Blog

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has recently published its UK Giving Report 2026, offering a snapshot of how the public supported charities over the last year.

​The difficult takeaway from the report is that levels of individual giving appear to be under pressure. With fewer people donating and many reassessing their financial commitments, it’s understandable that this raises concern, particularly at a time when charities too are facing rising demand and increasing costs.

​But this is only part of the picture. The real story is not simply one of decline, but of change. The way people give is evolving with a growing expectation that giving feels meaningful, relevant, and connected to impact. For charities, that distinction matters, and points to an opportunity to change how they engage with their supporters.

What The Figures Tell Us About Individual Giving

The latest data offers a clear picture of how people are giving across the UK today.

At a glance, the key figures are:

• £14 billion donated to charity in 2025, down from £15.4 billion in 2024
• 55% of people donated or sponsored someone
• Six million fewer donors compared to a decade ago
• Average monthly donations down from £72 to £65
• 2.8 million people cancelled a regular donation
• Nearly half of non-donors say they can’t afford to give

While these numbers reflect a more challenging environment, they also highlight the continued importance of giving. Even amid ongoing financial pressure, millions of people are still choosing to support charities, pointing to a resilience in public generosity that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Why Individual Giving is Changing

At the most immediate level, financial pressure continues to shape behaviour. For many people, giving is no longer an automatic decision, but something weighed up alongside everyday spending. But the shift runs deeper than affordability alone, with the key drivers behind this change also including:

• A move away from habitual giving — fewer people are donating regularly, with giving less embedded as a routine behaviour.
• Greater emphasis on trust and connection — people are more likely to give when they feel confident in the organisation and understand the impact.
• The growing influence of personal networks — recommendations from friends, family and peers are more powerful than direct charity messaging.
• More responsive, moment-led giving — donations are increasingly prompted by specific experiences, stories or appeals rather than long-term commitment.

Taken together, these shifts point to a more considered and intentional approach to giving, shaped not just by financial realities but by how people feel and what they trust.

What This Means for Charities

Individual giving can no longer be taken for granted. With fewer people donating, and many doing so more selectively, charities need to work harder to earn attention, trust and commitment.

With this in mind, relevance matters more than ever. People are increasingly motivated by causes they feel personally connected to, whether through lived experience, local impact, or a clear and compelling story. What’s more, trust and transparency are critical. Generic messaging is unlikely to cut through; Clear communication, visible impact and meaningful engagement are far more powerful.

There is also a clear shift in how people are prompted to give. Word of mouth, personal networks and shared experiences are more influential than traditional charity communications. This creates an opportunity for charities to think differently about how they engage supporters, not just as donors, but as advocates and storytellers.

For many charities, particularly smaller organisations, this also highlights the value of volunteering and direct involvement. Creating opportunities for people to engage with a cause first-hand can build trust, connection and understanding, often acting as a natural pathway into longer-term support and individual giving. 

Taken together, these trends point to a fundraising environment that is more challenging but also more intentional. Charities that can adapt to this shift, by building stronger relationships, demonstrating impact, and making giving feel meaningful, will be much stronger. 

Rebuilding a Culture of Giving

Over the past decade, the number of people donating has declined significantly, and giving has become more conditional, more selective, and, in many cases, more fragile. But alongside this, there is also a strong sense that giving still matters, and that it can be rebuilt.

​Rebuilding a culture of giving isn’t about simply asking more people to donate. It’s about making giving feel relevant, meaningful and accessible again, something that connects with people’s lives, values and communities. After all, people are most motivated to give when they feel part of something bigger than themselves, when they hear stories of impact, and when they see the real-world difference their support can make.

There is also a role for wider collaboration. The report calls for a collective effort from charities, government and individuals to strengthen the environment for giving. This includes practical steps such as encouraging more people to give through payroll giving and matched funding, improving local philanthropy infrastructure to better support charities, and modernising Gift Aid to make it simpler and more accessible for donors. 

These changes won’t transform giving overnight, but they point to a broader opportunity to  make giving easier, more visible and more embedded in everyday life. 

Ultimately, the future of giving is still there. But it will belong to organisations that understand how it is changing and are ready to respond.