Young people get savvy on giving

The Charity Commission’s research also showed that young people are savvier and more generous when it comes to giving to charity at Christmas.

Almost half of 18 to 24 year-olds (44 per cent) said they would give up their smartphones for December to raise £500 for charity. This is compared with under a third of the rest of the population. Youngsters also intend to make the highest financial donation to charity this Christmas, with an average pledge of £31.29.

This generosity is backed up by a strong awareness about the importance of making basic checks on a charity before giving, with over half saying that they usually do checks on a charity before donating to them, compared with just 29 per cent of over 75s.

The Commission is reminding people that its online register holds a wide range of information about charities, including how they spend their money.

Chief executive Helen Stephenson said: “I’m particularly pleased that young people give generously, but also that they are more likely to make basic checks before giving to their chosen charity than people from their parents’ generation. This hints at a welcome shift in the public’s relationship with charities and shows why charities should be open and transparent about the way they are run and how they spend their money.”