Catholics give £2.9bn annually according to report from Catholics in Fundraising

Howard Lake | 4 August 2026 | News

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• Catholics in Fundraising
• faith
• philanthropy
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A study into Catholic giving, philanthropy and investment across the United Kingdom has revealed that UK Catholics contribute an estimated £2.9 billion every year to charitable causes.

Commissioned by Catholics in Fundraising (CiF) and produced by global consultancy and search practice Astarita Aldrich Ward (AAW), The Catholic Generosity Report is the first comprehensive study into the size, structure and fundraising performance of the Catholic sector.

Drawing on regulator data, church statistics and bespoke benchmarking, the research identifies 840 Catholic charities across the UK with a combined annual income of £1.89 billion and assets totalling £6.85 billion. Collectively the sector matches the scale of the UK’s largest charities: for example, as a single entity, its voluntary income of £565 million would exceed that of Cancer Research UK.

A young, diverse and generous population

Approximately 5.3 million people in the UK identify as Catholic, representing roughly nine per cent of the adult population. Despite declining religious practice among older communities, immigration from Central and Eastern Europe, West Africa and the Philippines has kept overall numbers stable while creating a younger, more diverse cohort.

Weekly Mass attendance recovered to roughly 745,000 across the UK in 2024, continuing a steady post-pandemic rise. Based on ONS wealth data, the UK Catholic community holds an estimated £1.2 trillion in household wealth, including around 360,000 households worth more than £1 million. The report indicates that Catholic giving averages £136 per month, around 5.3 per cent of post-tax income—placing it “well above the overall Christian average”.

Concentration and structural gaps

Despite its vast financial footprint, the report highlights key vulnerabilities and structural underperformance in specific fundraising areas:

• High concentration: The sector relies heavily on a small group of large institutions. Dioceses alone account for 53 per cent of all voluntary income, while international development organisations generate 17 per cent.

• Lagging legacy income: Legacies make up just 12 per cent of voluntary income for Catholic charities (£68 million), compared to a wider sector average of 32 per cent among top UK charities. The report stresses that increased, sustained investment in legacy campaigns ahead of upcoming tax changes could release tens of millions of pounds.

• High efficiency: Catholic charities operate highly cost-effective fundraising models, spending roughly 20 per cent of voluntary income on fundraising compared to 25 per cent among top UK charities. Missionary and international organisations raise as much as £9 for every £1 spent.

• Capacity deficits: Catholic fundraising teams are less than half the size of comparable non-Catholic organisations, averaging 7.7 full-time employees compared to 16.4 in size-matched comparison groups.

The value of professional networks

The report highlights a direct link between professional investment and fundraising performance. Organisations whose fundraisers belong to Catholics in Fundraising (CiF), which commissioned the report, represent a quarter of the Catholic sector, and account for 60% of total voluntary income and 68% of legacy income.

CiF members raised £6.43 in voluntary income for every £1 spent on fundraising, compared to £3.32 for non-members.

Bridging investment and faith

Interviews with high net worth Catholic donors revealed a persistent gap between philanthropy and asset management. While Catholic Social Teaching (CST) heavily informs giving choices, donors rarely apply these moral principles to their investment portfolios, treating investment as a purely technical, return-driven exercise. The report urges charities and wealth managers to adopt emerging faith-consistent frameworks, such as the Vatican’s Mensuram Bonam guidance, to align wealth with values more effectively.

John Green, Chairman of Catholics in Fundraising, said:

“The report offers both encouragement and a challenge. Encouragement because Catholic generosity remains strong and deeply rooted in our faith tradition, and a challenge because there remains considerable untapped potential for greater philanthropy, legacy giving and collaboration across the sector.”

You can obtain a copy of the report from John Green.

• Catholics in Fundraising marks 15 years (14 June 2022)
  
• Planned giving for Catholic schools (book)
  
• New charity to support effectiveness of fundraisers in Catholic charities (30 March 2026)

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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.