--- title: "UK giving calendar 2026–27: dates & checks | CharityCompare" description: "Remembrance Sunday 8 Nov 2026, GivingTuesday 1 Dec, Christmas homelessness appeals and Ramadan 2027: checked dates, comparisons and checks before giving." source: https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/giving-calendar retrieved: 2026-10-23T10:56:20.098Z date_note: "Retrieval time is not the filing, register-extract or editorial-review date; cite those dates from the content." license: "Charity data © Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0" --- Dated · every date checked 23 October 2026 # UK giving calendar 2026–27 The next UK giving moments, from Remembrance Sunday to Ramadan: the date from each organiser’s own page, who runs the appeal, side-by-side comparisons of the charities involved, and the checks to make before you give. Last reviewed 23 October 2026 by CharityCompare editorial. ## When are the main UK giving dates in 2026–27? Remembrance Sunday is Sunday 8 November 2026, and the Poppy Appeal runs from 22 October. BBC Children in Need’s Appeal Night is Friday 13 November. GivingTuesday is Tuesday 1 December 2026, the day Big Give’s Christmas Challenge match funding opens (it closes at midday on 8 December). Christmas Jumper Day is Thursday 10 December. Ramadan is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, depending on the sighting of the moon. ## Key dates, November 2026 to March 2027 | Date | Giving moment | Organiser or date source | | --- | --- | --- | | From Thu 22 Oct 2026 | Poppy Appeal national launch | Royal British Legion (Poppyscotland in Scotland) | | Sun 8 Nov 2026 | Remembrance Sunday: March Past the Cenotaph | Royal British Legion | | Wed 11 Nov 2026 | Armistice Day: Two Minute Silence at 11am | Royal British Legion | | Fri 13 Nov 2026 | BBC Children in Need Appeal Night | BBC Children in Need | | Tue 1 Dec 2026 | GivingTuesday | GivingTuesday UK | | Tue 1 – Tue 8 Dec 2026 (midday) | Christmas Challenge match funding | Big Give | | Thu 10 Dec 2026 | Christmas Jumper Day | Save the Children | | December to February | Christmas and winter homelessness | Crisis (Crisis at Christmas) and other homelessness charities | | Mon 8 Feb 2027 (expected) | First day of Ramadan | Moon Sighting UK; Islamic Relief | | Tue 9 or Wed 10 Mar 2027 (expected) | Eid al-Fitr; Zakat al-Fitr due before the Eid prayer | Moon Sighting UK; Islamic Relief | Ramadan and Eid dates depend on the sighting of the moon and can move by a day. Organisers can change their dates; check their own pages, listed under sources. 8 November 2026 · Veterans and the Armed Forces ## Remembrance Sunday, 8 November 2026: giving to Armed Forces charities The Royal British Legion says Remembrance Sunday is always the second Sunday in November. Its 2026 key dates are the Poppy Appeal’s national launch on 22 October, the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on 7 November, the March Past the Cenotaph in Whitehall on 8 November, and Armistice Day, with its Two Minute Silence at 11am, on Wednesday 11 November. The Legion says the Poppy Appeal raises money for its work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families, and reports that the appeal raised £56.6 million in 2025. The Legion is registered in England and Wales (219279) and Scotland (SC054446). Poppyscotland says it is part of The Royal British Legion. The Legion is one of several Armed Forces charities, and they do different things. If you want a Remembrance gift to reach a particular kind of help, compare their remits first: - [Help for Heroes vs The Royal British Legion](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/help-for-heroes-vs-royal-british-legion)Help for Heroes supports wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. The Royal British Legion covers Armed Forces welfare, membership and remembrance. Fund the one whose remit matches your reason for giving. - [SSAFA vs Help for Heroes](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/ssafa-vs-help-for-heroes)SSAFA helps serving personnel, veterans and families through casework that secures grants from other charities, plus its Forcesline helpline. Help for Heroes runs its own physical health, mental health and welfare services for veterans and families. ### Clarity Scores for the charities in these comparisons - [The Royal British Legion](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/the-royal-british-legion) 87/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to September 2025 - [SSAFA](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/the-soldiers-sailors-airmen-and-families-association-forces-help) 80/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to December 2025 - [Help for Heroes](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/help-for-heroes) 67/100 ★★★☆☆ · accounts to September 2025 Highest score first. Clarity Scores rate financial reporting and stewardship in each charity’s latest regulator filings, not the impact of its work. [How scores work](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/methodology). [Veterans’ charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/veterans) [All rated veterans’ charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/veterans#rated-heading) [Checks for veterans’ charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/veterans#donation-checks) 13 November and 10 December 2026 · Children and young people ## Children in Need, 13 November, and Christmas Jumper Day, 10 December BBC Children in Need’s Appeal Night is on Friday 13 November 2026, according to the charity’s website. Like Comic Relief, Children in Need funds other organisations’ work rather than running services itself, so a gift reaches the projects it chooses to fund. Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day is on Thursday 10 December 2026. The charity suggests a donation of “typically £2 for adults and £1 for children”, and says schools and workplaces can choose another day. - [Comic Relief vs BBC Children in Need](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/comic-relief-vs-children-in-need)Comic Relief, the charity behind Red Nose Day, makes grants to organisations tackling poverty and injustice in the UK and internationally. BBC Children in Need makes grants to projects for children and young people across the UK. - [Save the Children UK vs UNICEF UK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/save-the-children-vs-unicef-uk)Save the Children UK funds child programmes that Save the Children International delivers and makes grants to UK families. UNICEF UK raises money for UNICEF and runs UK schemes with schools and health services. - [Plan International UK vs Save the Children UK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/plan-international-uk-vs-save-the-children)Plan International UK funds girls’ equality and child sponsorship programmes that Plan International Country Offices run. Save the Children UK funds child programmes delivered by Save the Children International and gives grants to UK families. - [NSPCC vs Barnardo's](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/nspcc-vs-barnardos)The NSPCC focuses on child protection and preventing harm. Barnardo's offers specialist support to groups such as young people in care and those facing exploitation. Choose the kind of help for children you want to fund. ### Clarity Scores for the charities in these comparisons - [BBC Children in Need](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/bbc-children-in-need) 89/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to June 2025 - [NSPCC](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/nspcc) 86/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to March 2025 - [Save the Children UK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/save-the-children) 80/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to December 2025 - [Plan International UK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/plan-international-uk) 76/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to June 2025 - [Comic Relief](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/charity-projects) 74/100 ★★★☆☆ · accounts to July 2025 - [Barnardo's](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/barnardo-s) 73/100 ★★★☆☆ · accounts to March 2025 - [UNICEF UK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/the-united-kingdom-committee-for-unicef) 57/100 ★★☆☆☆ · accounts to December 2024 Highest score first. Clarity Scores rate financial reporting and stewardship in each charity’s latest regulator filings, not the impact of its work. [How scores work](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/methodology). [Children’s charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/children) [All rated children’s charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/children#rated-heading) [Checks for children’s charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/children#donation-checks) 1 December 2026 · Any cause ## GivingTuesday, 1 December 2026, and Big Give’s Christmas Challenge GivingTuesday UK’s website says: “This year, Giving Tuesday is on 1st December 2026.” It is not tied to one cause, and describes itself as “a day that encourages people to do good”. The site lists the Chartered Institute of Fundraising as its contact. Big Give’s Christmas Challenge runs from 1 December to midday on 8 December 2026. Big Give says online donations to participating charities through its platform are doubled from a match pot made up of the charity’s own pledges and funds from Big Give’s Champion partners. Each charity’s pot is a set amount, so if doubling matters to you, check the charity’s campaign page before you give. If you pay UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax, Gift Aid lets the charity claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give. GOV.UK says your donations qualify as long as they are not more than 4 times what you have paid in tax in that tax year. Read our [Gift Aid guide](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/gift-aid-basics) or use the [Gift Aid calculator](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/gift-aid-calculator). With no set cause, start from what you want your gift to do: browse [charities by type](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities), see our [editorial selections by theme](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/where-to-give), look at [smaller charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/hidden-gems), then [compare up to four side by side](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare-charities). December to February · Homelessness ## Christmas and winter: giving to homelessness charities Government figures for England show the scale. Councils’ autumn 2025 snapshot estimated 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night, up 3% on 2024 (published 26 February 2026). Monthly data for December 2025 estimated 8,010 people sleeping rough at some point in the month and 3,536 on a single night. The snapshot and the monthly data are collected differently, so read them as separate measures. Crisis says its Crisis at Christmas appeal has run since 1967. For Christmas 2026 it says it will again provide hotel rooms across London for people who would otherwise sleep rough, alongside day centres in the capital and frontline services across Britain, and expects to support 5,500 people. ### If you or someone you know needs help now - In England and Wales, send an alert through [StreetLink](https://thestreetlink.org.uk/), which passes it to local authorities and outreach teams. If someone needs urgent medical help, call 999. - Shelter’s free emergency helpline, [0808 800 4444](tel:08088004444), is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and closed at weekends and on bank holidays, including Christmas Day. Shelter says it does not provide accommodation but can give advice, and advises on housing law in England only; for Scotland or Wales, contact Shelter Scotland or Shelter