Help us respond to emergencies in the UK and around the world
From earthquakes, floods and hurricanes to conflict and famine, disasters are devastating the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. That number is only rising. By 2030, it’s predicted that we’ll see 560 emergencies a year – that’s 1.5 every day.
No one should have to face a disaster alone. That’s why the British Red Cross’s Disaster Fund exists.
Your donation will reach people impacted by all kinds of deadly disasters in the UK and around the world, including:
- Natural disasters, like earthquakes, tsunamis and storms.
- Armed conflict and violence.
- Climate emergencies and extreme weather, like wildfires, floods and drought.
- Food insecurity and famine.
What is the Disaster Fund?
When disaster strikes, whether it's a natural disaster or due to conflict, the Red Cross is there for people. In any emergency, every second counts and your charity donation to the Disaster Fund allows us to act fast to provide critical aid and relief.
In 2025 alone, generous donations to the fund helped us reach more than 513,000 people around the world, from people impacted by historical hurricanes like Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, to people fleeing conflict in Sudan.
The type of support we give is wide-ranging. Where hospitals are destroyed, we provide first aid and emergency medical care. When families are forced to leave their homes due to floods, famine or conflict, we give cash support so they can buy what they need. When the trauma of an emergency leaves communities reeling, we support with emotional and psychosocial help.
Your donation can help us provide vital support – not only in the immediate moments after a disaster, but also in the long-term as people recover and rebuild, including:
- food and clean water
- safe shelter
- first aid and urgent medical care
- cash support, so people and families can buy the essentials they need most
- emotional support, to cope with the trauma
Donate to the Disaster Fund today
Why are donations to the Disaster Fund important?
The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world’s largest humanitarian charity network, and our teams work tirelessly to be a lifeline to those hit by disasters.
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, our teams rely on the Disaster Fund to launch an emergency response and get critical help to people impacted as soon as possible. It powers our response with immediate lifelines, whether that’s search and rescue teams pulling survivors from rubble, or temporary shelter offering safety when everything familiar is gone.
By donating today, we can act faster when the worst happens whether that's a devastating earthquake, severe flooding or a life threatening famine. Crucially, that means we can reach more people with lifesaving and life-changing support.
Once the initial days and weeks after a disaster have passed, we do not leave people’s side – we continue to provide support so they can heal, move forward, and rebuild their lives.
But we need your help to do that. Please give what you can.How monthly donations help people hit by disasters
Regular charity donations from generous supporters like you are what keeps our emergency response work going. No one knows when or where the next disaster is going to happen, or whether it's a flood, earthquake or a famine. That’s why a monthly charity donation, no matter the amount, will help make sure our teams are ready to act. It means families can get vital support sooner. It means people don’t have to go without the help they urgently need.
Set up a regular donation to the Disaster Fund today.
Where could your donation to the Disaster Fund go?
From conflict in Sudan, to an earthquake in Nepal or the hurricane in Jamaica, the Red Cross is ready to respond whenever disaster strikes.
The Disaster Fund is supporting humanitarian efforts in the UK, Bangladesh, Chad, Kenya, Mauritania, Nepal, Nigeria, Sudan, Jamaica, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Yemen.
Three simple steps to support the Disaster Fund
- You set up a regular donation via Direct Debit or give a one-off donation to the Disaster Fund.
- Your donation is there, ready to support people anywhere in the world in an emergency.
- When disaster strikes, we’ll quickly release money from the Fund to launch our emergency response. If you’ve signed up for our updates, you’ll get emails bringing you the latest news and events as they unfold.
Donate now to help provide disaster relief