Many churches are finding that digital giving is a great way to receive donations, particularly in a time when people are carrying less and less cash. ‘Digital giving’ is used to refer to donations made online (including via a QR code) or in-person using a bank card or smart device to make a contactless or chip and PIN gift.
In 2025, churches raised almost £25m between them in digital income. Digital giving is a growing stream of income for many churches, complementing other giving mechanisms.
High average donations: in 2025, the average contactless/chip and PIN gift made to a church was £8.76 and the average online gift was £35.73.
Easy to use: digital ways to give are quick and easy to use for givers, and they are also straightforward for churches to manage. Real-time access to donation reporting, Gift Aid declarations, and automatic transfers to your church’s bank account helps to save time.
Reduces reliance on cash: as cash usage continues to decline, it is important to have alternative ways for people to give easily to your church.
There are two members of staff in the Church of England’s Giving Directorate who are dedicated to supporting churches and dioceses with digital giving. Their work includes:
Delivering projects to help increase the use of digital giving across the Church of England
Working with relevant suppliers to offer good products and good value services to churches (accessible via Parish Buying)
Providing training and resources to help churches setup and use digital mechanisms for giving well
Most dioceses have a Giving Advisor whose role it is to help churches grow giving and generosity. Many Giving Advisors are familiar with the different digital giving mechanisms available and may be able to help advise what a good option for your church might be. Find your diocese’s Giving Advisor here.
You can also contact [email protected] to request help from the national team.
Contactless giving enables people to give to your church by tapping a contactless donation device with their bank card of smart device. Many devices also allow people to give using chip and PIN.
Online giving enables people to give to your church via a webpage. You can share links to the webpage online—such as on your website, A Church Near You page, or social media channels.
