Right now, most charities are working too hard to stand still.

Lists aren’t growing fast enough; consent is a barrier.
And too many valuable moments of engagement… just disappear.

Soft opt-in gives charities a compliant way to continue conversations with supporters who have already engaged

Soft opt-in gives charities a legal way to follow up with people who’ve already shown genuine interest, without needing explicit consent every time.

It applies to email and SMS.

But only if you’ve:

  • Collected the data directly from the individual during that interaction
  • Had real engagement (donation, volunteering, clear interest in supporting the charity)
  • Been upfront about comms and given an easy opt-out

And it only applies to data captured from 5th Feb 2026 onwards

Think of it as:  Permission to continue the conversation, if you’ve earned it

Suggestions, If I were a charity, I would…

  1. Fix my data capture. Immediately.
Every form, every campaign, every touchpoint. Be clear:
  • “We’ll keep in touch by email/SMS”
  • What you’ll send
  • Why it matters
  1. Treat first engagement like gold
That first action, be it donation, sign-up, or petition, is no longer a one-off. It’s your gateway to:
  • Build a relationship
  • Tell your story
  • Drive lifetime value
Don’t waste it. Miss this, and you lose the opportunity.
  1. Build proper onboarding journeys
Not a one size fits all, not random emails or generic updates. Invest in structured journeys that:
  • Reinforce why they engaged
  • Show impact early
  • Give clear next steps
This is where soft opt-in becomes growth
  1. Align message to intent
Someone who downloaded a guide ≠ someone who donated ≠ someone who entered a raffle. Your comms should reflect that. Relevance isn’t a “nice to have”, It’s the difference between retention and opt-out.
  1. Get compliance nailed (properly)
Soft opt-in sits under PECR and works alongside UK GDPR requirements So:
  • Document your decisions
  • Complete LIAs
  • Be transparent
Because the fines? Up to £17.5m or 4% of turnover

Bottom line

Soft opt-in isn’t about sending more emails.

  • It’s about: Holding onto hard-won attention
  • Building a contactable audience that grows
  • Nurturing moments into relationships

The charities that will make this successful, will be smarter, relevant, and better connected to the people already raising their hand.

If you’re still treating every interaction as one-and-done, you’re leaving growth on the table.

Charity Compliance Consumer Data