Commuters using their contactless debit and credit cards to pay for fares on National Rail and the Transport for London network can now automatically donate up to ten pence to a charitable cause each time they tap in thanks to a new 'micro-donation' service launched by BarclayCard.
The service, dubbed 'Penny for London', registers between a 1 to 10 pence donation according to customer choice. Donations are aggregated into one debit payment at the end of each month and this is given to Penny for London for distribution via the Mayor’s Fund for London charities and other not-for-profit organisations including Cash for Kids and The Prince’s Trust.
All Visa and MasterCard holders are able to opt-in to this service via a dedicated website and mobile app.
The technology development costs for the project were part funded by Barclays’ Social Innovation Facility, which was launched in 2012 with a £25m commitment and a charter to accelerate the development of commercial programmes that directly address social challenges.
Barclaycard business solutions CEO, Philip McHugh, says: "As increasing numbers of people move from cash to card, we see this micro-donation technology being able to help companies support their citizenship programmes. We hope it is adopted by other cities here and around the world in the future to ensure charities continue to thrive.”