# Majority of regular donors feel ‘pressurised’ to increase donations by fundraisers – BBC poll

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/09/25/majority-of-regular-donors-feel-pressurised-to-increase-donations-by-fundraisers-bbc-poll/
- Published: 2015-09-25T07:57:15+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**A poll for BBC Radio 4’s PM programme has found that 52% of donors who give regularly
to charity by standing order or direct debit say they feel “pressurised” into increasing
their donations by fundraisers. Indeed, 18% say they feel under “a lot of pressure”.**

The survey results were release on the same day as the [publication of the review into fundraising self-regulation](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/2015/09/22/fundraising-self-regulation-review-recommends-replacing-frsb-and-creating-fundraising-preference-service/)
chaired by Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary
Organisations (NCVO).

The poll was conducted for the PM programme by Populus, who interviewed a random
sample of 1,006 British adults aged 18+ by telephone between 11 – 13 September. 
The results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.

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## Poll findings

The poll found that:

• those aged 65 or older are the most generous age group and the most likely (61%)
to donate in a planned way.  The average figure for all British adults was 47%.
•
slightly more women (50%), compared to 43% of men, said that they give to charity
via direct debit or standing order

• 88% of people from a household with a combined annual income of between £69,001
and £76,000 said they give regularly to charity

• people from the South West are the most generous, with 60% of adults saying they
donated to charity in a planned way, with Londoners second at 53%.

• 49% of people in the East gave regularly, followed by 47% of Scots and 40% of 
the Welsh.

Joanna Carr, Editor of BBC Radio 4’s PM, said:

> “Since PM first reported on accusations of intrusive fundraising methods we have
> been inundated with comments from our audience, and we have heard on the programme
> from a range of voices, from different aspects of the charity world. With the 
> tactics fundraisers use under scrutiny in this new review, we commissioned this
> poll to give us a better understanding of how much pressure charity-givers actually
> feel they are under to increase donations”.

 

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