REVEALED: Charitable Giving Remains a Priority for UK Consumers Despite Ongoing Cost of Living Crisis
Last editedNov 20233 min read
LONDON 28 November, 2023 – New research from GoCardless, the bank payment company, finds that 45% of consumers say they donate regularly to charity today -- only a slight drop from the 49% who did so last year, even as the cost of living continues to rise.
The study shows that, despite persistently high inflation and interest rates rising to their highest level in 15 years, almost two in three (63%) consumers have still donated to charity within the past few months.
Encouragingly, over a third (37%) of respondents say they will continue to give to charity even if their finances are squeezed. These results show that a large proportion of UK consumers are committed to supporting the causes they believe in.
Recurring payments as a potential lifeline for charities
The research, conducted by YouGov with a nationally representative sample of UK consumers, pointed towards technology as one way to help increase donations. Over half (52%) of respondents say they would give to a charity again if the donation process is fast and easy, which is why platforms such as JustGiving are focused on innovation and implementing new payment solutions.
This is already a popular option for supporters, with almost a third (32%) of consumers reporting that they have some form of automated payment, such as a Direct Debit, set up to give to charity on a regular basis.
GoCardless and JustGiving
The research comes on the back of GoCardless’ sponsorship of the GoCardless JustGiving Awards, a partnership between the fintech and its long-time customer. The online fundraising platform, which has processed $9bn in donations to date, has seen firsthand how donors have adapted so they can continue to give, despite a tough macroeconomic environment.
Oliver Shaw-Latimer, Senior Director, Payments and Innovation, at JustGiving, said: “As a result of the cost-of-living crisis, we’ve seen a change in the way in which people donate to charities and good causes, with more people choosing to give little and often. In response to that change in behaviour, there’s an exciting opportunity for new types of payment technology, such as those powered by open banking, to play a vital role in helping more funds get to charities quickly and cost-effectively.”
Pat Phelan, Managing Director, UK&I and Chief Customer Officer at GoCardless, said: “Even though we’re all struggling with the rising cost of living, it’s hugely encouraging to see people continuing to give. Charities that keep on innovating, putting the donor experience first and looking for new ways to increase efficiency will stand a better chance of weathering these tough times and getting into a better position for the future. “We’re proud to work with JustGiving and others in the charity space to transform their organisation through payments. One innovation we’re particularly excited about is open banking payments. They’re smooth and secure, which meets consumer demand for a fast and easy way to give. And because they move money directly from one bank account to another, it keeps costs low -- so charities can retain more of the funds for the causes they support.”
Notes to Editors
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All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The figures cited in this release are from two surveys. Fieldwork for the first survey was undertaken between 22nd – 23rd November 2022 with a total sample size of 2021 adults. The second survey, which asked the same set of questions, was conducted in 2023 between 19th July 2023 – 20th July 2023 with sample size of 2014 adults The surveys were carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
About GoCardless
GoCardless is a global bank payment company. We help more than 85,000 businesses, from start-ups to household names, collect both recurring and one-off payments, without the chasing, stress or expensive fees. Each year GoCardless processes more than US$35 billion of payments across 30+ countries. Our acquisition of Nordigen means we’re also helping businesses make faster and more informed decisions through easy access to bank account data. We are headquartered in the UK, with additional offices in Australia, France, Latvia and the United States. For more information, please visit www.gocardless.com and follow us on Twitter @GoCardless.
© 2023 GoCardless Ltd. All Rights Reserved. GoCardless is a registered trademark of GoCardless Ltd in multiple countries. Third party trademarks mentioned above are owned by their respective companies. Unless explicitly identified as such, nothing in this press release should be construed to the contrary, or as an approval, endorsement or sponsorship by any third parties of GoCardless Ltd. or any aspect of this press release.
About JustGiving
JustGiving is the world's most trusted platform for online giving. We help people raise money for the charities and people they care about the most. In 2000, JustGiving.com began with one simple goal – to enable charities to receive donations online from anywhere in the world. Fast forward 23 years and over $9 billion has been raised for good causes in almost every single country in the world. JustGiving became part of Blackbaud in 2017.
