Homelessness has risen dramatically over the past ten years in the United Kingdom, increasing by 165% since 2010. This crisis has been exacerbated by austerity measures adopted by the United Kingdom, specifically the reduction in government spending resulting in fewer grants for services and the government’s search for alternative means of financing.

The UK community, aware of this crisis and affected by its consequences, does not know how to help. A 2017 study found that 4 out of 5 Londoners were unable to name one single charity helping the homeless in the UK. However, they expressed their willingness to donate and support such entities.

The TAP London program was established to link willing donors and charities that need of their support. The program involves a contactless donation of £3 and the total of each donation is divided among the 23 charities in the London Homeless Collective (LHC) in support of London’s Winter Giving Appeal previously launched by the Mayor. The LHC consists of a group of charities providing vital frontline services for those who do not have a place to sleep. Donations to TAP London can be made through giving points installed at over 100 locations across the city, including main streets, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, shops, entertainment venues, and even City Hall.

This initiative is the first to provide contactless donations to support the gradual transition toward a cashless society. The TAP London seeks to increase spending on services in need of support and provide donors with an easy and effective way to donate. On another note, the TAP strengthens cooperation and communication in London by giving people a chance to contribute in an easy and practical way and break free from the circle of indifference and helplessness that they feel when seeing the homeless sleeping in rough conditions.

The pilot was successful since its launch one year ago, as it raised over £150,000 from 50,000 donors and made Tap London one of the most important and popular crowdfunding campaigns worldwide (in terms of numbers of donors). On another note, this funding has supported and backed the Mayor of London’s Winter Giving Appeal through direct funding services offered to thousands of homeless people, including shelter, legal advice, and counseling sessions.

The TAP London has two main advantages: the first is lower operational costs, providing a passive income revenue for entities demonstrating exceptional efforts in this area. This program is volunteer-led since it requires little supervision, which contributes to expenditure control. Since its launch, the program has offset the initial investment of the infrastructure and achieved a return on investment of 350% during its first year. The second advantage is community engagement. The giving points are hosted by various venues in the city amidst efforts exerted by the participating entities to motivate customers to donate and take pride in engaging in this charitable activity. The participating entities successfully collected valuable sums, with one coffee chain raising over £15,000. Moreover, a retailer raised £4,000 in just three days by hosting an event.

It has become clear that TAP London is standing out from other programs by staying focused on contactless donations. This enables organizers to be highly imaginative and devise a variety of fundraising methods. For example, the program’s website displays a live counter showing total donations across the city every few minutes. Furthermore, TAP London can be leveraged in locations like shopping center windows or crowded streets when other charity initiatives are lacking funds or human resources. Thanks to its work with the Mayor of London, TAP London is being associated with generosity and supporting the homeless, and has become an integral part of the city’s fabric.

The Mayor of London funded the initial infrastructure phase of TAP London through the Rough Sleeping Innovation Fund grant. TAP London, a registered charity, managed the project and developed its concept and related know-how. A collaboration took place with the startup GoodBox to supply contactless equipment for TAP London giving points.

The 23 charities in the London Homeless Collective have received over £6,500 since the project’s inception. These amounts were used to fund selected projects in each charity. The review of the first year is currently being finalized and case studies are being received. London has devised an ambitious plan to expand the project after reviewing the pilot, which will involve:

• Raising £1 million from over 300,000 individuals by 2023;
• Expanding the infrastructure and number of giving points on an annual basis, while adding 25 units for this year’s campaign;
• Continuing to help other cities to replicate this model. TAP London has given advice and support to other UK cities that are running their own campaigns, including Leicester, Peterborough, and Oxford.