Is generosity declining in the UK?

Two major reports on charitable giving were published in the UK this year. 

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) UK Giving Report 2026 provides one of the clearest snapshots of how the UK public supports charities, while our Generosity Report 2026 looks more specifically at how Christians give and what shapes their generosity.

At first glance, the two reports appear to tell different stories.

The CAF report suggests that participation in charitable giving has declined over the past decade. Fewer people are donating to charity, even though those who do give are often giving larger amounts.

Meanwhile, the Stewardship Generosity Report shows that many Christians continue to give generously and regularly as part of their faith. This is especially so for Committed Christians (those who attend church at least once a week and read the Bible once a week), who are giving five times more than the national average.

The key difference between the two reports reveals something deeper about the headline stats. The CAF report talks primarily about what people give: tracking donations, participation and causes supported. Our report centres on the topic of generosity itself: the motivations, beliefs and practices that shape why people give as well as what they give to.

Looking at the two reports side by side suggests that generosity in the UK may not simply be declining. Instead, it may be increasingly concentrated in communities where generosity is intentionally taught, practised and encouraged.

The national picture of giving

The CAF UK Giving Report has been tracking charitable giving across the UK for many years. It offers a valuable overview of how the public engages with charities and causes. The latest findings highlight a trend that many charities are already seeing, that participation in giving has become increasingly fragile.

Over the past decade, fewer people have donated to charity. At the same time, overall giving levels have remained relatively stable because those who do give are often giving larger amounts. In other words, giving is increasingly sustained by a smaller group of donors.

The report also highlights shifts in the causes people support. For example, the proportion of donors supporting overseas aid and disaster relief has fallen significantly over the past decade. These patterns raise an important question for the charitable sector: if fewer people are participating in giving, what does this mean for the long-term culture of generosity in the UK?

A different picture among practising Christians

When we turn to our Generosity Report, the picture looks similar in terms of a decline in giving and the number of people who reported that they gave, but there remains a significant difference in levels of giving when comparing the generosity of Christians against the national picture.

The Generosity Report states that Christians in the UK give an average of £116 per month, equivalent to 4.7% of income after tax. Among Committed Christians, the average rises to £326 per month, representing 10.4% of income. In fact, the average amount given by Christians is £44 higher per month than the average donation reported across the UK population.

These figures show that generous giving remains a normal part of everyday life for many Christians.

But the most important insights from the report are not just about how much Christians give; they are about why generosity grows in Christian communities.

Generosity grows where it is taught

One of the strongest insights from the latest Generosity Report is the relationship between teaching and giving. When churches teach about generosity as part of discipleship, people are more confident about giving and more likely to develop regular habits of generosity.

Yet many church leaders find this topic difficult to address. A further study conducted by Stewardship has found that only 44% of church leaders feel comfortable teaching about money. At the same time, Christians who regularly hear teaching about generosity are more likely to trust the organisations they support and to give consistently. The report states that 77% of those who trust their church ‘a lot’ have heard teaching on generosity in the last year.

This suggests that generosity is not simply a financial behaviour. It is something that grows when it is connected to faith, trust and discipleship.

Trust continues to play a crucial role

Trust is a key theme running through both reports. Across the charitable sector, people are far more likely to give when they trust that their money will be used well. Confidence in how funds are handled, how organisations are governed and whether donations make a real difference all shape whether people choose to give.

In other words, higher trust tends to lead to higher levels of giving.

Our Generosity Report also finds this pattern within Christian giving. Where people trust their church or the organisations they support, generosity tends to grow. Transparent leadership, clear communication and regular teaching all help strengthen that level of trust.

But our report also suggests something distinctive about Christian communities. Trust is not only built through governance or impact reporting, but through shared beliefs, relationships and discipleship.

Many Christians give to causes connected to communities they know personally, for example their local church or individuals they know in ministry. That relational context can deepen trust and help sustain long-term generosity.

This insight resonates with wider conversations across the charitable sector. In an age of increasing scrutiny and financial pressure, trust has become one of the most important foundations for sustained generosity.

When generosity becomes a habit

Perhaps the most important difference between the two reports lies in how they understand giving itself.

The CAF report measures charitable behaviour across the UK population. The Stewardship report explores the practices and beliefs that shape generosity among Christians.

For many Christians, generosity begins with gratitude. A sense of thankfulness for what God has given leads to a desire to give to others in response.

Over time, this gratitude becomes expressed through habits such as:

• regular giving to church
• supporting Christian charities
• giving to people in Christian ministry.

In this sense, generosity is not simply an occasional act. It becomes part of a wider pattern of life shaped by faith.

What this means for the future of generosity

Taken together, these two reports offer an important insight. The CAF report shows that participation in charitable giving across the UK has become more fragile. The Stewardship Generosity Report shows that generosity can still flourish in communities where it is intentionally nurtured.

This suggests that the future of generosity may not simply depend on encouraging people to give more. Instead, it may depend on helping people discover why generosity matters and how it connects to their beliefs, values and sense of purpose.

A hope filled picture

Despite the challenges facing charities today, the Generosity Report also points to encouraging signs for the future.

Younger Christians appear particularly open to learning about generosity and responding to opportunities to give. At the same time, older generations continue to model consistent, long-term generosity. Together, these patterns suggest that generosity is not disappearing. Instead, it is being shaped by the communities and values that surround it.

If generosity is to flourish in the years ahead, it may require more than better fundraising strategies. It may require communities that actively nurture generous hearts. And for Christians, that nearly always begins with strong faith and a hope only found in Jesus.

Download the Stewardship Generosity Report