The Payments Council, recently admonished by the Treasury Select Committee over its failed attempt to scrap cheques, has launched a campaign to educate consumers about the different payment methods available to them.

As part of the PayYourWay campaign, the Council has released the results of some research it commissioned from Opinium Research, which shows that the most popular payment method for donating to charity is cash.

The research suggests that nearly nine in ten British people are still donating to charity despite the economic slump, and nearly two-thirds of these give at least once a month.

The Payments Council said: “Unsurprisingly cash is the most common payment method for donations (six out of ten give notes and coins), although regular givers are more likely than others to favour the convenience of direct debits.

“The research also found that new ways to donate such as third-party fundraising websites (15 per cent) and text message giving (6 per cent) are becoming popular.”

Cheques did not rate a mention in the Council’s press release about the preferred payment methods, except to say that "ad hoc donations by cash or cheque" can miss out on gift aid.

The poll, of 2,020 UK adults surveyed between 30 September and 3 October, also found that 23 per cent plan to reduce their charitable giving over the next 12 months while just 4 per cent plan to increase it. One-third of respondents expect to maintain their current level of donations.

PayYourWay has also launched an online guide to help people find their best way to donate, containing advice on gift aid and donating efficiently to several different causes.