At first glance, that sounds encouraging. But beneath the headline figures sits a more complex picture with significant implications for fundraising and legacy giving.
Research from CharityTracker, presented at a recent Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF) webinar, suggests the giving market is becoming increasingly polarised. Participation in charitable giving is shrinking, while income is becoming more concentrated among a smaller group of highly engaged supporters.
For charities thinking long-term, this matters.
According to CharityTracker research, the proportion of UK adults donating to charity fell from 53% in 2018 to 44% in early 2026.
The decline accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, bouncing back in late 2021-early 2022 to near pre-pandemic levels before continuing the decline in a difficult and uncertain economic environment.
At the same time, average donation values have increased. Even after inflation, annual giving levels are now above their pre-pandemic baseline.
The strongest increases are coming from a relatively small group of high-value donors. By 2025, the highest value, top quartile donors (the top 25% of donors by value), are now giving 48 times more than bottom quartile donors (the bottom 25% of donors by value) compared to 34 times more in 2018.
Importantly, lower-value donors are not necessarily giving less. Their giving has remained broadly stable. The shift is happening because the highest-value supporters are giving substantially more.
In short, the donor market is becoming narrower, but deeper.
Legacy fundraising has never relied on volume alone as a gift in a will is rarely transactional, it usually reflects years of trust, emotional connection and identification with a cause.
The research found that higher-value donors are more likely to give directly to charities, respond to personal asks, maintain regular giving habits and engage through ongoing relationships rather than passive prompts. They are also more likely to trust charities deeply.
These are all characteristics commonly associated with legacy supporters.
The findings reinforce something many fundraisers already know - sustained giving is rooted in relationships. People continue to support charities when they feel connected to the mission, can see evidence of impact and feel recognised and valued.
As the donor market becomes more concentrated, organisations most likely to thrive will be those able to build long-term supporter relationships rather than relying purely on broad acquisition activity.
For legacy teams, this is not new thinking, but it does strengthen the case for integrating legacy giving more fully across the supporter journey.
One of the most interesting themes in the research was the distinction between active and ambient giving.
Lower-value donors were more likely to give reactively through checkout prompts or point-of-purchase donations. Higher-value donors behaved differently. Their giving was more deliberate and relationship led. They were more likely to respond to direct communication from charities and motivated by evidence of impact and personal connection.
This matters because legacy giving naturally aligns with intentional behaviour.
Leaving a charitable gift in a will is one of the most considered forms of giving. It involves reflection on identity, values and the kind of impact someone wants to leave behind.
As fundraising becomes increasingly driven by engaged supporters, legacy giving is likely to become even more important to long-term income resilience.
While older supporters still make up much of the top donor segment, the composition of this segment is changing, with number of younger donors - particularly those aged 25 to 34 - increasing.
The profile of high-value supporters is becoming younger, more educated and more digitally and religiously engaged. This challenges some traditional assumptions around legacy giving.
Legacy fundraising will always involve older audiences, particularly when it comes to conversion. But the long-term pipeline will increasingly depend on how charities engage younger affluent supporters earlier in their relationship with the organisation, laying the foundation for future generations of givers.
Another notable finding was the role of trust and faith engagement.
Top quartile donors were more likely to trust charities and believe organisations make a meaningful difference. They were also more likely to engage through places of worship and faith communities.
For legacy fundraising, this is significant. Legacy decisions are built on confidence and reassurance. Donors are making decisions that extend beyond their lifetime, often involving deeply personal values and family considerations. In a more polarised fundraising landscape, this means that trust and strong supporter relationships may become even more important differentiators.
As the donor market becomes smaller and more concentrated, charities are also likely to face a more competitive relationship environment. More organisations will be trying to engage the same pool of committed supporters, making attention and standout increasingly difficult.
This creates an important challenge for fundraising and particularly for legacy giving, where personal connection is one of the strongest drivers of a future pledge. Building and maintaining that sense of connection matters, but supporters are also managing growing volumes of charity communications. Someone giving regularly to several charities could easily receive dozens of emails, mailings and appeals each year. At a certain point, there is a risk that even highly engaged supporters begin to “tune out.”
For charities, the challenge will not simply be communicating more, but communicating better through thoughtful stewardship, meaningful engagement and supporter experiences that strengthen relationships, without overwhelming people.
The overall picture from the research is not one of immediate concern. Total giving remains resilient and average donation values are rising.
But there is a longer-term risk in relying too heavily on a shrinking pool of highly engaged donors. As a result, charities face a dual challenge to deepen relationships with committed supporters, while also finding new ways to broaden wider participation in giving.
Legacy fundraising has a role to play in addressing both. At its best, legacy giving is not simply about future income. It is about belonging, trust and helping supporters express the values that matter most to them.
In a fundraising environment defined by fewer donors and greater polarisation, those qualities may become more valuable than ever.
CharityTracker helps charities move beyond assumptions with ongoing insight into donor attitudes, motivations and behaviours. If you're planning your fundraising or legacy strategy for the years ahead, understanding who your supporters are, and how they're changing, has never been more important.
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