Public trust in charities 2026
UK/England and Wales only.
Trust in charities remains resilient
Overall trust has held steady at a high level since 2020, with 57% having high trust, and charities continue to outperform almost all other institutions.
However, there has been a small rise in those with low trust in charities since 2024 (9% in 2024, 11% in 2026). Those with less contact with charities and lower awareness of the Commission are more likely to have low trust. This reinforces the link between visibility, understanding and trust.
Trust, engagement and giving form a virtuous (and vicious) cycle
High trust is associated with donating, volunteering and other forms of contact, while lower trust tends to be linked to disengagement.
Those with high trust of charities, but who are not donating are still often supportive in other ways.
Money reaching the end cause remains the most important driver of trust
But perceptions that charities ‘make a real difference’ and act as a voice have grown in importance. This reflects a shift from a narrow focus on financial efficiency towards a broader expectation that charities demonstrate purpose, relevance and outcomes.
