Research into public trust in charities and research with charity trustees 2026
Annual Charity Commission research on public trust in charities and what trustees think about their role and their regulator.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
Public trust headlines
Trust in charities remains resilient: 57% report high trust (stable since 2020) and charities continue to outperform almost all other institutions. Trust in charities is driven by contact with them and awareness and understanding of the Commission. Trust in turn fosters donating and volunteering.
Money reaching the end cause remains the most important driver of trust: But expectations that charities should ‘make a real difference’ and act as a voice have grown in importance.
Financial pressures are affecting giving, but concerns about value also have a role to play: Affordability is the primary reason for not donating. Giving to local charities and causes with personal relevance is more likely to be protected as donors seek greater visibility of impact.
The proportion of people using charity services has fallen for the first time in 5 years: However, longer-term declines in campaigning, volunteering and some forms of giving indicate a narrowing base of ‘active’ supporters, increasing reliance on those with high trust and capacity to engage.
The Charity Commission’s presence reassures, but there continues to be limited understanding of its role: Around half of the public are more likely to support charities after learning about the Commission’s role yet focus group findings reveal uncertainty about how charities are regulated in practice.
Trustee research headlines
Trustees’ confidence remains high but linked to experience: Most trustees feel confident in their role, though newer trustees are less likely to feel very confident. Confidence across different responsibilities is generally stable, but confidence in managing finances has declined since its peak in 2025.
There is a strong foundational knowledge, but gaps in applied governance: Trustees demonstrate a strong understanding of most decision-making principles; knowledge gaps exist in areas like identifying certain conflicts of interest, and key financial controls.
Positive and improving perceptions of the Commission: Perceptions of fairness have increased and are strong among both engaged and non-engaged trustees. Gaps between what trustees think the Commission should do and does do have narrowed in most areas.
Support is valued but underused: Fewer than half of trustees access Commission guidance or digital services annually, despite high satisfaction among users.
Clear benefits of using Commission guidance: Trustees who use Commission resources regularly demonstrate stronger knowledge of legal responsibilities, greater confidence in decision-making and challenge, and better understanding of financial requirements.
Ongoing external pressures on charities: Some charities - particularly larger ones - face ongoing financial challenges challenges, though many are adapting. Since 2025, more have found new funding sources and adopted new technology, while fewer report using more reserves than planned. Over a third of trustees report banking issues in the past year (a slight improvement on 2025), and over a quarter have been impacted by the challenging social environment (for example, international conflict, immigration, equality issues).