Some 45% of the British public believe that high-net worth individuals “have a duty” to donate some of their wealth to charities, according to new research commissioned by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).
In response to the poll of over 1,000 adults, conducted by YouGov, 24% “strongly agreed” that people with over £1m in assets excluding live-in property had a duty to donate, with another 21% “tending to agree”.
Some 23% of respondents disagreed that wealthy people had any duty to do so, with 10% “strongly disagreeing”.
Meanwhile, 71% said they thought philanthropy was important to British society, with 63% viewing philanthropists positively.
Philippa Cornish, client relations director at CAF, said: “Philanthropy and social investment play a crucial role in society, providing essential support for organisations up and down the country.
“It is heartening to see that the public view philanthropy positively and recognise its importance, but we can do more to collectively acknowledge its role and harness the many opportunities to grow giving.
“The more we talk about philanthropy and its impact, the more others will be inspired to give.”
The research follows the Charity Commission's chief executive, David Holdsworth, telling an event in February that more recognition was needed for philanthropy in the UK.
Meanwhile, in April, the government published a “roadmap” to boost place-based philanthropy in England, backed by £1m of funding.
In November last year, the government also announced it would create the Office for the Impact Economy to provide “a single front door” for impact investors, philanthropy and purpose-driven businesses to increase their social impact.
