# Number of people giving at lowest level for 10 years

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/06/19/number-of-people-giving-at-lowest-level-for-10-years/
- Published: 2020-06-19T09:00:11+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Statistics released by nfpSynergy this week showed that the number of people giving
recently dropped to its lowest level in 10 years.**

 

The [figures from nfpSynergy](https://nfpsynergy.net/blog/number-giving-lowest-level-over-decade?)
show that in late May, 60% of the public said they had donated to charity in the
last three months, down from 69% in January this year. 60% is the lowest overall
level since it started asking this question in 2011.

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Unsurprisingly, charity shops and on-street collections have posted the biggest 
drops in giving.

 

38% of the public also say they plan to cut back on their charitable spending in
the next 12 months.

 

However:

 

 * Giving on a charity website and via text message are at their highest levels 
   since nfpSynergy started tracking this question
 * The public say they are almost twice as likely to cut back on eating out than
   donating to charity
 * Over 65s are the least likely to say they will cut back on their charitable spending
   at 22%
 * The average amount given over the last 3 months has risen from £50 in January
   to £67.70 in May

 

nfpSynergy’s recent Covid-19 polling has also shown that the public are very receptive
to the idea of giving to charity at this time. 60% of the public said they would
be willing to support a charity responding to coronavirus and 68% said they think
charities should continue to fundraise during the pandemic.

 

The much lower proportion of the public who say they are donating reflects the role
of asking in encouraging people to give, says nfpSynergy’s Tim Harrison Byrne in
his blog announcing the findings. He said:

 

> “If less people are being asked fewer opportunities the public has to give; charity
> shops aren’t open, fundraising events have been cancelled and street fundraising
> has stopped.”

 * **[Gen Z & Millennials could be Christmas’s biggest givers](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/11/17/gen-z-millennials-could-be-christmas-biggest-givers/)**(
   17 November 2020)
 * **[Survey finds 27% of people give cash only](https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/09/23/survey-finds-27-of-people-give-cash-only/)**(
   23 September 2021)
 * **[Almost a third of people would reduce donations to afford a holiday, survey suggests](https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/07/07/almost-a-third-of-people-would-reduce-donations-to-afford-a-holiday-survey-suggests/)**(
   7 July 2022)

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