london_hydrogen_busDonations made by the UK public to charity rose by £400 million last year to a total of £10.6 billion, says a report published Thursday by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and the Charities Aid Foundation.

“UK Giving 2010”, the most comprehensive research yet on the nation’s charitable giving habits, found the number of people giving has also risen to 56 percent, an increase of two percentage points on the previous year.


The typical median amount given per donor has risen by £2 to £12 in 2009-10. This increase is notable as it had remained steady at £10 for the previous five years. However, the total amount given has not yet returned to the pre-recession peak of 2007/8, when charities received £11.3 billion in charitable donations when adjusted for inflation.

The survey also shows a surge in donations to overseas causes (24 percent of donors compared with 15 or 16 percent in the previous three years), which could be influenced by the well-supported Haiti earthquake appeal.

Commenting on the research, Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO, said: ‘This research is a welcome reminder of the British public’s generosity and willingness to dig deep to help those in need, even when they themselves may be under significant financial pressures.

(READ more at Charitable Aid Giving)

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