​UK public rely on the services run by charities

Nearly nine in 10 UK households (90%) has used a charity’s services at some point according to new research.

CAF’s report, Charity Street III, shows how people and households use charitable services and reveals that while three quarters of UK household have used a charity in the last 12 months, three out of every 10 people did not realise they were using one.

The research also discovered that 29% of people were unaware that the services they used were run by charities.

Those who do use charities are using their services more frequently. The 74% of households which reported using charities in the past 12 months used an average of 3.8 services, compared to 3.0 services in both 2016 and 2014.

Some 18% of households that access charities are now doing so at least once a week (up from 14% in 2016).

Sir John Low, chief executive of Charities Aid Foundation, said: "Charities are central to everyone’s lives. They provide help and advice; medical support and care; places in which to relax and enjoy, to learn and be inspired.

“Shockingly though, many of us simply don’t realise the things we might take for granted are provided by one of the tens of thousands of charities across the country. That is something all of us in charities need to change.

“This research really shows the huge impact charities have on people in this country and the way in which they bring us together to make Britain a better place.”

The survey ran between 21 and 29 March 2018 with a total of 2,912 responses collected which were weighted to be representative of the UK adult population.