A research report written by Dr Beth Breeze of SSPSSR’s Centre for Philanthropy and launched by Prism the Gift Fund (Prism), has revealed a new paradox in regard to public attitudes and future prospects for planned giving in the UK.
Prism commissioned a survey by NatCen of 1,215 interviews with a random sample of the population across the UK to investigate attitudes to philanthropic giving. The report describes and illustrates the implications for all who care about building a stronger charitable sector. The research shows that the British public feels far more positively about the notion of philanthropy than it does about those who fund it. Additionally, the report reinforces two known paradoxes – that donors tend to benefit alongside those they intend to help, and that wealth accumulation tends to precede distribution.
The novel data highlights 5 key findings:
- Charitable giving is a very common but largely private matter in the UK
- Most people believe that philanthropic donations make a positive contribution to society
- There is less widespread agreement that philanthropists are good for society (only 53% of the lower income group concur). 18.2% agree that negative perceptions might deter donors, and most people do not trust donors to do what is right with their donations
- Awareness, and support for, tax incentives to encourage charitable giving are highest amongst older and higher income people
- Awareness of Donor Advised Funds is very low, but they appeal to many different types of donor
With charities facing a £10bn funding shortfall in the coming 6 months as a result of COVID-191, philanthropists can bridge a vital gap – they can take more risks than large organisations, making decisions faster and deploying funds more flexibly. There is a greater need than ever before to bridge the gap between philanthropists and charities. Public opinion and media coverage are vital to promoting a positive narrative around philanthropy to encourage those who have to give, and those who give to give more.
Dr Breeze said: ‘This think piece concludes that we need to better understand and address the slippage between the widespread appreciation for what donations achieve and the more critical attitude towards those who make the donations. We also need to increase efforts to educate the public on the opportunities and benefits of giving, supported by the range of available tax reliefs and appropriate vehicles for making charitable donations, in order to continue building a stronger culture of giving in the UK.’
The report, ‘The Philanthropy Paradox: Public attitudes and future prospects for planned giving’ is published by Prism: https://prismthegiftfund.co.uk/the-prism-thought-paper/
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