United Kingdom

Country Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered many aspects of day-to-day life and the philanthropic sector in the United Kingdom (UK). Pandemic restrictions limited in-person interactions and accelerated an already growing digitalization of the UK philanthropic sector. However, past research found no conclusive evidence of the degree to which digital interactions will replace in-person fundraising. While 2020 witnessed a growth in online donations alongside a drop in cash donations, only a little more than a quarter of charities said digital fundraising was as effective as in-person fundraising.

Key findings do affirm some pre-pandemic trends in giving methods in the UK. There was a marked increase in the proportion of people giving via website or app, which occurred at the same time as a decrease in donors giving via cash. Younger people donate online more than older adults, yet older age groups have also engaged more with online giving. On average, 60 percent of donors’ gifts were made online in the 12 months prior to this study.

Nevertheless, the findings also suggest that philanthropy will retain a human element. Most who used social media to request donations from family and friends also tended to make those requests in-person. And most British people expect that in the future we will give digitally rather than in cash, but almost half expected this to occur via in-person contactless donations tins.

Overall, this report concludes that the post-pandemic fundraising landscape seems more likely to develop as a hybrid one, where online interactions complement—rather than substitute—offline interactions.

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Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)

The rise of online giving among younger and older donors in the United Kingdom has been partly facilitated by crowdfunding platforms and ventures. A quarter (25%) of study respondents contributed to a crowdfunding venture in the past 12 months prior to May–July 2021. While around a quarter (23%) supported the crowdfunding initiative of a family member, close friend, or an acquaintance, the majority (30%) contributed to a charitable organization or group of organization’s crowdfunding venture with nothing in return.

Taking a closer look at the role of social media in cultivating a culture of giving and sharing information about donation initiatives and campaigns in the UK, a great proportion of respondents highlighted that they do not yet utilize social media to ask their networks to contribute to the campaign or cause. Only around 26 percent of respondents who are social media users shared that they have shared a post about a charitable initiative previously but have not directly asked their audience to contribute.

The report findings indicate that a hybrid philanthropic trajectory in the UK is apparent, where online interactions accompany, and in fact, support offline engagements. There is growing consensus among respondents that more people with make charitable contributions online over cash (28%), and that charities will also increase their fundraising initiatives online (20%). Similarly, 32 percent of respondents are optimistic about crowdfunding for a charitable cause becoming mainstream, while 29 percent allude that social media platforms will play a key role in online donations to charities.