Charities hit by cost of living crisis as donations fall by 16%

Katie Mellett

Charities in Ireland have been hit by the cost of living crisis, with donations down 16 per cent last year, according to a new report.

While it found that 77 per cent of Irish adults donated to charities in 2022 - up from 69 per cent in 2019 - the average amount donated annually fell by 16 per cent, from €111.67 to €93.35.

The Value of Giving Report, based on online research of 1,000 respondents, says 42 per cent of Irish adults gave unpaid help or worked as a charity volunteer in the last year.

It found was a three per cent post-pandemic rise in volunteering, while the average amount of time spent volunteering has increased from 5.22 hours over a four-week period pre-pandemic to 5.58 hours in 2022.

The research showed that "Generation Z" is actively involved in volunteering with 59 per cent of 18-24 year-olds having volunteered in the last year.

The report, launched by Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland, claims Laois is the most generous county, with 91 per cent of county respondents having donated money to charity in the past year, followed by Westmeath and Roscommon with 89 per cent.

David Lane, managing director of Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland, said: “Our giving ethos is woven deep into the fabric of Irish society, and this report gives an overview of the economic value of charitable giving and volunteering in Ireland.

"It is also encouraging to see that younger people in Ireland are engaging significantly with worthy causes. They are finding boundless opportunities to support organisations through technology, social media, and more creative methods than ever before, and are more vocal about the causes they care about.”