Telephone fundraising companies that flout good practice rules are to be investigated following a Channel 4 documentary

The Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) has launched an investigation into dishonesty among telephone fundraising agencies after a Channel 4 expose of the issue.

Monday’s Dispatches programme, How to Stop your Nuisance Calls, made a number of allegations of dishonesty and poor practice by telephone fundraising agencies NTT Fundraising in Bristol and London-based Pell & Bales.

Both organisations, which claim to provide services for charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH), Oxfam, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Unicefand Barnardos, say the adhere to the Institute of Fundraising industry code of practice. This promises not to be a “nuisance” and to be “honest, open and transparent” when asking the public for money.

The allegations of poor fundraising practices identified within the Dispatches programme are of great concern to us and we have already contacted the relevant organisations

Alistair McLean, chief executive of FRSB

However, during a fundraising campaign on behalf of GOSH, an NTT team leader told staff to put down a woman for a call back even though she had said she was caring for a terminally ill daughter and did not want to talk about it.

An NTT supervisor also advised a member of staff not to take a customer who said they are suffering from depression off the data base, saying being depressed wasn't a "get out of jail free card".

The programme also highlighted a Pell & Bales manager on a campaign for the RNIB telling recruits they should pretend they have children to feed if anyone questioned why they were not unpaid volunteers.

As a result, the FRSB is contacting the relevant charities and agencies to examine the issues raised by the programme and to consider whether further investigation or action is required.

Alistair McLean, chief executive of the FRSB, said: “Telephone fundraising is an important and effective means for many charities to recruit new donors and fund vital services. By working with agencies, charities have the opportunity to extend their reach, working with dedicated and experienced professionals.

“The standard of fundraising in the UK is high, with clear guidance for what can and cannot be done clearly defined within the Institute of Fundraising’s Code of Practice.

“The allegations of poor fundraising practices identified within the Dispatches programme are of great concern to us and we have already contacted the relevant organisations to discuss those matters and consider whether further investigation or action is required.”

The FRSB regulates charity fundraising against the Code of Fundraising Practice, monitoring complaints about charity fundraising and working to resolve concerns raised by the public.

In 2013, UK charities made over 14 million fundraising calls and FRSB member charities reported 8,019 complaints about them. With a typical ratio of one complaint to every 923 fundraising calls, complaints are a low proportion of fundraising activity, however telephone fundraising complaints constitute 17% of the total fundraising complaints filed in 2013.