obligations we have to retain information. Please send your request to contact@ageuk.org.uk

How can I find out what personal data Age UK holds about me?

You can submit a Subject Access Request. We may ask for proof of identity before releasing information. Please send your request to contact@ageuk.org.uk

Will Age UK share my data with other organisations?

We will only share information where we have a lawful basis to do so and as explained in our Privacy Policy.

Local Age UKs

What's the difference between Age UK and local Age UKs?

The Age UK network includes Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI and around 115 local Age UK charities. Together, we provide a wide range of services to help people in later life throughout the UK.

Local Age UKs are separate organisations responsible for their own services, staff and finances. Age UK the national charity is not a head office or governing body for Local Age UKs.

How do I contact my local Age UK?

You can find your local Age UK using our service finder.

Are local Age UKs part of the national charity?

Local Age UKs are independent charities that form part of the wider Age UK network.

Learn more about who we are

Why can't Age UK transfer me directly to my local Age UK?

Because local Age UKs operate independently, enquiries usually need to be made directly with them. You can find your local Age UK using our service finder.

Does my local Age UK have access to my information held by Age UK the national charity?

No. Local Age UKs and the national charity manage their own records and do not routinely share personal information about clients.

Why is there no local Age UK in my area?

Age UK operates through a network of independent local charities, but there is not currently a local Age UK in every part of the country.

Some areas are served by a local Age UK while others are supported directly by Age UK's national services or by other local organisations. The absence of a local Age UK does not reflect a lack of need in an area, but rather the way the network has evolved and is funded.

Even where there is no local Age UK, older people can still access Age UK's national information and advice services, and our Advice Line are always happy to help identify alternative local organisations that may be able to provide support.

Our Advice Line can be reached on 0800 169 6565 (everyday, 8am-7pm).

How can I provide feedback or complain about my local Age UK?

Age UK, the national charity, works in partnership with over 140 local Age UKs. Whilst we share a common brand, each local Age UK is an independent charity, responsible for its own staff and day-to-day running. Age UK, the national charity, is not a head office or governing body for any local Age UK. If your complaint is about your local Age UK please contact them directly and follow their complaints procedure.

You can find your local Age UK here.

Age UK Shops

Where is my nearest Age UK shop?

You can use our shop finder to find your nearest shop.

What items can I donate to your shops?

What items can I donate to your shops?

We accept a wide variety of items that we can sell directly in our shops.

Women’s, men’s and children’s clothing

Accessories including handbags, shoes, belts, ties and jewellery

Quality homeware such as glassware, ornaments and kitchenware

Books, CDs, DVDs, games and blurays

Good quality toys, jigsaws and games

If you'd like more information on what you can donate to Age UK, please contact your nearest shop.

What items can't you accept?

For health, safety and legal reasons some items cannot be accepted.

These include damaged, broken, incomplete or unsafe items, safety equipment, videotapes and cassettes, real fur, coat hangers and large household items such as duvets, pillows and bulky curtains.

Please contact your local shop for guidance.

Can you collect donations from my home address?

Some shops offer collection services depending on location and availability. Please contact your local shop.

Can I donate furniture?

Some Age UK shops accept furniture. Please check with your local shop before arranging a donation.

Find your local shop

More information about furniture collections

Campaigning & Policy

How do I tell you about an issue I think Age UK should campaign on?

Whilst we’re unable to support every issue, we welcome hearing about what matters to older people and we will share relevant concerns with our policy and campaigns teams. You can send your thoughts to campaigns@ageuk.org.uk

Read more about our existing campaigns

How can I support your campaigns?

You can support our campaigns by signing up for updates and taking part in campaign activities

Sign up for campaign updates

I'm concerned that public services are ‘going digital’

Age UK encourages older people to get online where they can, but we have always felt very strongly that those who cannot or choose not to, should be able to access vital services, such as shopping, banking, and healthcare in ways that are best for them.

Find out how Age UK are tackling digital exclusion

I’m concerned about access to cash and bank branches closing

Access to cash is a serious issue for many older people, particularly those who do not use online banking.

To help address this, major high street banks have worked together to establish shared Banking Hubs, an initiative that Age UK supports. Banking Hubs are opening in towns where all bank branches have closed, allowing customers of a range of banks to access essential banking services locally.

Each hub has a counter service, operated by the Post Office, where customers can carry out everyday transactions such as withdrawing or depositing cash. In addition, participating banks provide dedicated times for their own customers to access more specialised banking support. The banks represented at each hub may vary by location.

We continue to work with the industry to monitor the Hubs, and to ensure the programme of opening new ones remains on track.  

Can you promote an online petition to your audiences?

The people on our mailing list have opted in to hearing about Age UK’s work only.

Unfortunately, we do not promote petitions created by other people. We receive many requests to participate, share and promote various lobbying activity, and we must limit the issues we take up to remain fair, consistent and focused.  

Partnerships, Research & Commercial Enquiries

How can I discuss a collaboration or partnership with Age UK?

Here at Age UK, we are focusing our efforts and resources on the frontline services that are in most demand, and campaigning on the issues that are having the most positive impact for older people nationally. Keeping our resources in mind, we may not have the capacity to participate in every opportunity.

Please send the details to contact@ageuk.org.uk

Relevant colleagues with receive your request and if they believe that the opportunity fits well with our strategy, they will be in contact with you directly. 

Can Age UK help promote my company's products or services to older people?

Unfortunately, we’re unable to promote or endorse third-party products or services to older people. As a charity, we’re not able to recommend products or services that we have not independently assessed or are unable to verify.

Can you add a link on your website to my organisation?

Please send an email to ns-signposts@ageuk.org.uk – our team will assess your request in line with our signposting criteria.

I want to introduce my company / services to Age UK

Please send an email to our Procurement team at suppliermarketing@ageuk.org.uk

Do you provide funding for start-ups?

We rely on the generosity of our donors to fund the vital information, advice and services that help millions of older people. We are unable to provide funding for individuals or start-up companies and organisations.

I have created a product, service or technology for older people

Unfortunately, we’re unable to promote or endorse third-party products or services to older people. As a charity, we’re not able to recommend products or services that we have not independently assessed or are unable to verify.

I'm a student or researcher looking for support with my project.

Age UK receives many requests, and we can only provide support for research projects we are already working in partnership with, either as a funding agreement or in coalition. 

We are unable to promote or share external surveys because we are unable to guarantee that participants will be appropriately safeguarded.

Age UK does not provide funding for research projects.

There are a wealth of policy positions, reports, stats, and research papers on our website which you may be interested in.

Our Policy Positions and Research

Can Age UK arrange a visit to talk at my club or group?

Your local Age UK may be able to help with talks, activities or information for groups in your area. You can find your local Age UK by visiting our Services in your area page.