Public trust & support of charities is high in Scotland

9 out of 10 people have supported a charity in the last year

• 82% of people in Scotland trust charities and believe they act in the public interest (compared to 57% in England and Wales)
• Levels of trust in fundraising remains high with 73% of people agreeing that they feel confident donating to charity
• 77% said they donated to charities and 89% said they supported a charity in some way in the last year (compared to 81% in England and Wales)
• 54% of people say their levels of trust of charities remained the same and 16% said their trust in charities increased in the last year. 28% said their trust in charities dropped

The findings of a survey of more than 1,000 people in Scotland, published today by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), show that people in Scotland trust and strongly support charities. Scotland has not been hit by the sharp drop in trust and confidence in charities reported in other parts of the UK. The results are being released as thousands of charities come together today (17 February) for The Gathering, the annual event for third sector organisations, organised by SCVO in the SECC, Glasgow. John Downie, Director of Public Affairs, SCVO said: “Everything charities do hinges on public trust, so it’s really encouraging to see that people in Scotland trust charities and continue to support them by donating money, sponsoring people, volunteering and getting involved in lots of other ways. “Right across the board, we’re seeing that people in Scotland are more closely connected to charities and are more likely to give their time and money to them than people in other parts of the UK. “But we shouldn’t take this trust and support for granted. We need to do everything in our power to maintain and strengthen it. That’s why we’re urging charities in Scotland to help design a new system of fundraising self-regulation to ensure that the public can completely trust, and have confidence, in how they raise funds for the causes they care about.” ENDS

1. The Gathering is organised by SCVO and is a free two-day event for charities taking place on 17-18 February at the SECC, Glasgow

2. Read the full report, including graphics, on the finding of the telephone survey of 1,028 adults aged 16+ in Scotland commissioned by SCVO and conducted by Ipsos Mori during 9-16 November 2015
3. To request an interview or for more information, please contact Charlotte McNeill, Communications & Press Officer, SCVO on 0779 060 1995