Prepared for the Charity Commission for England and Wales by BMG Research
Note: Where tables show 2025 data amongst different subgroups, (+) indicates significantly higher than the total and (-) indicates significantly lower than the total.
Segmentation Methodology
The Commission asked BMG to develop an audience segmentation of charity trustees, to see if this would provide new insights and enable the Commission to communicate with different groups of trustees in a more effective and targeted way.
What is our segmentation approach?
- the bespoke segmentation was created using data from the 2025 trustee survey
- we used 25 of the survey questions (including 2 multiple questions) to input into the segmentation, covering confidence in different aspects of the trustee role; knowledge of responsibilities and decision-making; and trustees’ length of experience
- after testing both cluster and latent class approaches, we decided on the latter – this is a robust segmentation technique that identifies and groups patterns based on a neutral approach, without forcing assumptions
- this approach identified four segments which are introduced below
Reporting our segmentation
- the ‘overall knowledge’ score uses trustees’ responses to 19 questions on understanding of what to do in decision making and around their responsibilities (for example if they got all 19 correct their score was 19)
- other than the overall proportions each segment consists of, and the derived knowledge scores, all data is weighted to be representative of charity size by income
Meet the segments:
| Segment Name |
Size in CCEW trustee survey |
| Segment 1: Skilled and sure |
43% |
| Segment 2: On the right track |
29% |
| Segment 3: Experienced and overconfident |
9% |
| Segment 4: Low confidence but learning |
20% |
Segment 1: Skilled and Sure
43%
This group make up the largest proportion of trustees (43%). Nearly all have served for over five years (97%) with the most common level of experience being over 10 years (46%), compared to a survey average of 38%. Just under two thirds of them (64%) are aged 50-75.
Their overall confidence is the highest among all segments with 99% saying they are very confident. This group are very confident in making decisions (99%) and delivering their charity’s purpose (98%), and confidence across all other areas of the role are significantly higher than the average. This group are very good at knowing what they should always do during decision making such as asking questions even if they are challenging or awkward (97%) and speaking up if they disagree with the majority (94%).
However, there is still room for improvement. This group are more likely to incorrectly think trustees should always make decisions based on their personal views (14%). There are also some areas of trustee responsibility that not all get correct –particularly keeping up to date with the Commission’s guidance; and making sure the Commission gets the right information on time – so there is still room to grow and challenge incorrect assumptions through revisiting guidance.
Experience as a trustee
| Less than one year |
3%(-) |
| One to five years |
26%(-) |
| Five to ten years |
25% |
| More than 10 years |
46%(+) |
Percentage saying they are very confident in:
| Overall confidence |
99%(+) |
| Making decisions |
99%(+) |
| Delivering your charity’s purpose |
98%(+) |
| Reporting information |
95%(+) |
| My ability to protect my own charity and its beneficiaries from wrongdoing and harm |
94%(+) |
| Identifying and dealing with conflicts of interest |
86%(+) |
| Managing finances |
84%(+) |
Knowledge:
The average knowledge score is 16.2(+) *
More likely to know that in decision making, they should always…
| Speak up if they disagree with the majority |
94%(+) |
| Ask questions even if challenging or awkward |
97%(+) |
But are more likely to incorrectly think they should always…
| Support a decision that benefits another organisation they are involved with |
14%(+) |
| Make decisions based on a trustees’ personal views |
14%(+) |
Know they are responsible for…
| Making important decisions |
95%(+) |
| Making sure the charity sends the right information to the Commission at the right time |
65%(+) |
Trustee characteristics:
| 50-75 years old |
64%(+) |
| Have the role of chair within their charity |
24%(+) |
Using Guidance:
| Use any Charity Commission guidance at least once a year |
48% |
| Use guidance from its website at least once a year |
43%(+) |
Reasons for not using Charity Commission guidance more often:
| I don’t think I need guidance that regularly |
74%(+) |
| I didn’t know that the Charity Commission provided guidance |
6%(-) |
| I don’t know how to find what I need |
5%(-) |
| I don’t use the internet very much |
4%(-) |
Main charity activity:
45% have a charity income of £0-£10k (+)
| Provides grants or other funding to individuals or organisations |
42%(+) |
| Provides services |
29%(-) |
| Provides buildings, facilities or open space |
24%(-) |
| Provides advocacy/ advice/ information |
15%(-) |
Perception of fairness: % saying the Charity Commission acts…
| Fairly when dealing with wrongdoing |
52%(+) |
| Unfairly when dealing with wrongdoing |
3% |
| Say their charity applies any code, standard and governance tool |
44%(+) |
| Say they don’t know about their usage |
26%(-) |
Segment 2: On the right track
29%
This groups consists of around a third (29%) of trustees. They most commonly have one to five years’ experience (42%) and this group has the smallest proportion of trustees with more than 10 years’ experience. They show fairly high levels of confidence in their role, but the proportion who are very confident is below the average at 43%. Specifically, they are more confident than average in making decisions (88%) and delivering their charity’s purpose (85%). Despite being less experienced, this group’s knowledge is strong when looking at decision making and role responsibilities, falling in line with the overall average. For example, 92% know they are responsible for ensuring that all the charity’s activities help to achieve the purposes for which it was set up.
