Charitable giving falls and the arts are the least popular cause

The total amount of money donated to charity in 2011/12 fell by 15% in cash terms to £9.3bn, which is the lowest amount given to charitable causes since Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) annual reports into UK giving began in 2004. The proportion of the population that made donations of any kind to charity in any given month also fell, from 58% to 55%. CAF’s latest report reveals that the arts are the least popular charitable cause for people to donate money to, with only 1% of donors choosing to give their money to charities within the sector. Sports based charities are supported by 3% of donors, while 14% give to religious charities, which attract 17% of all charitable giving – the highest proportion of all. Religious charities also receive the highest average donation, at £20. Cash is the most popular way of giving money, used by 50% of people who give, but cheque and card donations result in the highest average donations. The number of donors using Gift Aid has dropped for the first time, but the report notes that next year’s figures will have to be taken into account before the use of the tax relief scheme should be seen as being in general decline.

https://www.cafonline.org/PDF/UKGiving2012Summary.pdf