Gen Z and Millennials are most charitable age groups giving more than £500 a year
Gen Z and Millennials are the most charitable age groups – both giving an average of more than £500 a year.
This is twice as much as Gen X, who contributed £206, and more than Boomers, who gave £294 to charitable causes over the same timeframe.
A study of 4,000 adults found that one in three Gen Zers have increased their charitable giving due to a stronger sense of responsibility to give back.
While 32 per cent of Millennials were inspired to donate more by a particular event or campaign.
Half of Gen Z and 32 per cent of Millennials have been able to contribute more year-on-year, compared to just one in 10 of both Gen X and Boomers.
Overall, 35 per cent of respondents said they plan to fundraise in 2025 – however, of those who have no plans, 10 per cent said it is because they don’t know where to start.
And this was highest among Gen Z at 21 per cent, and a further 12 per cent reported it is because they don’t feel personally connected to or were unsure of which cause to support.
As a result, JustGiving, which commissioned the research, has created a tool that will help Brits find the right cause to support in their next fundraiser based on their personality.
Pascale Harvie, president and general manager of the fundraising platform, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, said: “It’s inspiring to see how different generations are getting involved in charitable giving.
“What’s encouraging is that people are increasingly motivated by personal connections to causes and campaigns that matter to them, which demonstrates the power of storytelling.
“Younger generations may be giving more because they’ve grown up in a world where online fundraising is the norm, making it easier than ever to donate in just a few clicks.
“They’re also more likely to feel a sense of collective responsibility, using their voices and resources to drive change.
“For 25 years, we’ve been proud to support fundraisers, helping people raise money for the causes closest to their hearts.
“Our mission remains the same – to make fundraising as easy and impactful as possible for everyone.”
Gen Z and Millennials are driven to give back by a desire to create positive change with 24 per cent and 26 per cent citing the aspiration to make the world a better place for everyone as a key factor in their charitable giving.
Emotions also play a significant role, with 24 per cent of Gen Z and 27 per cent of Millennials expressing a deep sense of empathy for the struggles of others.
The research went on to highlight generational differences in the types of causes Brits are supporting.
Gen X and Boomers are most likely to raise or give money to health, hospice, wildlife, and military causes.
Whereas younger generations are more inclined to support education, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and sports-based initiatives.
Throughout 2025, Gen Z and Millennials are set to be highly engaged with charitable activities, with 68 per cent and 46 per cent either having already fundraised or planning to do so.
This is compared to 24 per cent of Gen X and 19 per cent of Boomers, who cite preferring to donate to causes rather than fundraise themselves (31 per cent and 42 per cent respectively).
Gaming events are expected to be a popular fundraising activity among the younger generations with 19 per cent of Gen Z and 16 per cent of Millennials considering them as a fundraising initiative this year.
Whereas traditional fundraisers such as bake sales (23 per cent), second-hand sales (22 per cent) and raffles (20 per cent) remain popular for Gen X and Boomers.
Younger generations credit their elders for inspiring their charitable giving, with 47 per cent of Gen Z influenced by their parents and 19 per cent by their grandparents.
CELEBRITIES PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN SHAPING CHARITY
The findings pointed to celebrities playing a significant role in shaping charitable giving across generations – with Cristiano Ronaldo being the most famous face to inspire both Gen Z (25 per cent) and Millennials (24 per cent).
While Prince William is the leading figure for Gen X, with 39 per cent saying he motivates them to give back.
According to the research, conducted via OnePoll, the overall national average donated per year is £386.
Whilst Brits are generally prioritising local causes (39 per cent) over national (27 per cent) and international (11 per cent) charities, the younger generations are the most likely to support internationally.
Gen Z (20 per cent) and Millennials (18 per cent) are more likely to give to an international cause or charity compared to Gen X (eight per cent) and Boomers (three per cent).
Gen Z want to support communities in need around the world (28 per cent) and Millennials believe that international causes address urgent humanitarian crises (32 per cent).
Whilst Gen X and Boomers prefer to support causes close to home (41 per cent and 47 per cent respectively).
Gillian Sandstrom, psychologist in kindness and spokesperson for JustGiving added: “It’s not always easy to know how to be kind. We have limited time and money and there are so many worthy causes and people in need.
“When someone we know raises money for a cause that is important to them, many of those barriers fade away.
“Even if we can each contribute only a little, together we can accomplish a lot, and take pride in the impact that we have made.”