6th December 2024
The British public are expected to give an estimated £2.8 billion to charities during November and December this year, according to Charities Aid Foundation’s UK Giving research.
November and December are typically the peak months for giving, when the highest number of people say they give to charity. This coincides with Christmas charity campaigns, and events such as Giving Tuesday, Children in Need and the Poppy Appeal. Some charities rely on their Christmas fundraising to fund their work for the following year.
New Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) research has found that half (50%) of the public say they always or usually donate to charity over the festive period. This is significantly higher than the third of people (34%) who regularly give money to charity throughout the rest of the year - for instance by putting money in a bucket or by direct debit. Of those who intend to give, the majority (74%) say they will donate money, with just under half (46%) planning to give goods and 14% intending to donate their time to good causes.
The top reasons cited for donating during the festive period include:
- People are more aware of those in need during this time (37%)
- It’s a traditional time to give (28%)
- People are more aware of charity appeals (23%)
- People donate instead of giving presents (10%)
Across the UK, charities provide food packages, debt advice, mental health services and support for the homeless. However, charities are struggling to cover their rising demand. Separate CAF research with charity leaders found that 86% say demand for their services has increased over the last year, with 54% saying this is significant. The organisations that report the largest rise in demand are poverty-relief charities (67%), human rights/equality and diversity charities (66%), and charities helping those in need (55%).
Philippa Cornish, Head of Charities at the Charities Aid Foundation said: “Up and down the country, charities are helping more and more people this winter – those who are most in need in our society. Charities understand more than most the financial pressures some households are facing.
“But the last few years has seen a decline in the number of people regularly donating to charity. We hope that for those who can afford to, they give generously this year to good causes. There are also other ways to help, such as through volunteering or donating goods. Many charities rely on mass giving and festive fundraising and they will certainly appreciate an injection of generosity this Christmas.”
Notes to Editors
- For more information, please contact media@cafonline.org
- CAF has been producing the UK Giving report since 2004 and has been tracking giving in the UK for several decade. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The survey was carried out online every month and total monthly sample size is more than 1,000 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 16+). The sample is constructed in such a way that it is nationally representative of the UK in terms of respondents’ sex, age, region/nation and social grade.
- The £2.8billion estimate is based on last year’s giving and CAF’s analysis of donation trends this year.
