British public expected to donate £2.8bn during festive season
Melanie May | 6 December 2024 | News
The British public are expected to give an estimated £2.8 billion to charities during November and December this year, according to Charities Aid Foundation’s UK Giving research.
Half (50%) of the people surveyed by CAF said they always or usually donate to charity over the festive period – significantly higher than the third of people (34%) who regularly give money to charity throughout the rest of the year. CAF tracks giving every month, surveying more than 1,000 adults online each time.
Of those who intend to give, the majority (74%) say they will donate money, with just under half (46%) planning to give goods and 14% intending to donate their time to good causes.
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The top reasons given for donating during the festive period include:
- People are more aware of those in need during this time (37%)
- It’s a traditional time to give (28%)
- People are more aware of charity appeals (23%)
- People donate instead of giving presents (10%)
Christmas charity campaigns, and events such as Giving Tuesday, Children in Need and the Poppy Appeal mean November and December are typically the peak months for giving, and rising demand and costs make this a particularly important time for charities.
Separate CAF research with charity leaders found that 86% say demand for their services has increased over the last year, with 54% saying this is significant. The organisations that report the largest rise in demand are poverty-relief charities (67%), human rights/equality and diversity charities (66%), and charities helping those in need (55%).
Philippa Cornish, CAF’s Head of Charities, said:
“Up and down the country, charities are helping more and more people this winter – those who are most in need in our society. Charities understand more than most the financial pressures some households are facing. “But the last few years has seen a decline in the number of people regularly donating to charity. We hope that for those who can afford to, they give generously this year to good causes. There are also other ways to help, such as through volunteering or donating goods. Many charities rely on mass giving and festive fundraising and they will certainly appreciate an injection of generosity this Christmas.”
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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.