Wealthy people are donating more money than previously but some are put off by difficulties accessing information about the impact of specific charities, according to new research.
Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management surveyed 500 high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) in the UK and found that they each gave £12,000 on average in 2025.
This is more than double the median amount of £5,500 HNWIs reported giving in 2019, when the firm last did the research, outpacing inflation and global financial market returns.
The Modern Philanthropist report says that while “philanthropic giving is now the norm among HNWIs in the UK”, there remain barriers to engagement and major giving.
It says organisations that can “clearly demonstrate mission, credibility, and measurable results” are more likely to attract major gifts.
Younger donors in particular (44% of 18-34 year-olds) want measurable results and transparent reporting before committing to larger gifts, compared to 27% and 30% of those aged 35-54 and 55+, respectively.
Donors hesitate to give more due to a lack of confidence in understanding how charities operate (35% of respondents), difficulty accessing clear information about impact (28%) and feeling overwhelmed by sector complexity (25%).
In addition to “sector complexity”, one in five respondents said they were put off by the complexity of setting up a vehicle for giving, including charitable trusts or donor-advised funds.
More giving among HNWIs
Based on a survey between March and April 2025 of people with assets over £1m, Barclays found that the most common annual giving band among HNWIs was £10,000-£49,999 in 2025, with 40% of respondents giving at this level, compared with 14% in 2019.
A further 30% gave £1,000-£9,999, while 11% donated £1-£999, compared to 26% in 2019.
Six-figure giving is rare, the report says, with 5% of respondents giving £100,000 or more in the past 12 months.
On average, HNWIs reported supporting four different causes over the past year, up from three in 2019.
The top cause in 2025 was health and social welfare (supported by 79% of respondents), followed by climate and environment (73%) and development and social justice (69%).
External factors, including family requests, tax incentives and professional advice, were not rated as intrinsic giving motivators by those surveyed.
Instead, HNWIs said emotional connection, rational evaluation and personal relevance all influenced their decisions.
Some 36% of respondents said they would make sizeable donations to a specific charity if “it works on issues that match my charitable interests and goals”.
Meanwhile, 35% said they would do so if “it’s a well-established organisation with a deep and broad understanding of the issues” and 32% if “it has clear information about its goal, approach and impact”.
Cash donations, from a bank account or via an online platform, were reported as the most common form of donating, with 49% of respondents giving in this way.
‘Philanthropy amongst HNWIs is shifting’
Juliet Agnew, head of philanthropy at Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, said: “The view of philanthropy amongst HNWIs in the UK is shifting to become an integral part of wealth planning.
“As the research shows, once individuals reach key milestones in their wealth journey, they increasingly want their money to carry meaning as well as value.
“There’s a major opportunity for all kinds of financial advisers to play a more proactive role in guiding and supporting donors.
“As we approach the great wealth transfer, this is a chance to turn this intent into impact, ensuring that donors have the clarity, confidence and structures they need to make a real difference.”
