Safer ways to help
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Donate to established aid charities
Making donations is the easiest way to help. Donating to charities with experience in high risk, insecure and dangerous environments and an ongoing relief operation in Ukraine is the best way to ensure your money is used correctly.
The following charities have ongoing appeals in support of the people of Ukraine:
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) is an umbrella body that brings together 15 UK aid charities in times of crisis. It has an ongoing humanitarian appeal to which you can contribute here.
Membership of the DEC comprises the following organisations:
- Action Against Hunger
- ActionAid
- Age International
- British Red Cross
- CAFOD
- CARE International
- Christian Aid
- Concern Worldwide
- International Rescue Committee
- Islamic Relief
- Oxfam
- Plan International
- Save the Children
- Tearfund
- World Vision
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Organise or assist in fundraising events
Fundraising events can be run by local charities or groups. You can explore if there are any local charities or community groups in your area with fundraising activities to help experienced charities working in Ukraine, and volunteer to help them with the activity. However, before you volunteer or direct others to volunteer, you should carry out checks on those charities as set out below.
If you are a charity seeking to raise funds or provide direct aid for Ukraine please ensure that these activities will still advance your charitable purposes as provided for in your governing document. If they do not, you must apply to OSCR for consent to change purposes first. OSCR will prioritise any application for consent to change purposes to aid the people of Ukraine during the war.
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Stay in the UK
More hands-on activities may be appealing. However, while you can seek out groups or charities in your area that appear to be providing practical aid for those in need in Ukraine, you should be aware that experienced charities will not ask you to go out to Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid. It is not safe to travel to Ukraine and the FCDO strongly advises against doing so. Experienced charities have professional workers with experience of providing humanitarian aid in high risk, insecure and dangerous environments and have ongoing relief operations in Ukraine and surrounding countries.