NatWest, RBS and Tesco ATMs to allow charity giving

Users of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) group's 8,000 cash machines, which include those run by NatWest, will be able to make donations of between £1 and £150 from their accounts to eight charities.

You don't need to be an RBS customer to donate this way.

However, RBS group donations will not include Gift Aid, which is tax relief from the Government that charities get as an add-on via many donations.

The scheme went live on RBS machines today and will be rolled out across NatWest, Ulster Bank and Coutts ATMs tomorrow.

Charities people can donate to using this method include:

• Cancer Research

• Barnardo's

• Age UK

• Children in Need

• The Disasters Emergency Committee

• Oxfam's emergency work

• RSPCA (NatWest ATMs only)

• STV Appeal (RBS ATMs only)

RBS says if just 1% of the withdrawals it processes include a £1 donation, this would raise £6.5 million a year.

Tesco donations

Anyone using a Tesco Bank machine will also be able to donate from tomorrow from its ATMs in the same way, whether or not they are Tesco Bank customers. Again, charities won't get gift aid this way.

Those using the Tesco machines can give between £1 and £300 in one transaction to a choice of seven charities. They are:

• Action for Children

• Barnardo's

• Teenage Cancer Trust

• Together for Short Lives

• Save the Children

• Cancer Research UK

• The Disasters Emergency Committee

Government drive

The moves are the first phase of a wider Government move to boost charitable giving, which is being rolled out through Link, the UK cash machine network.

One hundred million cards, making up almost every debit and ATM card issued by a major UK bank, will eventually be able to make donations through ATMs. This is expected by the end of the year.

Donations will be offered as a separate menu item on the ATM screen, or as a post-transaction option.

HSBC has allowed its customers to donate to charity through its cash machines since 2005. It says £341,623 was donated in 2010.