The survey of a thousand people across England and Scotland showed that two in five do not currently make a regular charity donation and one in five do not give at all. In light of the Tsunami Appeal, which according to CAF figures from January showed 81% of Britons having made a donation, only 10% who gave for the first time will give more to charity as a result, the survey found.

David King, chief executive of Samaritans said the findings demonstrated that while people have good intentions, it often takes a celebrity or significant media event to highlight a cause. “It’s a shame because deep down we all know how valuable charities are to our communities, but many don‘t think about supporting them,” he said.