Can you donate a car to a charity?

In the UK, many cars break down, fail their MOT or stop working altogether. This can be stressful for car owners. When this happens, you might call your breakdown service and take your car to the garage, wondering if it's worth fixing or if you should just get rid of it.

One option to consider is donating your car to charity. This is becoming more popular and raises millions of pounds.

But what does it mean to donate a car to charity? What kinds of vehicles can you donate? And how much money do charities get from your donation? Find out all the details in our comprehensive guide.

Donating a car to charity

If you want to donate your old, damaged or unwanted car to charity, you can use services like Giveacar or Charity Car. They make it easy and will usually collect your car for free from anywhere in the UK.

If your car is in good condition, it will be auctioned, and the money will go to charity. If it needs minor repairs, they might fix it up before auctioning it. If your car insurance provider has declared the vehicle a write-off, it will be sold for scrap or dismantled, and the parts will be sold, with the proceeds going to charity.

There is no minimum amount that your chosen charity will receive; it depends on your car's value, the worth of its parts, or its scrap value.

Some car donation services may take a commission or charge fees, while others give 100% of the scrap value to charity. Be sure to research and choose a service that works best for you.

How does donating a car to charity work?

Donating a car to charity is easy. Choose a car donation service and follow these three steps:

1. Fill out a form with your details, your car’s details and your address.
2. The car donation service picks up your car from your home, usually within seven working days.
3. The service handles everything else on your behalf.

After collecting your car, the donation service will either:

• Sell it at auction (cleaning and fixing it if needed)
• Recycle it for scrap
• Dismantle it and sell it for spare parts

They choose the option that raises the most money for charity. You'll be informed about how your car was disposed of and how much money was raised. Depending on the service, you can either choose a charity or the money will go to a charity they partner with. There are many charities to choose from, from children’s and animal charities to healthcare and international aid.

What vehicles can you donate?

You can donate any type of vehicle to charity, including cars, vans, motorbikes and caravans. It doesn’t matter if it’s in full working order or if it’s on its last legs, the car donation services are happy to take the vehicle off your hands.

Are more motorists opting to donate their cars to charity?

An increasing number of drivers are choosing to donate their cars to charity. It means you can do your bit for a good cause, which can be very satisfying. Additionally, it allows you to use a specialist scrapping and recycling service to get rid of your car without having to go through the hassle yourself.