Responding to the Cabinet Office's third sector review, the Institute has also recommended that the government promote careers in fundraising, footing the bill for a professional development programme for the vocation, as well as improving tax-effective giving mechanisms.

Megan Pacey, director of policy and campaigns at the Institute, said: “There is a growing body of evidence that shows that while levels of public trust and confidence are high, levels of understanding about how charities operate, particularly in relation to how they raise and spend their income, is not.

“The public are concerned about issues like how much money actually gets to where it’s needed and administration costs,” Pacey added. She said a public education campaign would be the best way the government could support fundraising and the sustainability of the sector into the future.