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• May 2008 Charitable Giving Study
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• Potential Impact of Economic Plan for Charities
• Study Shows New Year May Bring Familiar Challenges
• UK Giving 2009 Highlights
• U.S. Charitable Giving Dropped 3.6% in 2009

UK Giving 2009 Highlights

• Over half of all adults in the UK donated to charitable causes in 2008/09.  The total amount given by individuals stands at £9.9 billion.

• The recession has coincided with an 11% decrease in the total amount given in the UK.
• Fewer large donations were made in 2008/09.
• Donors are giving to the same causes.
• The use of regular giving methods is increasing, which may provide more stable and predictable levels of support to charities able to capitalize on this.
• The uptake of Gift Aid for small donations remains poor.
• Individual giving for 2008/09:

Proportion of adults giving:  54%
Total number of donors:  26.9 million
Estimated total annual amount donated, inflation adjusted:  £9.9 billion
Mean amount per donor:  £31
Median amount per donor:  £10

• Much of the fall in giving is due to a reduction in the size of larger donations.
• In 2008/09, 2 million people (7% of donors) gave almost half (49%) of the total amount given to charity.
• 11.3 million people (42% of donors) gave under £10 in a typical month, comprising only 5% of the total amount given.
• The biggest increase in the proportion of people giving was in the over-65 age group, up by four percentage points to 58%.
• The evidence suggests that those aged 65 and over are most likely to be higher-level donors (10%), followed by 45-64 years old (9%), 25-44 years old (7%) and 16-24 years old (2%).
• 52% in the lowest income band gave to charity compared with 62% in the top income band.
• The mean amount per donor in the top income band was £43 in 2008/09, compared with £21 in the lowest income band.
• Religious causes take the greatest share of donations, accounting for 15% of the total amount.
• For higher earners, some can reclaim tax relief for themselves at 20% of their gross donation or redirect any tax refund to charity.
  
  

  These comments are based on UK Giving 2009—An overview of charitable giving in the UK, 2008/09, an annual research study coordinated by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Charities Aid Foundation. Download the study report (PDF).