Evidence library

Key Findings: the 2023 CAF report shows a continuation of a trend noted in previous reports – that of fewer people giving more. March and April saw spikes in donations that helped to make 2022 the most generous year on record for giving with an estimated £12.7 billion in donations, up £2 billion on 2021. However, analysis by Pro Bono Economics suggests that inflation may have eroded the value of this generosity by more than £500 million. In addition, while donations have not fully recovered from the pandemic we are also seeing the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, with a quarter of people reported plans to change or reduce their charitable giving.

• People in the UK gave £12.7 billion to charity in 2022, a substantial increase from £10.7 billion in 2021
• Giving has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with donation levels in 2022 similar to those seen in 2021.
• Fewer people made donations in the majority of months in 2022 than their equivalent in 2019
• 59% of people donated or sponsored someone in 2022, up from 57% in 2021 but still below the 65% who gave in 2019. (note: based on an UK adult population of 49.3m this works out as around 3 million fewer people saying they donated or sponsored someone)
• Volunteering levels have seen a sustained decline
• The cost-of-living crisis is impacting charitable giving: a quarter of people said they had changed their charitable behaviours, or were considering doing so. This included reducing or cancelling a regular charity donation (5%), and choosing not to make a one-off donation (10%).
• Animal welfare topped the list of causes donated for all months in 2022, except for March and April when it was overtaken by overseas aid and disaster relief, likely due to the response to the war in Ukraine.
• Across 2022, the average (mean) amount donated per month was £60, an increase from £46 in 2019.
• However, the typical (median) donation remains £20 and has been unchanged for the past several years. This means that the value of the typical donation, in real terms, has been eroding for some time.