Faith-based charities make a critical contribution to society but are unappreciated and sometimes viewed with suspicion, according to new research.

A study from sector think tank NPC found that more than a quarter of charities in England and Wales have an association with faith. Such charities raise around £16.3bn a year towards their work.

While these charities enjoy advantages as a result of the role faith plays in the organisations, such as resilience and access to hard to reach areas of society, they also face unique challenges.

The study collected data over an 18-month period, finding diminishing support from recent governments alongside negative media coverage has paved the way to what some see as a ‘hostile’ attitude towards faith-based charities.

Speaking at an event launching What a difference a faith makes, one of the report’s authors Rachel Wharton said faith based charities can face suspicion around their motives. The charities were also sometimes subject to the incorrect assumption that they only help people of the same denomination.

In a statement accompanying the report’s launch, Wharton said a lack of understanding of faith poses additional challenges for faith-based charities.

“Amongst the wider public, the public and private sectors, and the voluntary sector, misunderstanding around faith values and a lack of awareness of different beliefs is a barrier to working more effectively,” Wharton said.

However, despite the challenges they face faith-based charities have many strengths. For example, the study concluded faith charities are often able to respond to crisis situations more quickly, through fundraising and volunteers attached to the faith.

Therefore, the research concluded valuable benefits could be secured through better collaboration between faith-based and secular charities.

“We recommend that the sector recognises the unique characteristics and resources that faith-based charities have, learn more about different faiths and think about how faith might impact their work,” Wharton said in a statement. “For some people, faith is an integral part of their identity; recognising this and incorporating it into service delivery could create greater impact for beneficiaries. This lack of consideration at the moment means the sector is missing out on a vital opportunity to deliver better services, often to the most vulnerable.”

Read the full report here.

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