Giving by 100 most philanthropic UK rich listers down £200mn in a year
Melanie May | 17 May 2024 | News
The 100 most philanthropic UK rich listers gave a collective £3.2 billion to charity – down £200mn on last year’s total giving, according to The Sunday Times Giving List, published in association with Charities Aid Foundation.
The latest edition of The Sunday Times Rich List is live today online and in the print edition of the newspaper on Sunday 19 May.
The 76-page special edition of The Sunday Times Magazine reveals the wealth of the 350 richest people in Britain in its 36th annual edition. The Sunday Times Giving List tracks the philanthropic activity of 100 of Britain’s wealthiest people, who give to charity personally or through their charitable foundations or businesses.
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The Giving Index is based on accounts lodged with the Charity Commission, the Scottish Charity Regulator or private questionnaires received by May 10, 2023. Donations are defined as money distributed personally, by companies, by charitable foundations; or by broader-based charities that are identified with a given individual.
Sir Paul Marshall – most generous individual by % of wealth
According to the Index, hedge fund manager Sir Paul Marshall the most generous philanthropist in the UK, topping the rankings by giving away about £2.8 million a week. Worth an estimated £875 million, Marshall is a founder trustee of the Ark children’s charity and chairman of its academy chain. He has donated £145.1 million in the past 12 months.
Majority gave less than 1% of wealth
The most recent accounts show that nine out of the top 100 gave more than £100 million in the past year, and 71 out of the top 100 gave less than 1% of their wealth.
Sir Chris Hohn gives away most
Last year’s top philanthropist Sir Chris Hohn comes in at number four when his donations are calculated as a percentage of his wealth, but is still the most generous when it comes to the overall amount: £600.9 million.
Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive, Charities Aid Foundation said:
“The UK is a generous country and high-net-worth philanthropy and charitable giving is crucial to our communities. It is a challenging time for charities as they face rising demand for their services alongside higher costs, so it is concerning that the Giving List this year indicates that giving is down. We must find new ways to foster a renewed culture of giving in the UK. As we celebrate those who continue to give so generously, it is more important than ever that those who can afford to give are inspired, so that together we give more.”
THE SUNDAY TIMES GIVING LIST 2024 – Top 10 ranked by the proportion of wealth given or generated for charity
*Denotes family wealth
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.