A majority of sector leaders in the United Kingdom believe that charities will be expected to fill gaps in providing public services, a report from the Charities Aid Foundation finds.

Based on a total of 1,080 responses from an online survey conducted with charity leaders in the spring of 2021, the report Charity Landscape 2022 (9 pages, PDF), found that 75 percent of officials at UK-based charities said that demand for their organization’s services had increased during the pandemic, and against the backdrop of strained household finances, 86 percent anticipated that demand would likely increase. In all, 91 percent believe that charities will be expected to fill gaps in providing public services. Although most respondents (80 percent) expressed confidence that their organization could meet demand, only 50 percent are optimistic about the future of the charity sector overall.

The survey also found that 71 percent of respondents believe the public are more aware of charities’ contribution to society because of the pandemic; however, fewer than a third (31 percent) think the government values their contribution to public policy, and 29 percent believe that charities are seen as a source of insight to help plan for future crises. The survey also revealed that financial sustainability is the main challenge for 58 percent of respondents, and 64 percent are pessimistic about government support for the sector.

“The last two years have reminded all of us that charities form the backbone of our society and the contribution they make to our communities and wider society is undeniable,” said Charities Aid Foundation CEO Neil Heslop. “It’s clear that charity leaders feel unsettled, and now is time for charities to take stock about what they need to do to rebuild their finances and reset their relationships with volunteers, donors, and the government.”

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