Cymru. - For other kinds of support, see [find practical support](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/find-support). - [Shelter vs Crisis](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/shelter-vs-crisis)Shelter offers housing and homelessness support alongside campaigning. Crisis provides education, employment, housing and wellbeing services and campaigns to end homelessness. Fund the mix of practical help and policy work you care about most. - [National homelessness charity vs Local homelessness service](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/homelessness-national-vs-local)The national charity here combines housing and homelessness support with campaigning. The local service covers prevention, housing, health and skills, from rough-sleeping support to recovery. Fund the approach that fits your aim. ### Clarity Scores for the charities in these comparisons - [Crisis](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/crisis) 77/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to June 2025 - [St Mungo Community Housing Association](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/st-mungo-s) 77/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to March 2025 - [Shelter](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/shelter-national-campaign-for-homeless-people-limited) 66/100 ★★★☆☆ · accounts to March 2025 Highest score first. Clarity Scores rate financial reporting and stewardship in each charity’s latest regulator filings, not the impact of its work. [How scores work](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/methodology). [Homelessness charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/homelessness) [All rated homelessness charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/homelessness#rated-heading) [Checks for homelessness charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/homelessness#donation-checks) Expected 8 February to Eid on 9 or 10 March 2027 · Muslim charities ## Ramadan 2027: expected to begin on 8 February The start of Ramadan depends on the sighting of the new crescent moon, so its dates are expected rather than fixed. Moon Sighting UK predicts that the new moon is born on 6 February 2027 at 15:56 GMT, will not be visible to the naked eye in the UK to Morocco region that day but will be on 7 February, and that Ramadan is “most likely to start on 8 February 2027”. Islamic Relief UK gives the same expectation: Ramadan beginning on the evening of Sunday 7 February, with the first day on Monday 8 February. Islamic Relief expects Ramadan to end on the evening of Monday 8 or Tuesday 9 March, depending on the moon, and Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday 10 March if Ramadan runs a full 30 days. Moon Sighting UK says Shawwal, the month that begins with Eid al-Fitr, is most likely to start on 10 March 2027. If you plan to pay Zakat in Ramadan, our [Zakat and faith giving guide](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/zakat-and-faith-giving-uk) explains how to calculate it and compares what four UK Muslim charities say about the costs they take from Zakat and their “100%” policies. The [Zakat calculator](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/zakat-calculator) does the arithmetic with a silver price you enter. Zakat al-Fitr (Fitrana) is a separate payment. Islamic Relief says it must be given before the Eid prayer and sets it at £5 per person; its page still referred to 2026 when we checked. Check the amount on the page of the charity you give through. Check any Ramadan appeal sent to you on social media or a messaging app against the charity’s own website before giving. - [Islamic Relief Worldwide vs Penny Appeal](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/islamic-relief-vs-penny-appeal)Islamic Relief Worldwide runs relief and development from the Islamic Relief federation’s international office and says it has no 100% donation policy. Penny Appeal funds water, food, orphan and emergency work through partners and offers a 100% Zakat policy. - [National Zakat Foundation vs Islamic Relief Worldwide](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/national-zakat-foundation-vs-islamic-relief)The National Zakat Foundation collects Zakat from UK Muslims and gives it as grants to eligible Muslims in need in the UK. Islamic Relief Worldwide uses Zakat in the UK and overseas alongside its wider emergency and development work. - [Human Appeal vs Penny Appeal](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/human-appeal-vs-penny-appeal)Human Appeal runs relief, development and one-to-one orphan sponsorship through its own hubs, field offices and local partners. Penny Appeal funds water, food, orphan and emergency programmes through partners, with orphan sponsorships shared by up to eight donors. - [Islamic Relief Worldwide vs Human Appeal](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare/islamic-relief-vs-human-appeal)Islamic Relief Worldwide is the international office of a federation whose independent members also pass it funds. Human Appeal is a UK charity working through its own hubs, field offices and local partners, with one-to-one orphan sponsorship. ### Clarity Scores for the charities in these comparisons - [Islamic Relief Worldwide](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/islamic-relief-worldwide) 93/100 ★★★★★ · accounts to December 2024 - [National Zakat Foundation](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/national-zakat-foundation-nzf) 91/100 ★★★★★ · accounts to December 2024 - [Human Appeal](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/human-appeal) 78/100 ★★★★☆ · accounts to December 2024 - [Penny Appeal](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/penny-appeal) 69/100 ★★★☆☆ · accounts to December 2024 Highest score first. Clarity Scores rate financial reporting and stewardship in each charity’s latest regulator filings, not the impact of its work, and say nothing about religious eligibility for Zakat. [How scores