DM is a third of watchdog complaints

Data protection was the second biggest cause for public concern, accounting for 22 per cent of the total. "It is no great surprise that direct mail is the main source of complaint for the charity sector," said Jon Scourse, chief executive of FRSB.

"Eighty five per cent of all donations in the UK go to the top two per cent of charities. It is the major charities that can afford to be very active in direct mail and therefore just about every household in the UK will receive some sort of direct mail from a charity at some point."

The complaints process has three stages. The first is dealt with directly by the charity concerned. If not resolved, the complaint is then taken to the FRSB and if a conclusion is still not reached it will be put to the entire board.

Four of last year's complaints were taken to 'stage two' of the process. Two of these involved direct mail, one legacy and one telephone fundraising. The most serious complaint was taken to the full board. It concerned CancerResearch UK’s mailing of pen packs. The charity was cleared of any wrongdoing after the board found there was insufficient evidence.

The FRSB was set up in reaction to the Charities Act 2006 after the government decided a regulatory system needed to be put in place to monitor the £5.9bn donated to UK charities every year by the general public.

Charities have five years to prove they can self regulate through the FRSB, which aims to measure public trust, increase standards and provide a code of practice. If the government is not satisfied with its results however a government run scheme will be put in place.