Online bullying specialist Bullying UK will close at the end of the month unless it can raise £50,000, its chief executive has warned.

Formerly known as Bullying Online, the charity has been running for 12 years but CEO and founder John Carnell says it has been hit by a fall in corporate support.

“In past years the charity has relied on the help of businesses across the UK to support our work in the absence of any government grants, but the financial crisis means it has been difficult to source corporate help."

The charity needs the funding by 1 September in order to commit to a programme of work for the next school year.

In 2006 it received a legacy donation worth £190,000 which enabled it to rebrand and for Carnell to become a full-time employee, but since then income has failed to keep pace with expenditure.

In 2008/09, the charity’s expenditure stood at £79,866, more than double its income of £36,604.

It supplies more than 150,000 leaflets to schools and youth organisations each year, provides counselling via email and has an iPhone app and mobile website.

Carnell said the charity had attempted to access government funding but been denied. “We must be one of the most cost-effective children's charities in the UK.

"If Bullying UK shuts down, the government will need to provide two fully trained civil servants 24/7, 365 days a year, with an expertise to advise not only on complex education complaints, special needs and school appeal tribunals but to deal with suicidal children, school refusers, children suffering psychological problems and parents involved with social services and the police.”

Donations can be made at http://www.justgiving.com/SaveBullyingUK