The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) distributed a record £1bn to charities around the world last year, according to its annual report for the year ended 30 April 2023.
This is a £124m increase in donations compared with the previous year.
The report shows that the money was paid out to “hundreds of thousands of charities” in 119 countries thanks to the “continuing generosity of donors” and despite them facing economic uncertainty and a cost-of-living crisis.
Donations from CAF America totalled £490m, up from £319.2m the year before while Giving and Impact Services in the UK distributed £520m to charitable causes.
The report says that CAF Bank increased its lending to customers by £44m, giving them £229m in loans and advances.
CAF’s clients donated over £16.6m to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s appeals, with nearly £10m donated to the Ukraine appeal in 2022/23.
Meanwhile, donations from US-UK taxpayers rose from £94.8m to £103m, meaning that CAF was able to distribute a record £86.2m to charities in grants through its American Donor Fund (2021-22: £67.8m).
Neil Heslop, chief executive of CAF, said: “Despite a challenging backdrop of entrenched financial pressure, what was achieved in the past year is uplifting. Thanks to the compassion and generosity of our donors, and the dedication of our staff, we distributed £1bn to charities for the first time.
“It has been a difficult year for many of the organisations we exist to serve. In the UK, charities are stretched by the cost-of-living crisis, adjusting to stubbornly high inflation, while more people and communities than ever need their services. Overseas, charities have had to meet the significant humanitarian demands from the conflict in Ukraine, devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, and flooding in Pakistan.
“Last year, our organisation played a vital role in bringing donors together with charities. In the years ahead, we are determined to further grow our philanthropic impact to accelerate social progress towards a fair and sustainable future for all.”
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