Fewer Brits are donating their time or money to charities than five years ago, according to government figures released today.

Seventy-four per cent of adults reported giving to charity in the latest Department of Communities and Local Government’s annual citizenship survey for 2008/2009 – down from 76 per cent in 2007/2008 and down again from the 2005 level of 78 per cent.

The research, which asks respondents to recall their actions over the four weeks prior to the survey being taken, found that the average amount of money given to charity was flat over the last few years, at £17.70.

The most popular ways of giving to charity were via raffle ticket and charity shop purchases and direct debit or standing order.

Women proved more charitable than men, with 78 per cent reporting making a donation against 71 per cent of men. Professionals and people in managerial positions were also the most generous group of employees; 84 per cent said they had donated to charity in the weeks leading up to the survey.

Participation in volunteering too saw little discernable change between the 2008/2009 and 2007/2008 years, but was lower in the most recent year in comparison to 2005 levels despite massive government investment in increasing volunteering. Twenty-six per cent of adults reported to partake in regular formal volunteering and in the most recent year on record, compared to 29 per cent in 2005.