ONE pound in six given to
charity in Britain last year went to religious causes, making them
the largest beneficiary of donations, new research suggests.
The annual UK Giving
report, published by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and the
National Council for Voluntary Organisations, is based on figures
supplied by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The figures for 2012 show
that religious causes received 17 per cent of the £9.3 billion
donated to all causes. Medical and hospital causes each secured 15
per cent of the money, children's charities received 11 per cent,
and overseas causes ten per cent. The smallest amounts were given
to arts and sports charities, which each received one per cent of
the total.
Medical charities
remained the cause supported by the largest number of donors - one
in three - followed by hospitals and children's charities.
Religious causes were backed by 14 per cent of donors. The average
amount given to charity by religious people was £576 in 2012,
compared with £235 by those without a faith.
The overall amount given
to charity fell by 20 per cent between 2011 and 2012. It is
estimated that 55 per cent of people in Britain give in a typical
month, with an average donation of £10, rising to £20 for donations
to religious causes. The average donation to religious causes in
the previous year was £15.
The data is based on a
thrice-yearly survey of households con- ducted by the ONS. Last
year, a response rate of 61 per cent was gained, with 3319
interviews conducted.