Evidence library

This briefing presents and analyses the findings from a poll of the general public in Scotland on trust, confidence and support of charities. The findings are based on a telephone survey of 1,028 respondents (adults aged 16+) commissioned by SCVO and conducted by Ipsos MORI during 9-16 November 2015.

• 82% of respondents to SCVO’s survey agree that charities are trustworthy and act in the public interest. This is significantly higher than the 57% reported in the 2015 Charities Aid Foundation survey and shows that trust in charities remains high in Scotland.  9 out of 10 (89%) respondents have personally supported a charity in some way in the last year, donating money or goods, or giving their time as volunteers and supporters. This compares to 81% for the wider UK overall - see Scottish/UK comparison on page 6.  77% of respondents donated money in the last year. Donating money remains the most popular way the Scottish public supports charities, highlighting the importance of fundraising to Scottish charities.  However, over a quarter of those surveyed said they had lost trust in charities in the last year. More than 1 in 4 people surveyed reported losing trust in charities over the last year, and 41% said that negative media stories had affected their trust.

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• 00P0N00001IUzSBUA1-PublicTrustinCharitiesFeb 2016 FINAL.pdf