A GOOD CAUSE FOR CONCERN

AS DONATIONS DROP BY MILLIONS, YOU CAN STILL SHOW CHARITIES YOU CARE,

- TRICIA PHILLIPS

THE cost-of-living crisis is not only hitting millions of families, it's also impacting thousands of charities.

According to the latest figures from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), the amount of money donated in 2021 was £10.7bn, down from £11.3bn in 2020.

Figures for 2022 are likely to show further reductions too.

Unfortunately, the trend towards fewer people giving to charitable causes is now firmly established for every month of the year during 2021, the proportion of people donating was lower than the equivalent month the year before.

According to CAF, around two thirds of people say they plan to cut back on discretionary spending during the coming months to help them manage the cost-of-living crisis. One in eight people is considering cutting back on charitable donations in the next six months.

But when charitable support is really needed, we always respond.

The Disaster Emergencies Committee Appeal for help following the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria raised more than £65m in just four days.

Last year, a third of people in the UK donated money to the crisis in Ukraine with the average donation in March 2022 rising to £85 the highest average monthly donation amount ever recorded by CAF.

Animal welfare charities, as well as those that support children or young people and medical research charities, remain the most popular causes. Support for conservation and environmental causes has increased slightly over the past five years, while support for hospitals and hospices has slowly decreased.

Individuals give to charities in many ways, from popping money into collection tins, sponsoring friends and relatives with their fundraising efforts and volunteer through to donating goods to their local charity shop and making regular donations by direct debit or standing order.