83% say charities matter more amid economic uncertainty

More than eight in ten (83%) members of the public say they view charities and the work they do as either more important than ever or becoming increasingly important, according to new research from Enthuse, the donations, fundraising and event registration platform.

This is comprised of over a third (35%) believing the role of charities in society is more important than it’s ever been and nearly half (48%) seeing it as increasingly important. The annual Donor Pulse report explores the public’s giving habits, how they feel about the work charities do and trust levels in good causes.

Resilient giving

The positive sentiment towards charities is backed by action. Despite challenging economic conditions, giving has remained high with approximately three quarters (73%) of people saying they donated to charity in the past three months. This is exactly the same as this time last year; showing this level of giving to be a dependable benchmark for good causes. What’s more, almost half (48%) of the public say they’ve given to at least two causes in the last quarter. Younger generations were particularly generous with 56% of those aged 44 and under having given to multiple causes compared to 43% of those aged 45 and above.

The future is also looking positive for charities with 74% saying they are planning to give in the next quarter, despite the financial challenges that the public continues to face. Nearly seven in ten (68%) listed the cost of food as their top financial concern (up from 63% in 2025) and over six in ten (61%) named gas and electricity prices, which is up from 54% last year.

When it comes to the types of causes supported over the last three months, the top four are as follows: charities that focus on support or research into disease (22%), children’s charities (22%), NHS, hospitals and hospices (21%) and animal charities (21%). Interestingly, faith charities have seen consistent growth, rising from 5% in 2023 to 8% in 2026. The opposite is true for overseas aid, support in this area has dropped from 10% in 2023 to 6% in 2026.

Britain’s most trusted

Charities are the most trusted British institution, and by a considerable distance. Three quarters (75%) of people say they have moderate to high trust in charitable organisations, with moderate scored as a six or seven out of ten and high trust at eight or above.

By comparison, faith and religious groups were the second most trusted institution at 41%, followed by corporations (36%), the UK government (35%), mainstream media (33%) and political parties (22%).

Charities’ trusted position is also reflected in how people choose to engage with them. More than half (55%) of the public say they prefer to donate directly through a charity’s own website, more than four times higher than consumer giving platforms (13%).

Commenting on the research, Eddie Allenby, General Manager at Enthuse, said:

“The public’s recognition of the importance of charities is a powerful endorsement for the sector. At a time when many people are experiencing uncertainty, good causes act a source of stability, providing essential support to people and communities where need is greatest. That’s why charities have earned their reputation as the most trusted British institution.”

“The challenge for charities isn’t simply attracting support – it’s sustaining it in an uncertain financial landscape. People continue to donate to good causes and to maintain that commitment over the long term, charities need to foster a connection with their supporters that’s specific to them. It’s that relationship that leads to repeat giving and lays the foundation for life-long advocates.”

Long-term support

More than one in five (22%) people say they have a direct debit or standing order set up with a charity, while more than a third (34%) consider themselves to be regular donors. When it comes to the biggest motivation behind becoming a regular donor, nearly a third (31%) said they’d already donated to the charity in the past and wanted to commit more, showing the value in building those relationships over time.

With the announcement that unused pension funds will enter into inheritance tax from April 2027, legacy giving may see growth in the near future. Nearly one in seven (14%) members of the public state that they have included a charitable donation in their will. A further 35% have not yet made a will but are open to the idea of leaving a gift. Nearly a quarter (23%) say they’ve made a will and not included a gift to charity, and approximately the same number (24%) have not yet made a will and have not considered legacy giving.