Charity Street Scotland: The value of charity to Scottish households (2018)
- The use of charity is widespread with nine in ten Scottish households having used a charity at some point, and four in five having used a charity service in the last 12 months.
- Better off households are more likely to have used a charity service overall, those of social classes ABC1 are also more likely to have used a number of specific services.
- Younger people aged 18-24 use on average more charitable services in the last 12 months (5.3), with the number decreasing the older you are, reaching 2.2 on average amongst those aged 65+.
- Households which use charities perceive a wide range of benefits to doing so, most commonly this is having an enjoyable / fun experience (19%), receiving emotional support or counselling from a charity service (16%) or legal advice or support (16%).
- People are often not aware they are using a charity with 27% unaware that the service they or someone in their household had used was provided by a charity. Younger people aged 18-34 were the most likely to be unaware, at 34%.
- Charities are best placed and most trusted to speak on behalf of the disadvantaged with 68% believing that charities were best placed to speak on behalf of disadvantaged people to government to help influence government policies.
Last modified on 11 August 2026
