People in the UK are willing to speak to street fundraisers for only three minutes on average, with four out of ten refusing to stop altogether, according a survey by donations website Give as you Live.

People in Swansea were the most generous, giving three minutes and 38 seconds each. In contrast, people in Nottingham were only prepared to stop for two minutes and three seconds before walking away.

London, despite being famed for having unfriendly citizens, came in third place, with an average of three minutes and 17 seconds.

The study which examined 2,000 people, claims that 33 per cent of us are only willing to speak to street fundraisers for a maximum of two minutes, with 13 per cent willing to give up between two and four minutes of their time. An altruistic minority, two per cent of the population, is willing to speak to a street fundraiser for 10 minutes or more.

Give as you Live are a price comparison website that enables people to raise money for their favourite charity through online shopping.

Annabelle Risdon, head of charities at Give as you Live, said: “Brits are known for our almost legendary patience – but things are clearly changing. It’s a shame that our hectic lifestyles have led to a hardening of attitudes towards charity on the high street.

“Third sector organisations looking to future-proof their fundraising need to invest in methods that map onto current social behaviour, taking into account the fact that people clearly want to shop on their terms and support the charity of their choice.”