Scots donations break through £1 billion mark

Scotland is punching above its weight in terms of charity donations, a report has revealed.

Donations from Scots have surged above 1 billion pounds

An analysis from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found that Scotland accounts for 11.8 per cent of all UK charitable donations, despite representing 8.4 per cent of the UK’s population.

Scots gave an estimated £1.2 billion to charity in 2017, significantly up from the estimated £813 million donated in 2016. However, CAF found no increase in the number of people giving money to charity year-on-year. The increase in donations was driven by the same number of people giving more, with the average (mean) donation amount increasing from £36 in 2016 to £60 in 2017.

The most popular causes supported by those in 
Scotland were children and young people, with 28 per cent of those surveyed saying they had donated to this cause.

This was followed by medical research and animal welfare.

Sir John Low, chief executive of Charities Aid Foundation, said: “It’s great to see the total amount donated increasing across Scotland. Activism is also on the rise, perhaps reflecting the turbulent times in which we live.”

The report also found that two-thirds of people took part in a charitable or social activity, such as volunteering for a charity, donating money or goods, or buying an ethical product.