UK Civil Society Almanac 2024

In 2021/22, just over a quarter (27%) of people aged 16 and over in England volunteered formally with a group, club, or organisation at least once in the year.

This means about 12 million people in England and 14.2 million people in the UK have volunteered at least once.

Formal volunteering is when people give unpaid help to a group club or organisation. These numbers are much lower than before the covid-19 pandemic.

Less than one in five (16%) people volunteer formally at least once a month. This is approximately 7 million people in England and 8.3 million in the UK.

Informal volunteering is more common. This is when people give unpaid help to another person who is not a family member. It includes activities like helping a neighbour with shopping or childcare.

In 2021/22:

• 46% of people (around 21 million in England and 25 million in the UK) volunteered informally at least once a year
• 26% of people (12 million in England, 14.2 million in the UK) did so at least once a month.

Whether someone lives in a deprived area or not affects whether, and how, they volunteer.

Data from the Community Life Survey shows that people living in the most deprived areas are less likely to volunteer formally than those in less deprived areas.

According to Time Well Spent data, people in deprived areas are more likely to face financial and health-related barriers and this makes it harder for them to volunteer.

For example, in the most deprived areas, people who aren’t already volunteering (‘non-volunteers’) are more likely to worry they might end up out-of-pocket through volunteering (17% compared to 10% in the least deprived areas).

Health issues and caring responsibilities can also make it harder to volunteer.

16% of non-volunteers in the most deprived areas gave these as reasons for not getting involved, compared to 11% in the least deprived areas.

Satisfaction and wellbeing

People from the most deprived areas who do formally volunteer are more likely than those from least deprived areas to report:

• lower levels of satisfaction
• higher levels of pressure.

They are also more likely to experience negative effects on their health and wellbeing due to volunteering (10% reporting such effects compared to just 2% in the least deprived areas).

It is clear that the covid-19 pandemic led to a decline in formal volunteering:

• In 2021/22, only 16% of people formally volunteered once a month.
• This is similar to 2020/21 when the figure was 17%.
• But it is much lower than the pre-pandemic level, when 23% of people volunteered once a month.

In the first year of the pandemic there was a temporary increase in people volunteering once a month informally. This reflected the community-led response to the crisis.

However, by 2021/22 (when restrictions were being lifted), the rate of informal volunteering returned to pre-pandemic levels, with:

• 26% volunteering at least once a month
• 46% at least once a year.

Due to the ongoing decline in formal volunteering, the sector is facing significant challenges. Alongside this, the cost-of-living crisis means people may be less likely to volunteer, especially those who live in deprived areas.

Despite the challenges, many people continue to volunteer.

Reasons for formal volunteering include:

• the desire to improve things and help people (48%) – the most common motivation
• personal connection to the cause (33%)
• having spare time (30%).

However, according to Time Well Spent data, people from different socioeconomic groups have different motivations. For example, volunteers in the most deprived areas are relatively more likely to seek opportunities that:

• allow them to develop new skills or use existing ones
• provide training and support, highlighting the need for more accessible and flexible volunteering opportunities.

According to the Time Well Spent survey the most popular causes for recent formal volunteers are:

• local community or neighborhood groups (21%)
• health/disability and social welfare (17%)
• hobbies/recreational/arts/social clubs (16%).

Since the pandemic, remote volunteering has become increasingly common. About 31% of recent formal volunteers take part in activities online or over the phone.

This shift has made volunteering more accessible,  particularly for people who are short of time or who have health issues.

However, digital exclusion remains a significant barrier for many. People in deprived areas can be particularly affected as they are less likely to have access to the necessary technology or digital skills.