Welsh most responsive to charity appeals in Christmas run up, CAF research finds
Melanie May | 22 August 2019 | News
The Welsh are more responsive to charity appeals in the Christmas run up than the rest of the UK, Charities Aid Foundation has found in its inaugural report into individual giving in Wales.
CAF’s first ever Wales Giving study reveals that while November and December were the main months for giving across the UK as a whole in 2018, neither months recorded as high a level elsewhere as in Wales in November. 48% in the country claimed to have donated money to charity at this time, which coincides with a number of big appeals, compared to 39% for the UK as a whole.
It also found that people in Wales were more likely than the UK as a whole to have participated in a charitable or social activity in the last four weeks (67% versus 64% for the UK as a whole).
However, in terms of giving money, average donations were lower than the UK as a whole. CAF’s findings show that the median monthly amount given by a donor within Wales in 2018, either by donating or sponsoring in the last four weeks, was £15, while the mean amount given was £36. This compares with £20 and £45 respectively for the UK as a whole. CAF attributes this in part to lower levels of average salary in Wales compared to the UK as a whole.
The number of people claiming Gift Aid tax credit was also lower than the UK average at 47% versus 51%.
More key findings:
- Around nine in ten (89%) people in Wales have participated in at least one charitable or social action over the previous year: a similar proportion compared to the UK as a whole
- Three fifths of people in Wales donated money to charity within the last year
- A quarter give monthly
- An estimated £454 million was donated by those living in Wales in 2018 – 4.5% of the UK total of £10.1 billion
- The top three causes in 2018 were medical research, animal welfare and children / young people
- Cash is the most common way of giving money to charity, with just under three fifths (58%) doing so in 2018: slightly higher than the UK average of 53%
- Giving goods is the second most common form of engaging with charities. 57% claimed to have given goods in the last year, and 27% in the last four weeks
Susan Pinkney, CAF’s head of research, said:
“This first dedicated Wales Giving report gives us some terrific insights into the generosity of people in Wales and helps us better understand how and when they give.
“This research tells us that the Welsh give big in response to the big charity appeals in November and December, but I’d say charities have to work to raise awareness of the incredible benefits of claiming Gift Aid on all of that generosity to make that money go even further.”
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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.