Research on public trust in charities and trustees published

The Charity Commission has published its annual research on public trust in charities and what trustees think about their role and their regulator.

The public trust research shows trust in charities remains high, noting that 57% of charities report high trust and that charities continue to be considered one of the most trustworthy institutions. Money reaching the end cause remains the most important driver of that trust, but expectations that charities should 'make a real difference' and act as a voice have grown in importance. The Charity Commission's presence was found to be reassuring in principle, but there continues to be a limited understanding of its role in practice. The Commission has commented in an accompanying blog that 'it's great that the public can see the collective difference made by charities across the country, and our research provides vital insights into how that trust can be helped maintained'.

The proportion of people using charity services has fallen for the first time since the pandemic, but the longer-term decline in campaigning, volunteering and other forms of giving continues. The research also indicates that financial pressures are suppressing giving, with the cost-of-living crisis given as the primary reason for reduced donations. However, it is interesting to note that donors are seeking greater visibility of impact, with gifts to local charities and causes with personal relevance protected from this overall trend.

The trustee research indicates that trustee confidence remains high, although this is, perhaps unsurprisingly, linked to a trustee's relative experience. Whilst trustees demonstrated a strong understanding of most decision-making principles, there were gaps in governance areas including identifying certain conflicts of interest and key financial controls. The research suggests that trustees who used Commission resources regularly demonstrated stronger knowledge of legal responsibilities, greater confidence in decision-making and a better understanding of financial requirements.

This research also found that a quarter of charities have been impacted by polarisation and division in society, including vandalism, protests, changes in the level of support or having to change or stop their services. Charities promoting causes such as human rights, or religious and racial harmony were most likely to have been impacted. Rachel Wenstone, Assistant Director of Policy at the Commission, has stated that the Commission 'will continue to monitor these trends closely and encourage charities to report serious incidents to us'.