The number of people receiving charitable support has tripled in four years as cost-of-living pressures intensify.
The Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, has released new research indicating that public trust in charities has reached its highest level since 2014.
The research highlights that the most important factor for most people is understanding how a charity spends its money. This is closely followed by the knowledge that the charity achieves its purpose, makes a difference, and operates to high ethical standards.
Overall, trust in charities remains strong and continues to recover. Charities now score 6.5 out of 10 for trust, up from 6.3 in 2023, and recovering from a low of 5.5 in 2018 after a series of scandals. Currently, 58% of people have “high” trust in charities (7 out of 10 or higher), making charities one of the most trusted groups in society, second only to doctors.
In a challenging financial climate, the research shows a growing reliance on charities for support, alongside a declining percentage of people donating to them. Only 47% of people reported donating money or goods, or raising funds for charity, compared with 62% in 2020. In contrast, there has been an increase in the number of people saying they have received charitable services, such as financial help, food, or medical support from a charity—9%, up from 3% in 2020.
Around half of people are aware of the Charity Commission, with 19% stating they know it ‘well’. Awareness of the Charity Commission is linked to higher trust in charities, with those who have heard of the regulator being more likely to report high trust (63% vs. 52%). Additionally, about 4 in 10 people are aware of the online Register of Charities.
Charity Commission Chief Executive, David Holdsworth, commented:
“These findings are encouraging, demonstrating that charities collectively are once again firmly trusted by the public, making a visible, essential difference locally, nationally, and globally.
“But there is no room for complacency, for charities or for us as regulator. The new findings point to the challenging financial environment charities are operating in, with a decline in the number of people giving to charity, whilst the high cost of living appears to be driving more people to access charity services.
“In these financially challenging times, charities must continue to show people how they deliver on their purpose, including how every penny makes a positive difference.
“Anyone can look up this information on our public Register of Charities, which gives details of each charity’s purpose and spending.”
Research into Trustee Attitudes
In addition to the research into public trust, the regulator has published findings from a survey examining charity trustees’ attitudes towards their role.
The research shows that most trustees share the public’s high expectations of conduct within charities—61% agree that, due to its registered status, their charity’s standards of behaviour and conduct should be higher than those in other organisations.
Overall, trustees express high levels of confidence in their responsibilities and generally understand what is required when making decisions, with those aware of the Charity Commission demonstrating a better understanding of their role.
However, the research, also conducted by BMG, indicates that trustees are less clear on what they should avoid doing, including making decisions based on personal views or avoiding difficult questions. They are also less confident about handling conflicts of interest and overseeing charity finances.
For the first time, the Commission asked trustees about their charity’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Only 3% of trustees reported that their charity has used AI, although this figure rose to 8% among larger charities (those with income exceeding £1 million).
Previously published data from the research highlights widespread issues with banking services for trustees—2 out of 5 trustees reported that their charity had experienced a banking issue over the past year. The Commission has previously expressed concern about the impact of poor service from banks on charities. Earlier this year, the Commission stated it was “shocked, but not surprised” by “undeniable evidence of the extent and impact of the appalling service charities receive from some banks.”
The full research is available on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-into-public-trust-in-charities-and-trustees-experience-of-their-role-2024).