Irish give more to help the homeless than any other country

The Republic of Ireland’s inhabitants are the most likely to help the homeless, with the vast majority participating in a charitable or social action in the past year, according to a recent Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) study of giving trends in Ireland.

The study, carried out in partnership with Philanthropy Ireland, is CAF’s first comprehensive look at giving in Ireland. It found that homelessness is the number one cause donated to by the Irish, with more than one in three (35%) listing it as the cause to which they had recently donated.

Second most popular for donations were charities helping children and young people at 30%, followed by hospitals and hospices at 28%.

The survey also found:

– Nine out of ten (90%) people in Ireland participated in at least one charitable or social action in the last year and more than seven in ten (72%) did so in the last four weeks.

– Three fifths of people donated money to charity within the last year (62%) and just under two fifths sponsored someone for charity (38%).

– The median amount of money donated in Ireland within the last four weeks was €30. The most common method of donating was cash (68% of donors).

– Nearly a quarter of people in Ireland volunteered in the last year (23%), with the level of volunteering higher amongst women (27% vs. 19% men).

– People were most likely to be asked for donations in person, whether on the street (49%), on the doorstep (24%) or through family and friends (29%).

– More than half (54%) of people in Ireland either ‘strongly’ or ‘tend to’ agree that most charities are trustworthy: higher than average trust levels.

The Republic of Ireland ranked 5^th in the recently released 10^th edition of the CAF World Giving Index, which examined generosity across the globe over the past decade. That study found that 62% of Irish people had helped a stranger in the past month, 69% had donated money to charity in the past year and 38% had volunteered their time.

Susan Pinkney, Head of Research at CAF, said:

“Our aim at the Charities Aid Foundation is to grow giving in all its forms and this research demonstrates that Ireland starts from an enviable position. The willingness of so many Irish people to help the homeless – the most vulnerable in our communities – speaks to a generosity of spirit that sets Ireland apart.  We hope this report helps colleagues increase not only the amounts given, but also levels of volunteering and social engagement across the country.”

Éilis Murray, CEO of Philanthropy Ireland said:

“This report provides valuable insights into giving patterns in Ireland.  While it paints a picture of a generous country, it also points to opportunities for us to do more. This research provides a platform for conversations on how we can support and develop giving in Ireland. Can we shift the balance from reactive giving to planned giving to create greater impact? I firmly believe we can.”

1,057 interviews were completed online between 6 September and 16 September 2019, with the survey conducted using YouGov’s panel partner Toluna for Charities Aid Foundation.