The Institute of Fundraising has revised the Telephone Fundraising Code of Practice to reflect comments by the Information Commissioner’s Office that the context in which phone calls are made will be considered when judging if a call complies with the telephone preference service.

The new code reaffirms that administrative calls to donors on the TPS are permitted, so long as they are not marketing calls dressed up as admin. Calls to confirm a donors’ contact preferences are permitted.

Charities are also given the green light to contact supporters who have voluntarily handed over their phone details, even though they may be registered on the TPS and are asked to consider the relationship they have with a supporter and whether they feel the supporter has indicated they would not mind being called before contacting them.

Stephen Pidgeon, chair of the Institute’s Standards Committee, said that the new code “encapsulates good practice and common sense”, but warned charities against abusing the new opportunities afforded by the revision.