Fewer than one in two members of the public believe that the chief executives of charities should be paid a wage, according to a new report by research consultancy nfpSynergy.

The report’s results, compiled in January from a “nationally representative sample of 1,000 people”, found that only 48 per cent of people thought that charity chief executives should be paid, while 25 per cent of people thought they shouldn’t.

The survey sample was also divided as to whether or not frontline charity staff should be paid. Half of people said street fundraisers should not receive a salary. The majority of those surveyed thought that tin collectors (60 per cent) and charity shop assistants (53 per cent) should also work for free.

The report found that there is still a large amount of confusion amongst members of the public as to who within a charity actually draws a wage. Over 65 per cent of people think that charity chairs are paid, while 16 per cent believe that trustees also earn a wage.

Bijal Rama, research officer at nfpSynergy said that the results of the study highlight a sense of apathy from the general public towards the inner workings of the voluntary sector.

“The public will always be divided on this matter and that largely stems from misconceptions and a disinterest in how charities work," she said.

"Over 1,000 of the UK’s charities have an annual income of more than £10 million and running a charity comes with a lot of responsibility, so you need to pay to get the best person for the job.

“That said, I don’t believe that most of the public really care how much charity staff are actually paid. All they want to be reassured about is that most of their donation is going to the cause.

"By making it clear how much they spend and how they spend it, charities will be well placed to keep the support of their donors.”