The NSPCC was forced to apologise yesterday for encouraging supporters to use a premium rate number costing 48p a minute, and campaigners are lobbying for 36 other charities to stop doing the same.

NSPCC’s Letters from Santa campaign urged supporters to call the premium rate number to receive a letter from Father Christmas, at the cost of up to 48p a minute.

The charity was accused of “insanity” by the Fair Telecoms Campaign after it emerged that money generated from the calls went mainly to telephone companies.

A spokesman for NSPCC said the charity was “very sorry for any upset that’s been caused”.

“We are really grateful to everyone who has taken the trouble to order a Letter From Santa,” he said. “We’ve taken immediate action and changed the phone number so, if people do need to speak to us about their Letter From Santa they can now do so at a local rate with minimal cost.”

Today the Fair Telecoms campaign told Civil Society News the NSPCC was one of 36 charities it identified as using premium rate numbers for campaigns, helplines and general contact numbers.

According to the campaign group, which describes itself as a “bunch of people who believe firmly in fairness”, the list of voluntary organisations using premium rate numbers, includes Coeliac UK, Ectopic Pregnancy Foundation, the Family Survival Trust, Freedom Charity and Winston’s Wish.

'Appalling'

Director of the Fair Telecoms Campaign, David Hickson said the cost to the people calling the numbers was “appalling”.

“In many cases it’s penal that people, often in severe need in the case of helplines, are stopped from calling the numbers,” he said. “Lots of people think, if it’s one of these numbers, I daren’t call it. A helpline that is on one of these numbers, is going to find that there are an awful lot of people who would really benefit from that help but can’t because it’s such an expensive number. If they are on a pay-as-you-go mobile, it is going to cost them 50p a minute. That’s all their credit for the week to make that one call. This is someone who is in great need. It’s ridiculous and appalling.”

Hickson said it was “hard for charities” who are using numbers they are “often pushed into using by telephone companies” to get a cheaper service.

“We’ve got to find ways to mobilising support, so that charities can have effective telephone service at a reasonable price,” he said. “We’ve worked very closely with the Helplines Partnership and have come up with ideas.”

The most expensive numbers include 084 and 087 numbers, which the Fair Telecoms Campaign allege breach regulations for helpline use, with some charities “failing to provide the call cost information that is now required”.

The campaign group said charities who previously used premium rate numbers but have since adopted “geographic rates or free numbers” include Alcoholics Anonymous, British Red Cross, Dementia UK, the Lesbian and Gay Foundation, the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Samaritans.

A spokeswoman for Coeliac UK told Civil Society News it has recently changed its helpline number from an 0845 number to a cheaper 0333 number “in order to tell callers exactly what they’ll pay when calling the charity”.

“Coeliac UK has never added on any charges but because of access and service charges, call costs varied depending on providers,” she said. “With the new 0333 number, callers will spend no more on the call than for 01 or 02 landline numbers. If calling from a mobile with an inclusive minutes package, a call to the Charity’s Helpline will come out of a minutes allowance.”

The spokeswoman said that the charity was currently in the process of updating the helpline number on all marketing materials and that both numbers were currently live until the switch was made.

The National Bullying Helpline also confirmed it no longer uses premium rate numbers.

“We would be shocked if a charity that is financially sound would do this – but we cannot speak on their behalf,” a spokeswoman said.

Civil Society News has approached additional charities currently under scrutiny but did not hear back by the time of going to press.