There are some areas which this group can improve on. Only 65% are very confident in reporting information, which is below average. They mostly know what they are doing, but do not always get it right. When given an overall ‘knowledge score’ (out of 19 based on their responses to 19 knowledge related questions), theirs is the second highest at 15.8 – in line with the trustee average – but they are less likely than average to know that the Charity Commission provides guidance (16%).
Experience as a trustee
| Less than one year |
8%(+) |
| One to five years |
42%(+) |
| Five to ten years |
29%(+) |
| More than 10 years |
22%(-) |
Percentage saying they are very confident in:
| Overall confidence |
43%(-) |
| Making decisions |
88%(+) |
| Delivering your charity’s purpose |
85%(+) |
| Reporting information |
65%(-) |
| Identifying and dealing with conflicts of interest |
53% |
| My ability to protect my own charity and its beneficiaries from wrongdoing and harm |
39%(-) |
| Managing finances |
30%(-) |
Knowledge:
The average knowledge score is 15.8 *
Know that in decision making they should always…
| Understand potential costs and what the charity can afford |
98% |
| Make sure they have all the information they need |
98% |
| Ask questions even if they are challenging or awkward |
95% |
| Follow what it in the charity’s governing document |
94% |
Know they are responsible for…
| Ensuring that all the charity’s activities help to achieve the purpose for which it was set up |
92% |
| Keeping up to date with relevant Charity Commission guidance |
73%(+) |
Trustee characteristics:
| Under 50 years old |
14%(+) |
| Are employed full time |
22%(+) |
| Have the role of treasurer within their charity |
10%(-) |
Using Guidance:
| Use any Charity Commission guidance at least once a year |
46% |
| Ever phone or email the Commission for guidance |
23%(-) |
Reasons for not using Charity Commission guidance more often:
| I don’t think I need guidance that regularly |
68% |
| I didn’t know that the Charity Commission provided guidance |
16%(+) |
| I don’t know how to find what I need |
9% |
| I don’t use the internet very much |
6% |
Main charity activity:
7%(+) don’t know the income of their charity
| Provides services |
35% |
| Provides grants or other funding to individuals or organisations |
29%(-) |
| Provides buildings, facilities or open space |
29% |
| Provides advocacy/ advice/ information |
19% |
Perception of fairness: % saying the Charity Commission acts…
| Fairly when dealing with wrongdoing |
43% |
| Don’t know how fairly it acts |
43% |
| Say their charity applies any code, standard and governance tool |
32%(-) |
| Say they don’t know about their usage |
42%(+) |
Segment 3: Experienced and overconfident
9%
This group makes up the smallest proportion of trustees (9%). They are an experienced group; nearly two thirds have more than ten years’ experience as a trustee. Their overall confidence in their role is above average with 88% saying they are very confident. More specifically they are more confident than average in managing finances (80% very confident) and in their ability to protect their charity and beneficiaries from wrongdoing and harm (72% very confident). Their confidence in delivering their charity’s purpose and reporting information sits in line with the trustee average. This group are good at knowing what they should do when decision making, including knowing they should always make sure they have all the information they need (98%) and that they should understand potential costs (96%) – both figures in line with the trustee average.
However, there are some areas where this group could improve. One of these areas is in conflicts of interest, with the group being less likely to say they are very confident in dealing with conflicts of interest (11%). This is demonstrated in their knowledge with just 61% knowing that all trustees are responsible for managing conflicts of interest, and in the fact that over half (56%) said that ‘it depends’ when asked about whether trustees should support a decision that benefits another organisation they are involved in.
