JustGiving will be launching a direct debit function to its website in the next one to two weeks following a significant rise on regular giving on the site.

The sponsorship website currently allows regular gifts to be made via credit card, but will be introducing a new tool to enable donors to set up regular direct debit gifts, which JustGiving expects will attract a different kind of donor.

The development, due within the next few weeks, was announced at a Media Trust event in London on Wednesday, and follows a 30 per cent year-on-year rise in the current regular giving programme on JustGiving.

Existing JustGiving charity clients will not pay any extra for the facility, and will be able to customise their direct debit giving page, including with bespoke giving prompts.

Asked by an audience member if the new developments were in response to increased competition brought by Virgin Money Giving, Sally Chambers, charity marketing manager at JustGiving, said it was not the case.

“We’re in this for the long haul. This is what we do. It’s not a CSR programme,” she said.

JustGiving is also in the beta phase of enabling charities to include a donation facility on their Facebook pages and will be launching its mobile giving platform in May.