Regular giving: why reviewing your monthly donations matters

The value of regular giving for charities

Regular donations make many of us think of signing up to give £10 a month in a hurry at the train station, thanks to the persuasive charm of a street fundraiser, but these types of donations are no small fry.

As CAF’s UK Giving Report 2026 reveals, standing orders and direct debits are worth £2.89 billion to the UK charity sector and are vital for charities as they allow them to plan more effectively. They are popular with donors as well, as they are a great way to make and honour a commitment, without regularly having to remember to donate. According to our research, in any given month, 46% of donors give via direct debit or standing order.

I have seen this way of giving used effectively by donors who commit to covering a portion (or all) of a charity’s core costs, as consistency is particularly vital when the donation is going towards costs like rent and salaries, especially at smaller organisations which tend to have lower reserves.

Why reviewing regular donations matters

However, there can be a downside to these so-called ‘set and forget’ types of donations. With recent high inflation, everyone, including charities, has been feeling the pinch and those standing orders donors set up even just a few years ago may be worth much less in real terms than they were originally.

CAF’s resilience research found that while demand has increased for charity services, there is less money to go around, and over 60% of charities report that they are having to do more with less. Those charities which rely at least in part on regular donations from their supporters are often facing the dual challenge of rising costs while their income stagnates.

In my work with CAF’s Charitable Trust clients, I encourage regular reviews of any recurring commitments. While automated payments are incredibly convenient, they are also easy to neglect, and I have seen ones that have been unchanged for years or even, in some cases, decades. These will be worth much less to the charity than when they were set up. It is also easy to accidentally set up more than one payment to the same charity or let one lapse you wanted to keep going.

At a time when charitable gift values are under pressure - average monthly donations fell to £65 in 2025, down from £72 in 2024 - and affordability is cited as the most significant barrier to giving, it’s crucial that those who can afford to give, are actively engaging with their regular donations to ensure the greatest impact.