🎵 Money, Money, Money 🎵

In the run-up to the Chancellor's Budget, many will be feeling the cost-of-living pinch or seeing the real need in our public services and communities - but there’s more to the debate than cutting taxes or increasing public spending. What is our responsibility as citizens to look out for each other, and what should the state’s role be in encouraging that kind of thinking?

In the last two months there have been major publications from the Economist, Onward, and the Centre for Social Justice on philanthropy and charitable giving.

Onward’s report ‘Giving Back Better: Unlocking philanthropy in the UK’, raises some fascinating, but not altogether surprising, trends. For example, the wealthiest 10% of households donate half as much proportionately of their incomes than the poorest 10%.

The Economist has published two articles suggesting that time, effort, and red tape are getting in the way of philanthropy and shining a spotlight on ‘no strings attached’ giving, side stepping application forms and restricted funds.

The CSJ continues to use the voices of frontline charity workers through their CSJ Foundation to highlight the role that charities have in helping our country’s poorest.

Among all these groups, there’s a broader understanding of the necessary role charities play in society. They always have and always will function alongside public spending, playing a unique role that requires sufficient funding, support and appreciation to operate effectively.

CAF found that fewer people are donating compared with previous years, but there has been an increase in the average monthly gift among those who have donated. In other words, fewer people are giving more. The consensus across the board is that this is not sustainable for the future of the UK charity sector.

As we head towards a new financial year, still swimming through economic crisis, we might do well to ask where our own money goes. However we might feel about taxes, what responsibility do we have to those in need, and what can we do to make the most effective impact with our money? How do we champion the role of charities and charitable giving outside of Westminster and move this from an intellectual debate to real-life impact?