UK public’s charity donations and sponsorship drop to lowest levels

Charitable giving in the UK has dropped to its lowest level in almost a decade, with only half of people saying they donated last year, according to the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). The decline has been particularly sharp among young people, and London has become the first region where fewer than half of residents reported donating or sponsoring a charity.

CAF, which has monitored donation trends since 2016, found that the proportion of people who donated fell to 50% in 2024, while the percentage of those who sponsored a cause declined to 21%. Among 16-24-year-olds, only 36% said they donated or sponsored in the past year, a sharp drop from 55% in 2017. Meanwhile, older adults aged 65 and over remained the most generous, with 67% saying they had contributed, although this figure is also down from nearly three-quarters in 2017.

The organization’s findings are based on a YouGov survey of 13,459 people aged 16 and older. CAF suggested that a reduction in fundraising events during the pandemic may have led younger generations to disengage from charitable giving, while financial pressures have also made it harder for them to contribute.

Despite the decline in the number of donors, an estimated £15.4 billion was given to charity last year, with the average donation increasing to around £72 per month. However, CAF noted that changes in survey questions—such as prompting respondents to consider alternative ways of donating, like rounding up purchases at checkout—may have influenced this rise. In 2023, the reported average monthly donation was £65, though the figures are not directly comparable.

The drop in charitable giving has been observed across all UK regions, with London, the North West, and the North East experiencing the biggest declines—each down by approximately a quarter since 2017. In London, the proportion of donors fell below half for the first time, dropping from 64% in 2017 to just 49% in 2024. Meanwhile, Wales saw the smallest decrease, from 68% to 61% over the same period. In Scotland, giving slightly declined from 60% in 2023 to 59% last year, while in Northern Ireland, the proportion fell sharply from 68% to 58%.

Health-related charities received the largest share of donations (14%), followed by causes supporting children and young people (13%). In contrast, organizations focused on human rights, equality, and diversity received the smallest portion, at just 1%.

Volunteer participation also declined, with approximately one in 10 people volunteering last year—equivalent to 5.6 million adults—marking a drop of 1.5 million from 2023.

CAF Chief Executive Neil Heslop emphasized the importance of charitable giving, acknowledging the generosity of donors but warning that an increasingly smaller group of people is carrying the burden. He urged the government to introduce a national strategy to encourage philanthropy and support charities, arguing that a renewed culture of giving would help create a more connected and resilient society.

A government spokesperson highlighted the UK’s strong tradition of charitable giving, noting the £15.4 billion donated last year. They reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering philanthropy and mobilizing more private funding to benefit people, communities, and charitable initiatives.