Philanthropy 2035 part 1: The State of UK Philanthropy

This resource draws together the latest insight into philanthropy and high-net-worth (HNW) giving in the UK. It provides a brief overview of each reports’ methodology, followed by a summary of the top takeaways and our advice on how members can use the findings to strengthen their fundraising.

Would you like your report featured in the roundup? Email policy@ciof.org.uk.

The Modern Philanthropist (Barclays Bank and Beacon Collaborative), October 2025
High-net-worth-giving in the UK (Beacon Collaborative and partners) October 2025
High-Net-Worth Giving Index 2025 NPT UK, May 2025
High value giving - How the wealthy give, Charities Aid Foundation, February 2025

The Modern Philanthropist (Barclays Bank and Beacon Collaborative), October 2025

The Modern Philanthropist
Barclays Bank and Beacon Collaborative, October 2025.

About the research

This report draws on survey data from 500 high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) with over £1 million in investible assets to build a picture of their giving habits and motivations.

Top takeaways

1. Donations make up only one part of a HNWI’s philanthropic journey

Whilst the majority of survey participants (73%) choose to give money directly to charity, significant proportions are also supporting charities in other ways, including donating to other people’s fundraising efforts (64%), take part in a fundraising event (56%) or volunteer regularly (42%).

What’s more, many respondents indicated that they plan to continue their philanthropic journey by including a charitable gift in their Will (29%), setting up a donor-advised fund (DAF) (26%), setting up a charitable trust (25%) or engaging family members in philanthropy (24%).

These findings underline the extent to which philanthropists can have many different touchpoints with an organisation, and therefore if stewarded effectively, can become long-term loyal supporters, potentially giving multi-year or transformational gifts.

2. Giving remains highly personal, but there is a growing alignment between philanthropic and financial goals

When asked about their giving preferences, responses varied with no clear-cut preferences, reflecting the extent these decisions are individual to the philanthropist. Some notable takeaways include:

51% opted to support large established organisations, 49% preferred to support smaller community-based organisations;

55% of respondents stated they liked public recognition for their donations, 45% reported they did not;

57% preferred to specify how donations are used, 43% said they would give with no restrictions.

Perhaps one small trend emerging from this is the narrowing between traditional philanthropy and impact investing. When asked about this, respondents tended to lean towards making a positive difference alongside financial returns.

3. Advisors are well placed to influence giving, but opportunities are being missed

Support from professional advisors on how to structure and strengthen giving is widely welcomed by HNWIs. In fact, 81% of respondents said it was important or extremely important that professional advisors proactively raise the topic of charitable giving. However, only 33% reported that their professional advisor had done so, and just 23% said that their bank manager had initiated the conversation.

This gap between expectation and reality represents a missed opportunity. If more professional advisors engaged clients in structured conversations about giving, philanthropy could grow substantially. Indeed, when respondents were asked who most influences their decision to make a sizeable donation, professional advisors – including philanthropy advisors, tax specialists, bank relationship managers, and family offices – ranked second only to spouses.

How members can use the findings:

Many of these findings can help members get buy-in from trustees and senior leadership to support relationship-based philanthropy- an approach many members believe is essential to growing and sustaining major giving programmes by focusing on long-term relationships that are tailored to the donors’ preferences and priorities.

You can read more about relationship-based philanthropy, and the barriers charities face when embedding it their culture and processes in our State of UK Philanthropy research.

With this in mind we recommend members:

Consider whether their organisation is using relationship-based fundraising right now to reach and retain major donors;

Review current major donors portfolios and take steps to create personalised engagement strategies for them;

Include some of the insights above in budget proposals to help trustee understand how relationship-based fundraising aligns with HNWIs’ giving preferences.

On top of this, the report reveals a clear need for closer collaboration between charities and professional advisors. According to our State of philanthropy research, many charities recognise this and are keen to explore opportunities to build shared-value partnerships that could support lifetime giving.

The Chartered Institute is therefore considering several initiatives that could support such initiatives, including creating resources for professional advisors that highlight the benefits of discussing philanthropy with their clients.

High-net-worth-giving in the UK (Beacon Collaborative and partners) October 2025

High-net-worth-giving in the UK
Beacon Collaborative and partners, October 2025

About the research

This report merges two key sources of data on HNW giving - the Savanta MillionaireVue and Sunday Times Rich list - to identify national giving trends over the last five years.

Top takeaways

1. HNW giving remains resilient amidst wider economic pressures

In 2024, HNW giving reached £11.3 billion, up from £8.3 billion in 2020, indicating the extent to which this demographic remains generous despite the economic challenges we saw over this period from the COVID-19 pandemic to cost-of-living crisis.

It is worth noting, however, that giving from this group was sensitive to external events. In 2021, total annual donations peaked at £15.7 billion – when need was highest due to the COVID-19 pandemic - followed by a drop to £7 billion the following year. Such events underline that when social need is both urgent and highly visible, many HNWIs will respond with generosity.

