HSBC has become the first bank in the UK to enable its customers to make donations to charity at its cash machines.
HSBC and first direct customers will be able to make donations to the BBC Children in Need appeal from more than 2900 ATMs across the country. HSBC says it plans to extend the choice of charities to which customers can donate by the end of the year.
Customers can donate anthing between £1 and £1 million at a HSBC ATM using their debit card. All donations will be listed on customer statements which can be used to claim back any tax relief for the contributions they make.
HSBC says the charity donation scheme was developed by its bank in Mexico, where its customers make more than 710,000 donations via ATMs every month, representing five per cent of all cash machine transactions.
Michael Geoghegan, chief executive of HSBC Bank, says research carried out by the bank suggests that charity via cash machines aids customer convenience and will increase donations.
"Almost one in five people say they would donate more if they could through ATMs, which is why we've launched this in time for our annual push for BBC Children in Need," says Geoghegan.