Most British businesses do nothing to support charities, reports CAF
Howard Lake | 17 September 2025 | News
Research by Charities Aid Foundation reveals that 75% of British businesses do not support charities, whether it is giving time (volunteering and skills), cash or goods. And that is set against a decline in giving cash donations by those companies that do support charities, in favour of in-kind donations.
Those business that did support charities in 2024 donated an estimated £4.2 billion. Nearly half of this, £1.85 billion, was donated by FTSE 100 companies. But only 24 of the FTSE 100 gave at least one per cent of their pre-tax profits to charity last year, down from 28 in the previous year.
CAF’s Corporate Giving Report 2025 also reports that cash donations from British businesses have seen “a significant drop” with an estimated £300 million less given in cash last year.
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The report included stated reasons that businesses gave for not giving to charity.
Company giving by region
Businesses in the North East are the most likely to support charities (41%), while those in the South East are the least likely to (12%). Only 3% of businesses in the South East give cash, compared to 31% of those in the North East.
Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive, Charities Aid Foundation, commented on the findings:
“Corporate giving is not an optional extra. It is a cornerstone of responsible business that employees and customers expect. Yet, at a time when charities continue to face severe funding challenges, our research reveals that most British businesses are disengaged from meaningful community investment.
“Best practice for business is to commit to donating at least one percent of pre-tax profits. Across the country, there are great examples of businesses working hand in hand with charities in local areas, and demonstrating that sustained, purposeful giving is certainly achievable.
“Government also has a crucial role to play in fostering a renewed culture of giving and encouraging community investment from businesses to the places and communities they are a part of.”
Mandatory requirement to report?
In light of the report’s findings Charities Aid Foundation is calling for the Government to reintroduce the mandatory requirement to report corporate giving to improve transparency and motivate businesses to donate to good causes and invest in communities.
If more UK businesses gave 1%, including all the FTSE 100, it could mean charities receive almost £5 billion in additional funding.
- Corporate giving among the FTSE 100 down in 2016, CAF report shows (26 January 2018)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.