There are fewer people giving to charities, and the total amount of money being donated has fallen, according to this year’s UK Giving Survey.

The study found that the proportion of the UK population that gave to charity in 2006/07 had dropped to 54%, down from 57% in 2005/06. The total amount given had slightly risen to £9.5bn, but in real terms, when accounting for inflation, this also represents a decrease of 3%.

The annual survey is jointly compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation and NCVO. CAF’s chief executive, Dr John Low, said that charities were reliant on the increasing generosity of a diminishing number of donors. “But with the overall amount that people tell us they give to charity this year going down slightly, it’s more vital than ever that we all try to give what we can.”

NCVO’s chief executive Stuart Etherington said: “We don’t know yet if this is just a blip, rather than a trend of people becoming less generous to charity. Individual donations play a huge role in funding the work that charities carry out in our communities, so we hope that worries such as increasing debt and rising house prices won’t put people off giving to the causes that need them.”

To view the report, visit either www.cafonline.org.uk or www.ncvo-vol.org.uk