The credit crunch has not changed the priorities of credit card customers when it comes to giving to charity, figures from the UK Cards Association show.

Total spending on charity credit cards last year was £6.7billion, so with an average 0.25 per cent of spending being donated to charity, approximately £16.7million was generated for charity through these cards.

The figures found that Brits are becoming increasingly charitable when it comes to donating to charities using their credit or debit cards, despite the current economic climate, with an 18 per cent rise in charitable giving made this way in 2008.

A total £1.19billion was donated using plastic last year, up from £1.01billion in 2007.

And the first four months of 2009 saw another rise in the value of donations, with a 24 per cent rise in debit card donations and an 11 per cent rise in the amount of money donated via credit cards.

Sandra Quinn, director of communications at the UK Cards Association, said the figures tell “an interesting story.”

“Despite the economic downturn it seems there was no let up last year in people’s commitments to charities,” she said.

“Over the last few years we have seen more charities offer donors additional ways to pay, particularly with cards, and particularly online – all of which makes donating extremely easy, and unquestionably plays a part in the increase in charity spending on plastic cards.”

© Fair Investment Company Ltd

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