Experience as a trustee
| Less than one year |
1%(-) |
| One to five years |
20%(-) |
| Five to ten years |
18%(-) |
| More than 10 years |
61%(+) |
Percentage saying they are very confident in:
| Overall confidence |
88%(+) |
| Managing finances |
80%(+) |
| Delivering your charity’s purpose |
75% |
| My ability to protect my own charity and its beneficiaries from wrongdoing and harm |
72%(+) |
| Reporting information |
67% |
| Making decisions |
42%(-) |
| Identifying and dealing with conflicts of interest |
11%(-) |
Knowledge:
The average knowledge score is 14.5(-)*
Know that in decision making they should always…
| Speak up if they disagree with the majority |
84%(-) |
| Decide what is relevant to that decision |
83%(-) |
But are more likely to incorrectly say it depends on the following…
| Make decisions based on trustee’s personal views |
56%(+) |
| Support a decision that benefits another organisation they are involved in |
56%(+) |
Know they are responsible for…
| Ensuring that all the charity’s activities help to achieve the purpose for which it was set up |
85%(-) |
| Keeping up to date with relevant Charity Commission guidance |
57%(-) |
Trustee characteristics:
| Over 75 years old |
42%(+) |
| Are retired |
70%(+) |
| Have the role of treasurer within their charity |
33%(+) |
Using Guidance:
| Use any Charity Commission guidance at least once a year |
43% |
| Read their own charity’s guidance at least once a year |
12%(-) |
Reasons for not using Charity Commission guidance more often:
| I don’t think I need guidance that regularly |
84%(+) |
| I didn’t know that the Charity Commission provided guidance |
9% |
| I don’t know how to find what I need |
6% |
| I don’t use the internet very much |
4% |
Main charity activity:
| Provides services |
27% |
| Provides grants or other funding to individuals or organisations |
27%(-) |
| Provides buildings, facilities or open space |
28% |
| Provides advocacy/ advice/ information |
17% |
Perception of fairness: % saying the Charity Commission acts…
| Fairly when dealing with wrongdoing |
44% |
| Don’t know how fairly it acts |
44% |
| Say their charity applies any code, standard and governance tool |
37% |
Segment 4: Low confidence but learning
20%
This segment has low confidence and less experience. This group has the largest proportion of trustees with less than one year’s experience (11%), with most (37%) trustees typically having one to five years’ experience. Their overall confidence is the lowest among all segments with only one in twenty (5%) reporting that they are very confident in the role. They consistently display low levels of confidence throughout every area of their role; less than one third (32%) is very confident in delivering their charity’s purpose and only 3% are very confident in identifying and dealing with conflicts of interest.
This group aren’t always sure of what they should always do when making a decision. Lower than the average, 89% know to always ask questions even if they are challenging or awkward. This group are more likely than average to incorrectly say it depends on the situation whether they should support a decision that benefits another organisation that they are involved in (51%). This group’s overall knowledge score is 14.7/19 – below the average. They are more likely to not use Charity Commission guidance as they don’t know how to find what they need (14%) and because they didn’t know that the Charity Commission provided guidance (16%).
Experience as a trustee
| Less than one year |
11%(+) |
| One to five years |
37%(+) |
| Five to ten years |
20%(-) |
| More than ten years |
32%(-) |
Percentage saying they are very confident in:
| Overall confidence |
5%(-) |
| Delivering your charity’s purpose |
32%(-) |
| Reporting information |
14%(-) |
| Managing finances |
14%(-) |
| My ability to protect my own charity and its beneficiaries from wrongdoing and harm |
11%(-) |
| Making decisions |
6%(-) |
| Identifying and dealing with conflicts of interest |
3%(-) |
Knowledge:
The average knowledge score is 14.7(-) *
Know that in decision making they should always…
| Make sure they have all the information they need |
96%(-) |
| Ask questions even if they are challenging or awkward |
89%(-) |
| Speak up if they disagree with the majority |
82%(-) |
But are more likely to incorrectly say it depends on the following…
| Support a decision that benefits another organisation they are involved in |
51%(+) |
Know they are responsible for…
| Ensuring that all the charity’s activities help to achieve the purpose for which it was set up |
86%(-) |
| Keeping up to date with relevant Charity Commission guidance |
47%(-) |
Trustee characteristics:
| Under 50 years old |
14%(+) |
| Have the role of Chair within their charity |
10%(-) |
Using Guidance:
| Use any Charity Commission guidance at least once a year |
41%(-) |
| Have never used their own charity’s guidance |
53%(+) |
Reasons for not using Charity Commission guidance more often:
| I don’t think I need guidance that regularly |
62%(-) |
| I didn’t know that the Charity Commission provided guidance |
16%(+) |
| I don’t know how to find what I need |
14%(+) |
| I don’t use the internet very much |
11%(+) |
Main charity activity:
9%(+) don’t know the income of their charity
| Provides services |
36%(+) |
| Provides buildings, facilities or open space |
32%(+) |
| Provides grants or other funding to individuals or organisations |
28%(-) |
| Provides advocacy/ advice/ information |
19% |
Perception of fairness: % saying the Charity Commission acts…
| Fairly when dealing with wrongdoing |
38%(-) |
| Don’t know how fairly it acts |
49%(+) |
| Say their charity applies any code, standard and governance tool |
25%(-) |
| Say they don’t know whether they are applied |
54%(+) |
*Out of a total of 19 possible points. Total trustee average is 15.6
