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April 2025 - Voluntary

Latest research reveals that fewer people in the UK are donating to charity than ever: A new report has outlined a steady decline in donor volumes in the UK since tracking of this metric was first introduced in 2016, with figures now reaching their lowest on record. It also shows that the number of UK citizens making charitable donations has fallen significantly since 2019, with approximately four million fewer people donating in 2024.

These findings are from The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) UK Giving Report 2025, an annual study now in its 21^st year. The report surveys a representative sample of over 13,000 UK adults (aged 16 +) throughout the year, collecting data online. It found that in 2024, charities received donations from just 50% of people, compared to 58% in 2019 and 61% of people in 2016. However, despite the decline in the number of donors, the overall total donated has continued to rise over the last five years.

In 2020, the total donated to charity in the UK was approximately £11.3 billion. Despite a slight dip in 2021 (£10.7 billion), the amount has seen an upward trajectory ever since rising to £12.7 billion in 2022, £13.9 billion in 2023 and £15.4 billion in 2024.

The primary reason donations continue to rise despite the decreasing number of donors is that the average value of donations has increased to around £ 72.00 per month. The study also uncovered that during the same period, the proportion of people who sponsored someone for charity fell sharply from about a third (32%) in 2019 to just over a fifth (21%) in 2024.

So why are fewer UK citizens donating or sponsoring someone? The most common reasons cited by survey respondents who did not donate in the past 12 months included: “I can't afford it” (44%), " I don't trust charities to use my money wisely” (19%), and “There hasn't been a charity that's interested me enough " (10%).

Another significant factor could be the sharp decline in younger donors. The research showed that while people aged 65 and older were more likely to report making a charitable donation or sponsorship - with two-thirds (66%) reporting they had in 2024 - just over a third (36%) of 16-24- year- olds said they had donated or sponsored last year, compared to over half (52%) in 2019.

As this pool of younger givers decreases, can this trend be reversed?

Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive of CAF says: “To renew our culture of giving across the UK, the Government should deliver a national strategy for philanthropy and charitable giving, to support charities to deliver their life-changing work. Revitalising our culture of giving will help to build a more connected, more generous, and more resilient society for all of us in the future.” 

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