The amount individuals gave to charity in 2009 dropped by £574m, or just under 10 per cent, on 2008 levels according to the latest research.

The 71 per cent of the British adult population who gave to charity last year donated a total sum of £5.32bn, down 9.7 per cent on the previous year according to research released by Investec Private Bank today.

One fifth of those donors reported having decreased their donation levels over 2009, with the average value of an individual’s philanthropy over the year amounting to £110.20.

Northern Ireland proved to be the most generous of regions, with 76 per cent of adults in Northern Ireland giving to charity. Londoners, however, were the most generous with an annual total gift value of just over £175.

The study found that 18 per cent of all donations made  by individuals were made in December.

The figures are based on a survey of more than 2,100 British adults over a week in December.