Research reveals Sheffield Hallam is a hot spot of generosity

In the UK, just over 1% of the population are classified as Super Givers – that’s around 676,000 people. These are people who have gone above and beyond to support charities in the past year, doing every one of the following: donate money, donate goods, volunteer, fundraise for charity and sponsor someone else’s fundraising efforts.

Geographically, generosity has clear hotspots. The top ten areas for super giving include communities across the South East, North of England, and Northern Ireland, where people are twice as likely as the national average to demonstrate this level of giving.

In these locations, the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found that 2.4% of residents on average fall into this category, exceeding the national rate by more than twofold.

Top 10 Super Giver Hot Spots:

1. North East Hampshire
2. Wirral West
3. Surrey Heath
4. Mid Ulster
5. Hamble Valley
6. South Down
7. Reigate
8. Sefton Central
9. Maidenhead
10. Sheffield Hallam

These hot spots appear to be centres for generosity in general, as they all have an above average percentage of people donating to charity. In particular, Wirral West, Sheffield Hallam and Sefton Central are also in the UK’s top 10 for the average proportion of income donated to charity in 2024.

The proportion of Super Givers increases with age, and over 65s are almost twice as likely to fit this description than 16-24-year-olds (1.6% vs 0.9%). Overall, almost half of all Super Givers in the UK are over the age of 55 (49%).

Women are also leading the way - 1.5% of women support charities in all the five years, compared to 0.9% of men. This trend continues with age, with women over 55 forming nearly a third of this dedicated group.

Super Givers report a deeper sense of belonging, with 22% feeling a very strong connection to their local area, compared to the national average of 12%. Satisfaction with neighbourhoods is also higher, as 35% of Super Givers say they are very satisfied, far outstripping the UK average of 22%.

Acts of kindness and optimism ripple through these communities, with 76% of Super Givers agreeing that people in their area are generally kind, and 65% believing British people are generous overall.

While Super Givers say they have more opportunities to get involved in their communities than the average Brit, Charity Commission data shows that Super Giver hotspots are not necessarily areas that have a higher density of charities.

Philippa Cornish, head of giving at the Charities Aid Foundation said: “At a time when charities are facing increased challenges and far fewer people are regularly donating to charity, it’s vital to celebrate those who go the extra mile to support them.

When people engage with charities, they feel more connected to their local area, more satisfied and more optimistic. So for those who can’t commit to all forms of giving, contributing in just one of these ways is still incredibly valuable to both donor and charity.

Championing the work of charities and their supporters, and creating opportunities for more engagement will strengthen the bonds within communities and help to build the social fabric of our country.”