Three-quarters of adults living in the UK did at least one charitable activity in 2023, report finds
13th September 2024 11:29 - Voluntary
Three-quarters of adults living in the UK did at least one charitable activity in 2023: A report from Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has revealed that 75% of UK adults did at least one charitable activity during 2023. Additionally, 58% of adults donated or sponsored.
The UK Giving Report is conducted by CAF and has been running since 2004, tracking giving trends in the UK. The 2024 UK Giving Report was based on responses from 13,164 individuals throughout 2023. The sample was nationally representative, and responses were collected monthly, to allow for changes in behaviour and attitudes across the year.
A notable finding was the increase in total donations, which grew by over a billion pounds from 2022 to 2023. The UK public donated an estimated £13.9 billion to charities in 2023, compared to £12.7 billion the previous year. The increase was driven by some donors giving more on average, rather than more people giving to charity.
The report also investigated how donations were distributed across different causes. Religious organisations received 13% of the total amount donated, amounting to £1.77 billion, with children and young people receiving 10% (£1.32 billion). However, £800 million less went to overseas aid and disaster relief causes, compared to 2022. There was a spike in donors giving in this area in early 2023, likely because of the Turkey-Syria earthquake, but the average gift was lower than what it was for the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Most other cause areas saw similar levels of support to previous years, with the notable exception of charities supporting disabled people, their share of the total donations rose from 3% to 7%.
Despite the overall increase in donation amounts, the typical monthly donation has remained static at £20 for the seventh consecutive year, with half of all donations being £20 or less. Analysis by Pro Bono Economics suggests that if the average donation had kept pace with inflation, it would have risen to £25.24. This highlights a potential gap between donor intentions and the real value of their contributions over time.
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