New research highlights desire for greater community involvement across the UK

Engaging in communities can encourage charitable giving and local pride

One in six people in the UK want more opportunities to engage with their local community, with even higher demand in some urban areas, according to new research by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

CAF’s UK Local Giving Report analyses online survey responses from 12,913 individuals in the UK and models the responses across every parliamentary constituency.  It looks at levels of charitable giving, community engagement and local pride and found that 37% of people engaged in their community last year, while half (52%) felt a sense of local pride.

The report highlights the virtuous circle that, when people engage in their local communities, they are more likely to donate to charity and feel a sense of local pride.  Engagement includes activities such as helping in their local area, taking part in a local campaign, supporting someone who is vulnerable or maintaining public spaces.

The areas with the greatest appetite for getting involved include urban, lower income areas such as Birmingham Ladywood, Manchester Rusholme, and Liverpool Riverside where the number of residents keen for more opportunities to connect rises to more than one in five.  Those who want to engage tend to be younger, educated renters in cities, but cite their main barriers are a lack of time, uncertainty about where to begin, and not knowing others to participate with.

Giving from the UK public is declining, with people donating an average of 0.9% of their income compared to 1.1% the previous year.  CAF’s UK Giving research, published earlier this year, found that the amount donated to charity in 2025 dropped for the first time in five years.

Seeing the positive impact in communities encourages more giving

This new research also reveals that when people see the positive impact of charities in their local community, they are much more likely to donate overall, twice as likely to give locally and three times as likely to volunteer.

  

The table below summarises the findings of the report:

Area	% that donated or sponsored in last 12 months	% that engaged in their local community	% that felt a sense of local pride	% who would like more opportunities to get involved	% who feel charities have had a positive impact in their area	% of income given
South East	59%	39%	53%	16%	55%	0.86%
London	51%	44%	52%	18%	57%	0.66%
North West	55%	35%	51%	19%	50%	0.87%
East of England	58%	30%	51%	16%	48%	0.84%
South West	58%	47%	56%	16%	56%	0.91%
Scotland	56%	38%	51%	17%	53%	0.90%
West Midlands	53%	33%	48%	18%	49%	0.87%
Yorks/Humber	53%	33%	52%	18%	53%	0.85%
East Midlands	54%	39%	47%	17%	43%	0.87%
Wales	57%	35%	56%	18%	50%	0.92%
Northern Ireland	61%	39%	58%	18%	56%	1.17%
North East	51%	31%	47%	18%	47%	0.84%

  

 

Mark Greer, Managing Director of CAF, commented:

"Charities are at the core of our communities. Through their work up and down the country, they strengthen local areas and support those in need.

"When we are facing a sustained trend of declining donations, part of the solution to unlocking greater giving lies in understanding the power of place and community. It might seem obvious, but places matter to people. This report shows that when people are engaged in a local area, they tend to give more. It tells us that the people in areas with low levels of engagement and giving aren’t disinterested – they need and want more opportunities.

"We need targeted investment and collaboration from government, philanthropists and businesses to revitalise local cultures of giving and encourage community connections, helping to strengthen charities and the places they support, for the future."

Emma de Closset, Chief Executive at UK Community Foundations, featured in the report, and said:

"This report highlights something that community foundations have always known: generosity is shaped by connection, not just income. When people feel proud of where they live and can see the impact of local charities, they are more likely to give, volunteer and stay involved.  

"Across the UK, people donated a smaller share of their income in 2025, yet this research also reminds us that money is only part of the story. More than a third of people said they engage in local activities and many more want the chance to feel more involved. It is our collective responsibility across sectors to make these opportunities more visible. 

"Community foundations connect people with local causes that matter. Rooted in place, we work with donors, local organisations and residents to identify need and support work in the beating heart of our communities. Strengthening place-based giving means more than increasing one-off donations. It means building trust, belonging and pride in the places people call home."