Donations to charitable organisations from the UK’s wealthiest individuals reached an estimated £12.4bn ($16.4bn) in 2025, climbing from £11.3bn recorded in 2024.
The data stems from The Modern Philanthropist, a joint publication by Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management and New Philanthropy Capital.
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Philanthropy has expanded across the UK’s high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth demographics.
In 2025, 94% of individuals possessing upwards of £1m in investible assets contributed to good causes, an increase from 88% documented in 2021.
This upward trajectory is expected to persist. Over half of wealthy benefactors anticipate expanding their allocations during the coming 12 months.
Among individuals holding more than £10m in investible assets, 72% project an increase in their contributions.
Despite aggregate gains, disbursement amounts diverge sharply across individuals sharing similar financial profiles.
Across the 2020 to 2025 period, annual donations from individuals holding £1m to £5m in wealth ranged from a £400 average among the bottom 20% to £53,100 among the top 10%.
Within the £5 million to £30m tier, contributions spanned from a £1,400 average for the lowest quintile to £119,300 for the highest decile.
Looking ahead, 37% intend to raise donations by a modest margin, whilst 39% aim to keep contributions unchanged.
The findings indicate that affluent donors are receptive to closer ties with recipient organisations.
Consequently, charities face an opportunity to convert existing donor goodwill into elevated funding levels.
Among donors who review charitable allocations with a financial adviser, 60% plan to raise their donations over the next year, compared with 29% who do not obtain advisory support.
Average contribution sizes vary based on primary guidance channels. Donors guided principally by professional advisers averaged annual gifts of £36,000.
In contrast, donors steered chiefly by charities and peers averaged £26,000, whereas those guided mainly by relatives and friends averaged £18,000.
The underlying figures originate from market research conducted by Savanta targeting individuals holding £1m or more in investible assets.
Barclays engaged Savanta to field a 15-minute online questionnaire across 500 UK high-net-worth individuals between 6 March and 9 April 2025.
Additionally, New Philanthropy Capital incorporated specific questions on donor satisfaction and supported causes into Savanta’s quarterly MillionaireVue omnibus study across 2024, 2025, and 2026.
