How to complain about the way we fundraise

We take all complaints seriously and deal with them as soon as we possibly can.

Contact the Supporter Care Team

If you want to make a complaint about the way we raise funds or any of our fundraising activities, please contact our Supporter Care Team first.

You can do this by:

Please write to:

Supporter Care Team
Barnardo’s
Tanners Lane
Ilford, Essex
IG6 1QG

Our response times to your complaint

We will try to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. We will:

  • answer your calls
  • acknowledge emails with an automated response
  • reply to letters within 10 working days

Whichever way you contact us, you will receive a full response within 10 working days, unless the complaint is complex.

We will acknowledge complex complaints within 10 days and aim to provide a full response within 14 working days.

When the team can't resolve your complaint

If your complaint cannot be resolved by the Supporter Care Team, we ask our Head of Supporter Care to investigate.

Please write to:

Head of Supporter Care
Barnardo’s
Tanners Lane
Ilford, Essex
IG6 1QG

Please explain clearly why you feel that your complaint has not been properly resolved and what it is that you want us to do.

During this stage, we use the same response times as our Supporter Care Team.

The appeal panel

If you are still not satisfied with our response, please tell the Head of Supporter Care. They will pass your complaint on to an independent senior manager who will set up an appeal panel.

The panel, of three or more senior managers, will review the complaint within the next 15 working days.

The senior manager leading the panel will then contact you with the panel’s conclusions within 10 working days of the panel’s review.

Taking your dispute outside Barnardo’s

If you feel our resolution of your fundraising complaint is inadequate, you can take your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator.

The Fundraising Regulator is an independent body that works to ensure that charities raising money from the public do so honestly and protects the public, donors and potential donors, from unacceptable fundraising practices.

Barnardo’s is a member of the Fundraising Regulator and we will abide by any decision they reach on complaints.

As Barnardo’s is headquartered in England, any fundraising complaints relating to activity in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be submitted to the Fundraising Regulator complaints team.

Please contact:

The Fundraising Regulator
2nd Floor
CAN Mezzanine Building
49-51 East Road
London N1 6AH

Tel: 0300 999 3407
Email: [email protected]

Contact information for Supporter Care

Phone number