work](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/methodology). [Muslim charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/muslim) [Checks for Muslim charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/muslim#donation-checks) [Zakat guide](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/zakat-and-faith-giving-uk) ## Checks before you give, whatever the date - Look up the charity number on the regulator’s register for its nation (the Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI) or on its CharityCompare profile, and make sure the registered name matches the appeal. [How to check a charity number](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-number). - Give through the charity’s own website, typed in yourself, or a platform you chose, not a link sent to you. [How to spot fake appeals](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/charity-scams-and-fake-appeals). - Find out whether your gift funds a named appeal or the charity’s general work, and what happens if plans change. - Tick Gift Aid only if you pay enough UK tax to cover it, and keep your confirmation. Full checklist: [how to check a charity is legitimate](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-is-legitimate). ## Giving calendar: your questions answered When is Remembrance Sunday 2026?+ Sunday 8 November 2026. The Royal British Legion says Remembrance Sunday is always the second Sunday in November. Armistice Day, with the Two Minute Silence at 11am, is Wednesday 11 November 2026. When is GivingTuesday 2026 in the UK?+ Tuesday 1 December 2026, according to GivingTuesday UK. Big Give’s Christmas Challenge match-funding week starts the same day and runs until midday on 8 December 2026. When does Ramadan 2027 start in the UK?+ It is expected to start on Monday 8 February 2027, with the first night on Sunday 7 February, if the crescent moon is seen as Moon Sighting UK predicts. Islamic Relief UK gives the same expected date. Eid al-Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March 2027. How can I help someone sleeping rough this winter?+ In England and Wales, send an alert through StreetLink, which passes it to local authorities and outreach teams. If someone needs urgent medical help, call 999. People in England who are homeless or at risk of losing their home can call Shelter’s free emergency helpline on 0808 800 4444, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Are the charities on this page the best ones to give to?+ Not necessarily. We name the charities that run each appeal and the charities in our comparisons. Their Clarity Scores come from regulator filings and rate financial reporting and stewardship, not impact. Choose the charity whose work matches what you want your gift to do, then check it before you give. ## How we chose these dates We include UK giving moments that have a published date and match a charity-type page on CharityCompare. Each date comes from the organiser’s own page, or for Ramadan from Moon Sighting UK and Islamic Relief UK, checked on 23 October 2026. Charity figures are each charity’s own, as stated on its page. Clarity Scores come from the dated filings shown on each profile; being named here is not a recommendation. CharityCompare never takes a cut of donations and is not paid to feature any charity. Read our [editorial policy](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/editorial-policy) or [request a sourced correction](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/contact). ## Sources (all checked 23 October 2026) - [Royal British Legion: Poppy Appeal 2026 key dates and funds raised](https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/fundraise-for-us/poppy-appeal) - [Royal British Legion: Remembrance FAQs (second Sunday in November; Two Minute Silence)](https://support.britishlegion.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/263/) - [Poppyscotland: home page (“Poppyscotland is part of The Royal British Legion”)](https://www.poppyscotland.org.uk/) - [BBC Children in Need: home page (Appeal Night date)](https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/) - [Save the Children UK: Christmas Jumper Day 2026](https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day) - [GivingTuesday UK: home page (2026 date)](https://www.givingtuesday.org.uk/) - [Big Give: Christmas Challenge 2026 timeline and match funding](https://biggive.org/christmas-challenge/) - [GOV.UK: Gift Aid](https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid) - [GOV.UK (MHCLG): Rough sleeping snapshot in England, autumn 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2025/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2025) - [GOV.UK (MHCLG): Rough sleeping data framework, October to December 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rough-sleeping-data-framework-october-to-december-2025/rough-sleeping-data-framework-october-to-december-2025-release) - [Crisis: Crisis at Christmas appeal 2026](https://www.crisis.org.uk/crisis-at-christmas/) - [Shelter England: emergency helpline](https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help/helpline) - [Tunbridge Wells Borough Council: worried about someone sleeping rough? (StreetLink)](https://tunbridgewells.gov.uk/housing/homeless-vulnerable-or-at-risk/worried-about-someone-sleeping-rough) - [Homeless Link: how do I help someone who is sleeping rough?](https://homeless.org.uk/knowledge-hub/how-do-i-help-someone-who-is-sleeping-rough/) - [Moon Sighting UK (ICOUK): Ramadan 1448 prediction](https://moonsighting.org.uk/moon/sighting-reports/report-1448-09.html) - [Moon Sighting UK (ICOUK): Shawwal 1448 prediction](https://moonsighting.org.uk/moon/sighting-reports/report-1448-10.html) - [Islamic Relief UK: Ramadan 2027 dates](https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/giving/islamic-giving/ramadan/) - [Islamic Relief UK: Zakat al-Fitr (Fitrana)](https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/giving/islamic-giving/ramadan/zakat-al-fitr/) **Information only** — not donation advice.