Brits 'gave £1bn on cards last year'

People in the UK made £1 billion-worth of charitable donations through their credit cards over the course of 2007, it has been claimed.

According to payments association Apacs, this is a 23 per cent increase on the 18.5 million contributions made during 2006.

This week's Budget left gift aid at 22 per cent, but Apacs director of communication Sandra Quinn believes a lower rate in the future means Britons should continue to be as generous as possible.

She said: "Last year we donated a staggering £1 billion on our cards and it seems very likely that our increasing preference to pledge by plastic has been spurred on by all the growing opportunities to pay online or over the phone."

In 2006, rock star Bono launched Product Red - a brand which gave a share of its profits to the fight against Aids in Africa.

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