PEOPLE in the north are putting less in charity boxes, but digital giving through electronic means continues to be popular, according to a survey by voluntary and community sector body NICVA.
It revealed that the number of adults donating to charity over the last 12 months has decreased from 78 per cent in 2017 to 76 per cent in 2019, with donations from men and those over 65 being significantly higher.
While almost three quarters of respondents used cash as their main method of donating, 29 per cent said they used digital means to donate to charity. Furthermore, almost one in five said they would be likely to donate more money if given the option to make one-off contactless payments.
Other findings of the study (details at www.nicva.org/stateofthesector/giving) showed that the number of respondents who had considered leaving a gift to charity in their will had decreased from 16 per cent in 2017 to 11 per cent in 2019, while that the number intending to leave a gift to charity in their will had also decreased, from 7 per cent in 2017 to 4 per cent.
Only 4 per cent of respondents had made a legacy pledge in their will which also marks a decrease from the figure reported in the Individual Giving Survey 2017 (9 per cent). The survey also reported that 10 per cent of respondents indicated that the amount they had donated since the Brexit referendum had decreased.
NICVA’s head of policy and public affairs Geoff Nuttall said: “It's concerning to see an overall decline in charitable giving in Northern Ireland, even though giving remains high compared to the UK average.
"The drop in legacy giving will be of concern to many charities for whom this is an important source of income. Looking to the future, this survey highlights the need for charities to keep up with new technologies and trends to sustain support for their vital work in a difficult climate.”
Top 10 findings
:: 76 per cent of the adult population in Northern Ireland donated to charity in the last 12 months
:: On average, £141.34 was donated to charity per person
:: 46 per cent said that they intend to donate money/gift to charity in the next 12 months
:: 73 per cent used cash as their main method of donating to charity
:: 11 per cent considered leaving a gift to charity in their will
:: 11 per cent indicated that they never donate to charity
:: 29 per cent used digital means to donate to charity
:: 89 per cent of donors who had used digital (cashless payment) methods to donate to charity had done so in the last 12 months
:: The most preferred digital method used to donate to charity was direct debit (80 per cent)
:: 19 per cent would be likely to donate more money through one-off contactless payment
