Using charity services in Scotland
About this briefing
These findings are based on a telephone survey of 1,028 respondents (adults aged 16+) commissioned by SCVO and conducted by Ipsos Mori on 9th-16th November 2015.
Key findings
- Four out of five (84%) households in Scotland used a service or facility run by a charity over the previous year.
- 76% of households enjoyed charity-run culture, sport, leisure or social activities.
- 34% of households were helped by a charity last year, receiving advice, social care or health care services.
- 47% of people used a community centre or village hall in last year.
- More than half of respondents (52%) took part in a charity-organised event last year.
- 43% of respondents attended a church, or an event in a church/religious building in the last year.
- Younger and middle-aged people were slightly more likely to have used a charity service on the last year.
- For many charity services, there is little difference between Scotland and the UK. However, Scottish households are far more likely to have used certain services in the last year:
- 52% of Scottish households took part in a charity-run social event, versus only 14% in the wider UK
- 47% used a community hall, versus only 18% in the wider UK.
- 43% attended church, or a church-related event, versus 23% in the wider UK
- 31% got advice from a charity, versus 16% in the wider UK
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Last modified on 11 August 2026
