--- title: "The CharityCompare donor guide | CharityCompare" description: "A practical UK donor guide — how to check a charity is registered, read a Clarity Score, compare like with like" source: https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/donor-guide retrieved: 2026-08-18T02:36:09.369Z license: "Charity data © Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0" --- # The CharityCompare donor guide **In short:** Verify the charity number, match the delivery model to what you want funded, then use the four Clarity Score pillars from UK regulator filings — not a single overhead ratio — before you give. Data from [Charity Commission register](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/), last updated 12 August 2026. This is the short path from “I want to give” to a checked donation. It is information, not a recommendation of where to give. ## Step 1 — Confirm it is a real charity Every genuine UK charity has a registration number from the regulator for its nation: - [Charity Commission](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/) — England and Wales - [OSCR](https://www.oscr.org.uk/) — Scotland - [CCNI](https://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/) — Northern Ireland Search the name or number on [CharityCompare](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity-directory) or the official register — not via the appeal’s own link. Full method: [how to check a charity is legitimate](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-is-legitimate). ## Step 2 — Decide what you want funded Cause words hide different businesses. “Cancer” can mean research or patient support. “Animals” can mean inspectorate work or rehoming. “Homelessness” can mean national advice or local beds. Match the **model** first. Cause reviews at [/causes](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/causes) explain the split; rated lists live at [/browse](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/browse); disease-specific hubs (breast cancer, veterans, hospice) live at [/charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities). ## Step 3 — Read the Clarity Score, not a slogan Rated profiles carry a **Clarity Score** from 0–100, built from four pillars in regulator filings: - **Accountability & Transparency** (40) — filing history, trustees, declared policies - **Financial Health** (30) — reserves, income trend, debt - **Financial Efficiency** (20) — cause spend and fundraising cost, on a graduated scale - **Community Support** (10) — volunteer-to-staff ratio where published Stars use the same bands as the labels: 90–100 → 5★ Exceptional; 75–89 → 4★ Good; 60–74 → 3★ Needs improvement; 1–59 → 2★ Poor; 0 → not rated (including an open statutory inquiry). **Give with Confidence** is 75+ with up-to-date filings and no serious red flags. The score measures how clearly a charity **accounts for money**. It is not an impact ranking. Full method: [methodology](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/methodology). Charities without enough published return fields still have a **basic register profile** — including many smaller organisations and some OSCR/CCNI records. That is a data limit, not a judgement that Scotland or Northern Ireland are excluded. ## Step 4 — Check red flags in context Profiles show factual cards with links to the regulator — late accounts, sharp income drops, high fundraising spend, very high reserves, or an open inquiry. Read the trustees’ annual report for the explanation before you treat a flag as a veto. ## Step 5 — Compare like with like Put two to four similar charities side by side on [compare charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare-charities). Named head-to-heads (Macmillan vs Cancer Research UK, RSPCA vs Battersea, and others) start from a model choice, then show live filings. Do not pick the lowest admin figure. Extremely low overhead can mean underinvestment in safeguarding and finance. See [charity admin costs](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/charity-admin-costs-explained). ## Step 6 — Give on a channel you typed yourself If the number, model and filings fit what you want to fund, donate via the charity’s official site. Enable [Gift Aid](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/gift-aid-basics) if you are a UK taxpayer who has paid enough tax. We never say “donate here,” and we take no commission. ## Read next - [How to check a charity is legitimate Verify a UK charity by finding its registration number, checking it on the official register, confirming its accounts are filed on time, and matching the contact details on its own website.](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-is-legitimate) - [How to check a charity number UK — verify a charity is legit Every registered UK charity has a regulator number. Check it on the Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI register — or search name and number on CharityCompare — before you donate or give to a doorstep collector. Registration proves legitimacy of status, not programme impact; Clarity Score then summarises filing transparency on rated profiles.](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-number) - [How to compare charities in the UK Charity comparisons work when you match like with like — same cause, similar delivery model — then check legitimacy, cause spend, reserves, fundraising costs and filing record from Charity Commission accounts. Use Clarity Score to rule out weak administration, not as a measure of impact. Put up to four charities side by side on CharityCompare before you give.](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-compare-charities) Ready to check a specific charity? Every profile shows a free Clarity Score from regulator filings. [Search charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity-directory) [Compare](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare-charities) **Information only** — not donation advice.