Cancel Plan International the easy way

Mission and scope

Plan International is an international children s rights and equality for girls charity that funds community development, schooling, health and protection projects worldwide. It operates fundraising and sponsorship programmes allowing donors to support children and local projects.

How support is used

Donations are pooled to fund local development projects such as building schools, digging wells and providing medical access. Plan International UK states that at least 80% of child sponsorship donations go towards activities and long-term development in the sponsored child s community.

Company facts

For governance and structure see Plan International - structure and governance.

Web (donor portal)

1. Log in to your Plan International donor portal if you have one.
2. If there is no cancel button, locate the contact or help form and submit a cancellation request including Donor ID, full name and clear instruction to Cancel recurring donation.
3. Save the support ticket number or reply email as proof.
4. If you do not receive confirmation within 3 business days, use phone or registered post.

iOS (App Store)

1. On iPhone or iPad go to Settings > your name > Subscriptions.
2. Find the Plan International subscription and tap Cancel Subscription.
3. Take a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation from Apple for proof.

Android (Google Play)

1. Open the Google Play app and tap your profile icon.
2. Tap Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions and select Plan International.
3. Tap Cancel subscription and keep the Play Store confirmation screenshot.

Phone

1. Call the documented donor loyalty number 800-556-7918 Monday to Friday 08:30 to 18:00 Eastern Time.
2. Provide your Donor ID and request a confirmation number or reference ID for the cancellation.
3. Write down the agent s name, time and reference ID and follow up by email if you do not receive written confirmation.

Email

1. Send an email from the account tied to the donation. For US donors use [email protected] when referenced; for recurring donations contact [email protected] at least 3 business days before the next billing date to stop future charges.
2. Include Donor ID, full name, postcode and the sentence: "I want to Cancel my recurring donation immediately."
3. Save the reply email as proof. If no reply within 3 business days, escalate by phone or registered post.

Post

1. Write a signed letter stating your full name, Donor ID, address, and clear instruction to Cancel recurring donation.
2. Send by registered post to Plan International, Duke Street, GU21 5BH Woking, United Kingdom.
3. Keep the tracked delivery receipt and allow 5-14 days for processing; follow up by email or phone if no written confirmation is received.

Moving / change of residence

Rule - If you move and no longer wish to sponsor, request cancellation with your Donor ID and new address. Required documents - proof of new address such as a utility bill or council tax bill. Applicable law - Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 when donations were arranged online.

Price increase

Rule - For Direct Debit payments Plan International UK must notify you 10 working days before a change to amount, date or frequency. Required documents - the notification from Plan International and your original payment records. Applicable law - Direct Debit rules and guidance from Plan International UK; see Direct Debit notice requirement.

Death of subscriber

Rule - Next of kin may request cancellation by emailing support with a copy of the death certificate. Required documents - death certificate and evidence of authority (executor or next of kin contact details). Applicable law - Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 applies to cancellations where payment method and timing are relevant.

Legitimate grounds accepted by Plan

Rule - Plan International accepts refunds or cancellations for duplicate donations, proven unauthorised or fraudulent use, processor error or donor mistake reported promptly. Required documents - bank statement showing duplicate/unauthorised payment, police or bank fraud report if applicable, and transaction IDs. Source - Plan International refund exceptions list.

End of commitment

Rule - For sponsorship programmes where payment frequency options exist, confirm whether you have a billed period (monthly, quarterly, twice a year). Required documents - sponsorship agreement or confirmation email showing payment frequency. Applicable law - Consumer Rights Act 2015 for service performance and contract terms.

Cooling-off period (14 days)

Rule - Contracts arranged online or off-premises are subject to a 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Required documents - proof of original purchase date and request to cancel within 14 days. Applicable law - Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

Before you cancel: negotiate

Retention offers publicly reported for Plan International are not documented in the research. There is no publicly recorded standard retention package. How to ask - contact donor services by phone or email and request help: provide Donor ID and ask for pause, reduced amount or change of frequency. Script example: "My Donor ID is [X]. I need to reduce or pause my donation. Can you offer a pause, switch to a lower monthly amount or change to quarterly payments?" Keep the written confirmation.

What cancelling saves you - yearly cost calculations

We calculate annual costs from Plan International monthly plans and show savings if you cancel immediately.

Child Sponsorship: £19.50 x 12 = £234.00 per year.

Menstrual Health Kit donation: £4 x 12 = £48.00 per year.

Safe Classrooms donation: £8 x 12 = £96.00 per year.

Anti-FGM Attitudes donation: £16 x 12 = £192.00 per year.

Fierce Voices - School Essentials: £5 x 12 = £60.00 per year.

Fierce Voices - Reusable Sanitary Pads: £8 x 12 = £96.00 per year.

Fierce Voices - Anti-FGM & Child Marriage Training: £12 x 12 = £144.00 per year.

Cheapest documented competitor alternative from the research: Remote Learn at £120.00 per month (monthly tuition bundles), which equals £1,440.00 per year; this is more expensive than all listed Plan International product annual costs. To save money compared with child sponsorship, cancelling a £19.50 monthly sponsorship saves £234.00 annually.

Key UK consumer laws

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 provide a 14-day cooling-off period for online and off-premises contracts. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be performed with reasonable care and skill and protects against unfair contract terms. The Direct Debit Guarantee protects you if a Direct Debit error occurs.

Regulators and escalation

The Fundraising Regulator oversees charity fundraising standards in the UK. If Plan International does not resolve your complaint, escalate to Citizens Advice for guidance and then to the Fundraising Regulator. For payment disputes use your card issuer s chargeback or Section 75 where applicable. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) treats hard-to-cancel subscriptions and unclear auto-renewal terms as potential unfair practices; use this in complaints about difficult cancellation processes.

How to escalate step-by-step

1) Complain in writing to Plan International and keep proof. 2) If not resolved, contact Citizens Advice for next steps. 3) File a complaint with the Fundraising Regulator. 4) For card payments consider Section 75 or chargeback via your card issuer. 5) If the issue concerns Direct Debit errors, your bank must provide an immediate refund under the Direct Debit Guarantee.

Check final billing

Confirm the date of your last payment and check your bank or card statement for any charges after cancellation. If an unwanted charge occurs after cancellation, request a refund citing the cancellation confirmation reference.

Data and re-activation

Plan International will retain donor records for governance and Gift Aid compliance; to re-activate sponsorship contact donor services to restart or choose a different donation frequency. Keep confirmation emails as proof of cancellation and any agreements to re-activate later.

Refund expectations

Card donations via PayBiz may be refunded within 3 calendar days automatically; after 3 days refunds are handled manually and returned to the original payment method when approved. For Direct Debit errors you are entitled to an immediate full refund under the Direct Debit Guarantee. See Plan International s Donation Terms for full details: Donation Terms and Conditions.

Use this checklist to ensure your cancellation is final and documented.

• Find your Donor ID, name, address and payment method.
• Choose a cancellation channel: phone, email or registered post.
• If by phone, write down agent name, time and confirmation number.
• If by email, send from the address linked to your donation and include: Donor ID, "I want to Cancel my recurring donation immediately," and request written confirmation.
• If by post, send a signed registered letter to Plan International, Duke Street, GU21 5BH Woking, United Kingdom and keep tracked delivery proof.
• Keep screenshots or confirmation emails from Apple or Google Play if you cancelled via app stores.
• Check your card or bank statement within 7 days to ensure no further charges; if there are, request a refund and quote your cancellation reference.
• If payment is via Direct Debit and you are charged wrongly, contact your bank for a Direct Debit Guarantee refund.