# Covid sees older age groups rein in donations

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/05/27/covid-sees-older-age-groups-rein-in-donations/
- Published: 2021-05-27T11:25:35+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The percentage of people saying they have recently donated to charity dropped 
to 55% a year into the pandemic, from a pre-Covid 69%, data from nfpSynergy has 
shown. **

In January 2020, when nfpSynergy asked the British public whether they had donated
to charity in the previous
three months. 69% said they had, which largely correlates
with previous trends seen by nfpSynergy across the decade. However, the pandemic’s
impact saw this fall to 54% by August 2020, rising slightly to 59% in November 2020,
before dropping down to 55% in March 2021.

While there is little differentiation between male and female, nfpSynergy’s data
shows a different story in regards to age. While younger age groups have remained
quite stable in their giving, there have been significant drops among those aged
35 and over.

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68% of 16-24-year-olds said they had donated pre-pandemic, dropping slightly to 
61% as of March this year. For 25-34-year-olds the percentage remained stable at
64% this March compared to 65% in January last year.
However, while 71% of those
aged 35-44 said they had donated pre-pandemic, that figure is now at 53%. And, whereas
71% of 45-54-year-olds said they had donated pre-pandemic, this has now dropped 
to 41% with a similar story across the other older age groups.

Looking forward, overall by March this year, 40% of the public said they forecasted
making cutbacks in donations across the next 12 months. However, this is behind 
the percentage expecting to reduce spending on eating out, holidays, large purchases,
clothing, and petrol. Eating out (58%) and holidays (53%) were top of the list.

The full findings can be read in nfpSynergy’s report, _[The Donation Deficit: How the pandemic has shaped charity donations](https://nfpsynergy.net/press-release/donation-deficit-how-pandemic-has-shaped-charity-donations)_.