UK Civil Society Almanac 2024

In 2021/22, 16% of people in England took part in formal volunteering at least once a month, and 27% did so at least once a year. These rates are consistent with the previous year.

During the covid-19 pandemic there was a dramatic drop in formal volunteering, though informal volunteering increased.

In 2021/22, the number of people taking part in informal volunteering once a month dropped back to the pre-pandemic level of 26% in 2021/22 (compared to 33% in 2020/21 and 28% in 2019/20).

For people informally volunteering at least once a year, the rate dropped in 2021/22 to 46%, from 54% in 2020/21. This is the lowest rate recorded to date.

Older people are more likely to volunteer than younger people, whether this is formally or informally.

However in 2020/21, during the covid-19 pandemic, there was a sharp drop in the number of people aged 65 to 74 volunteering formally at least once a month.

This volunteering level has not yet fully recovered. Contributing factors may include social isolation for health reasons and digital exclusion from online volunteering opportunities that became more common during the pandemic.

People aged over 65 have maintained their levels of formal volunteering, while participation in all other age groups has dropped since 2020/21.

In England, women are more likely than men to volunteer, whether formally or informally.

In 2021/22, 58% of women reported having volunteered in the past 12 months, compared to 52% of men (55% for the total population).

There was no significant gender difference in formal volunteering.

But women were more likely to have volunteered informally:

• in the past month (30% of women compared with 22% of men)
• in the past year (49% compared with 42%).

In 2021/22, there were clear differences across England in how many people formally volunteered at least once a year:

• the north-east, rates were lowest (20%)
• there were higher rates in London (30%), the south-east (29%), and the south-west (30%)
• in the east of England rates declined from 31% in 2020/21 to 24% in 2021/22.

There was less regional variation in the number of people informally volunteering at least once a year:

• in Yorkshire and the Humber, participation was lowest (40%)
• in London, the south-east, and the south-west rates were the same (48%).

In 2021/22 informal volunteering rates were lower across all regions except the East Midlands, compared to 2020/21.

The lower levels of formal volunteering in less affluent areas, compared to the more affluent south, suggest the cost-of-living crisis has created challenges in recruiting and retaining volunteers. People from poorer backgrounds can be deterred from volunteering due to costs such as for public transport and fuel.

In 2021/22, 27% of those who identify as white had volunteered formally at least once in the past 12 months. This rate was lower than among people identifying as:

• from a mixed ethnic background (35%)
• Asian (25%)
• Black (30%).

People identifying as Asian were less likely to have volunteered formally at least once a month (10%) compared to those identifying as white (17%) or from a mixed background (19%).

Monthly volunteering rates remained consistent across all ethnic groups from 2020/21, though annual volunteering rates decreased for people identifying as white.

There was no significant variability in informal volunteering among ethnic groups. However the proportion of people from white and Asian ethnic groups who volunteered at least once a month decreased from 2020/21 to 2021/22 (33% to 26% for both).

Levels of annual formal volunteering are higher among those identifying as being from a mixed ethnic background.

Disabled people were just as likely to volunteer formally as non-disabled people at least:

• once a month (17% for both groups)
• once a year (26% compared with 28%).

Disabled people were slightly more likely to volunteer informally than non-disabled people at least:

• once a month (31% compared with 25%)
• once a year (50% compared with 28%).

The rise of remote and flexible volunteering has the potential to create new opportunities for disabled individuals. However, there are still accessibility challenges in ensuring that these roles are inclusive across diverse abilities.

‘Deprivation’ refers to a lack of access to the resources, services and opportunities necessary for individuals and communities to lead healthy, secure and fulfilling lives. (See Notes and definitions).

For formal volunteering, people living in the least deprived areas were more likely to volunteer than those living in the most deprived areas:

• at least once a month (22% compared with 10%)
• at least once a year (35% compared with 19%)

For informal volunteering, there was no significant difference in volunteering rates.

The decline in formal volunteering rates since 2019/20 has been observed across all groupings of deprivation. However, it remains to be seen whether the ongoing cost-of-living crisis will make it more difficult to recruit volunteers in the most deprived areas.

It is clear a volunteer’s background and circumstances shapes their experience of volunteering. People living in the most deprived areas:

• face specific challenges
• have lower levels of satisfaction
• are underrepresented in leadership roles in voluntary organisations.

Volunteers from the most deprived areas have lower satisfaction levels with their volunteering:

• 88% report being satisfied, compared to 97% of volunteers from the least deprived areas
• 42% say they are “very satisfied”, compared to 60% of volunteers from the least deprived areas.

They are also more likely to:

• report negative effects on their health and wellbeing (10% compared to just 2% in the least deprived areas
• feel that volunteering is becoming too much like paid work (38% compared to 23% in the last deprived areas)
• feel appreciated (77% compared to 88% in the least deprived areas).

Leadership opportunities in voluntary organisations are less accessible to volunteers from deprived areas.

Only 5% of volunteers from the most deprived areas take on leadership roles, such as representing their organisation at meetings or events, compared to 13% in the least deprived areas.

Similarly, only 5% of volunteers from deprived areas are trustees or committee members, compared to 12% in the least deprived areas.

Underrepresentation in leadership limits volunteers’ career development opportunities and reduces the diversity of perspectives in decision-making in the sector.

Despite the challenges, there is a strong desire among volunteers from deprived areas to develop their skills through volunteering:

• 60% of volunteers from the most deprived areas express a need for more training, compared to 29% in the least deprived areas
• 18% of volunteers in deprived areas report having skills they would like to use in their volunteering roles but have not been able to, compared to 11% in the least deprived areas.

Addressing these needs could enhance volunteer retention and satisfaction in deprived areas where volunteers may otherwise feel underutilised and undervalued.

The findings highlight the importance of targeted support for volunteers from deprived areas.

By addressing the financial, health, and organisational barriers these volunteers face, the voluntary sector can become more inclusive and diverse, ensuring that all volunteers, regardless of their background, have positive and fulfilling experiences.

• Download the latest Community Life data from 2021/22.
• Read the Time Well Spent report (especially section 3).
• Look at our latest Time Well Spent report on diversity and volunteering.
• See this Charity Commission report on trustees, highlighting diversity issues on trustee boards.
• Take a look at a Centre for Ageing Better report on informal volunteering contributions in a socioeconomically deprived neighbourhood in Scarborough.
• Read our guidance on involving volunteers, including recruitment, planning for volunteers, and your legal responsibilities.
• Attend our online training on volunteer management.
• See our guidance on running charities through the cost-of-living crisis.