2. Younger generations are playing an ever-increasing role in HNW giving

In 2024, the median donation from donors aged 36-45 reached £14,000, up from around £5,000 the previous year. During this same period, the median donation from those aged between 18-35 rose from around £3,000 to £8,000.

Consequently, these groups came out top as some of the most generous HNW givers. The 5-year rolled median donation for those aged 36-45 was £4,800, and £2,400 for those aged 18-35. This was followed by the 46-55 bracket, for which the median donation over the past 5 years was £2,000.

How members can use the findings:

With confirmation that philanthropy in the UK is growing and there is opportunity for charities to engage a new cohort of younger donors, there are several steps fundraisers can take to future-proof their philanthropy strategies, including:

Identify if their major giving programmes are growing in line with national giving levels;

Consider how to adapt stewardship programmes to retain major givers in times of uncertainty;

Review major giving portfolios to see if any younger donors are supporting you now and how you might be able to use what you know about them to reach similar people.

High-Net-Worth Giving Index 2025 NPT UK, May 2025

High-Net-Worth Giving Index 2025
NPT UK, May 2025

About the research

Drawing on a survey of 301 individuals with investable assets over £10 million, the HNW Giving Index 2025 examines the giving behaviours and emerging trends shaping contemporary philanthropy.

Top takeaways

The intergenerational transfer of wealth has the potential to transform the philanthropic landscape.

The report notes that the majority of respondents’ (41%) wealth was inherited, suggesting that a large-scale transfer of wealth between generations will impact a large proportion of donors. Fortunately, there are some signs that philanthropic traditions will be preserved between generations as 30% of respondents reported that they actively involve their children in their giving strategies.

As younger philanthropists come into their wealth, we may also see a change in giving preferences. The report reveals younger donors (those under 40) showed a stronger preference for supporting causes connected to climate change, scientific research, and social justice. It is worth noting, however, this group only accounted for a small minority of respondents (11%).

AI is set to transform philanthropy

Many respondents indicated that they were interested in using emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen their giving. Indeed, 60% of respondents said they are interested in AI solutions for researching charitable causes, while 51% are were keen to see AI used for impact measurement. Among respondents under 40, this interest rises significantly to 75% and 64% respectively.

But despite the clear potential of such technologies, only 6% of respondents reported using AI-powered tools for impact measurement and grant making, indicating there is opportunity for the sector to expand in this area.

How members can use the findings:

The report reveals that over the long-term we are going to see a new cohort of younger donors emerge who, spurred on by technological advances, will likely have different giving preferences and patterns to the generation before. Whilst is unclear how this will play out, there are some steps charities can take now to prepare themselves as these shifts in giving unfold, including:

Identifying potential recipients of the intergenerational transfer of wealth (for example, children of existing donors) and start engaging them in your charities work;

Consider whether the way the organisation presents impact aligns with younger donors’ giving preferences;

Explore how AI tools can help enhance impact measurement and reporting.

High value giving - How the wealthy give, Charities Aid Foundation, February 2025

High value giving - How the wealthy Give
Charities Aid Foundation, February 2025

About the research

The Charities Aid Foundations (CAF) commissioned Altrata to produce an estimate of the size and nature of HNW giving in the UK. These findings are supplemented with case studies that highlight emerging trends in philanthropy, including trust-based philanthropy and non-cash donations.

Top takeaways

1. Encouraging HNW giving could unlock billions for good causes

The report estimates that in 2023, HNWIs gave £7.96 billion- the equivalent to 0.4% of their investable assets. If this was to increase to 1% of their investible assets, then HNWIs would collectively give an estimated £19.9 billion for charities.

2. Women make up some of the most generous donors

It is estimated that women represent a relatively small proportion of the high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth population, making up 19% of those with investible assets above £1 million and only 7% of those with assets exceeding £30 million.

Despite this, women account for nearly a third (29%) of the most generous donors, which is defined as the 10% of high-net-worth individuals who donate the most as a proportion of their wealth. It is also worth noting that women within this group are also more than twice as likely to have inherited their wealth.

How members can use the findings:

It is clear that growing philanthropy by even a small amount could unlock billions of pounds worth of income for the sector. Achieving this, however, will require all stakeholders, from government, to charities and professional advisors to work together to make philanthropy more fulfilling and accessible to a wider range of donors. We will explore such opportunities further through our Philanthropy 2035 research.

The report also highlights that women, whilst under-represented in the wider HNW population, are some of the most generous donors, indicating there is scope for charities to engage more with this demographic. Some actions charities can take to make this a reality include:

Identify women philanthropists in their current major giving portfolios, learn more about then and consider how to use this insight to ensure their fundraising resonates with more this group;
Improve their awareness and understanding of the barriers women face when becoming philanthropists;
Celebrate stories of women philanthropists.

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