The Regulator for Charities in England and Wales
The Commission actively promotes diversity issues whenever possible. Now, for the benefit of our hearing and speech impaired customers who use text, rather than voice communication, the Commission has introduced a dedicated text system called TexBox.
TexBox enables the caller to contact us using a textphone/Minicom without the need to route the call via RNID Typetalk. Simply dial our Textphone/Minicom number 0845 300 0219. On connection you see our welcoming menu displayed:
“Welcome to the Charity Commission, please choose from the following options: 1 – Charity Commission Direct, 2 – Human Resources, 3 – Customer Complaints, 4 – Newport (Welsh) Office” Just enter the number of your choice.
What these sections do:
Charity Commission Direct (Option 1)
Deals with all general enquiries and can give advice of a general nature. If you are unsure what option to elect, then press 1 as our staff will be able to assist you.
Two members of our staff who are themselves deaf are also connected to the TexBox system, but are not listed on the welcoming menu. If they have provided you with details for contacting them, then choose Option 1 and, upon connection, ask to be transferred to the person required.
Human Resources (Option 2)
Deals with job applications and sending out application packs. They can also offer information about current job vacancies.
Customer Complaints (Option 3)
Should you have cause to complain about any aspect of our service, then text our Customer Complaints staff. But please also use this option if you would like to make any comments, good or bad, about the TexBox system – we welcome your feedback.
Newport (Welsh) Office (Option 4)
For all enquiries about Welsh charities, please choose this option.
Occasionally it is possible that a call cannot be answered, e.g. the member of staff is already engaged on another text or voice call, or might be away from their desk. If the system is unable to connect you, you will be offered the option of leaving a text message, which we can pick up afterwards and arrange to call you back.
Please leave your name, full STD telephone number* and an indication of the help you are seeking.
* If your telephone could be answered by a hearing person (voice) then it might be better for us to return your call via Typetalk. If this applies, please pre-fix your STD number with 18002 so that our staff will know.
TexBox is a dedicated system and only certain staff are licensed to use it. Text calls appear on the user’s computer screen and, unlike the telephone, cannot be intercepted by another member of staff. In the case of Charity Commission Direct, where we expect the majority of calls to be handled, we have three licensed users so greatly increasing the likelihood of making first time connection.
The system is programmed to allow between 1 and 2 minutes for answer, after which you will be invited to leave a message. In the case of option 1, the system will try each of the three lines twice before switching to message. This means that it may take up to two minutes to try and establish connection. Please be patient – we will endeavour to answer your call much sooner than this.
There will be occasions, for example if you need to speak to a specific officer or your enquiry is too detailed to be answered on a general basis, when we will need to take initial details and arrange for another member of staff to call you back.
In such cases, it might be necessary to return your call via Typetalk as some of our staff will not have access to TexBox. This means that you will still be able to communicate with us using text, but via a Typetalk operator.
TexBox recognises only text and our staff are unable to hear the sound of any person’s voice. If someone else initiates the call for you via our textphone/Minicom number they must communicate using text.