Britain is rapidly losing the charity habit, with public donations plummeting by more than £1.4bn last year, according to an analysis by the Charities Aid Foundation (Caf). Just half of people gave to charity in 2025, down from 61% a decade earlier, as rising living costs and a more sceptical society take their toll.
The Caf report says charity giving is no longer a “deeply embedded cultural norm”. Managing director Mark Greer warned: “Charities can no longer depend solely on habitual generosity or goodwill from the public.” The consequences have been felt across the sector, with major charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support, Samaritans and Oxfam making big cuts to staff and budgets.
Overall donations fell from £15.4bn to £14bn in 2025, driven by a drop in the average gift size from £72 to £65. Nearly half of non-donors said they could not afford to give, up from 44% in 2024. Caf estimates 6 million fewer people gave to charity last year compared with 2016, potentially shrinking total voluntary sector income by about £12bn.
Overseas aid charities have been hit particularly hard, with donor numbers falling from 20% in 2016 to 11% last year, triggering a £250m annual drop in donations. By contrast, UK food banks received £610m in 2025, surpassing arts, culture and science (£575m), education (£508m) and homelessness (£442m). However, food banks report struggling to attract regular donations as supporters prioritise their own families.
Peter Grant, an expert in philanthropy at Bayes Business School, said the decline also reflected a more polarised society, with “culture war” attacks on organisations such as the RNLI and National Trust undermining legitimacy. He noted that cuts to government grant funding have compounded the problem, leading to reduced services and more hardship for beneficiaries.
