The Charities Aid Foundation has launched a year-long cross-party Parliamentary inquiry into ‘Growing Giving’ in a bid to source ideas on how to boost young philanthropy, workplace giving and giving in older age.

Former cabinet minister David Blunkett will be joined by Tory MP Andrew Percy and Liberal Democrat Peer Baroness Tyler in chairing the inquiry which launched yesterday with an initial focus on giving by children.

The launch was accompanied by CAF-commissioned research that estimated that children between nine and 11 years of age donate nearly £20m to charity each year, or £1.99 each a month. In its first stage, the Growing Giving inquiry will be investigating how to harness and grow giving by under-18s, and in particular how to instil habits of giving for later life.

CAF has issued a call for written evidence on how to get young people giving more.

At launch David Blunkett said: “Young people are crying out for advice and a framework by which they can be aided to help others, either in fundraising or the giving of their time.”

CAF chief executive John Low referred to a recent study which suggested the under-30s are giving proportionately less to charity than previous generations. “We want to find ways of building on the spirit of giving among our children, so we can ensure this country remains one of the world’s most generous countries in years to come.”

In later stages the inquiry will focus on growing giving in the workplace and then how to encourage individuals to carry on giving as they get older.

CAF hopes the inquiry will result in tangible proposals which will enable more giving in general.