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Are people volunteering more, when they can't donate money?
You'd think that when people can't afford to give money, they'd give their time instead, right? Unfortunately, that's not what's happening.
CAF's latest research shows that around 5.6 million people volunteered last year, which represents just 10% of the UK population. That's actually 1.5 million fewer volunteers than in 2023 – a dramatic drop that reflects how stretched people are feeling right now.
As one researcher puts it, "ongoing time-pressures, like long working hours, family commitments and hobbies, often leave little time for volunteering."
But wait, are people actually more interested in volunteering?
Here's where it gets interesting. While actual volunteering numbers are down, people are definitely searching for opportunities online more than ever before.
Recent research into UK volunteer trends shows that online searches for volunteering opportunities have jumped by an average of 13% over the past 12 months. This suggests people are still keen on purpose-driven lifestyles, they're just struggling to turn that interest into action.
Oxford leads the pack with searches nearly doubling (up 96%), while Cambridge – Oxford's academic rival – saw the biggest drop at 18.5% fewer searches.
Which UK cities are most eager to volunteer?
Top 10 cities with the biggest rise in volunteer interest:
- Oxford (96% increase)
- Multiple other cities showing strong growth
By population size, here's who's searching most:
- Croydon ranks highest, with more than two-fifths more residents looking to get involved in volunteering
Daniel King, Professor of Organisation Studies at Nottingham Trent University, explains what's really going on:
"Research shows formal volunteering has dropped over the last three decades but there could be a number of reasons for that including the way data is collected. For example, there are informal ways of volunteering that aren't typically classed or viewed as a volunteer role."
Daniel adds:
"Formal volunteering can be off-putting to some people as it can almost feel like a job. Even if they're committed to the purpose or mission of a charity, the hours and location may not be suitable for them. It can also be expensive to volunteer when you factor in travel costs and food – and there's some evidence that people don't like to claim expenses."
What do young people want from volunteering?
His insights reflect wider sector research. The British Heart Foundation discovered something really telling about Generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012): 94% would volunteer, but more than a third said they'd be more likely to do so if the hours were flexible.
This generation wants to help, but they want it to work around their lives, not the other way around.
How are companies responding with corporate volunteering?
With individual volunteers feeling stretched thin, corporate volunteer days seem like a perfect solution. Employees get paid time off to do something meaningful, and employers can use these programs to attract and retain talent.
The numbers back this up – organisations referencing volunteering opportunities on their websites jumped by just over 8% over the past year.
Which industries are leading corporate volunteering?
As we found previously, not every organisation has the resources to manage corporate volunteering, nor release people for a day out of the workplace.
After analysing nearly 1,000 organisations across 20 sectors, some clear patterns emerge:
Fashion industry takes the crown, not only offering the most volunteer days per employee but also showing the biggest increase – 76% more opportunities compared to 2024.
Manufacturing comes second with a 63% increase in corporate volunteering opportunities.
However, some industries are struggling. Transport saw the biggest drop at 39%, followed by retail at 36%, likely reflecting the staffing challenges these sectors are facing.
No matter the industry, corporate volunteering has to deliver value to all parties - which is why skill-based partnerships can be so effective.
Professor King shares his insights on what makes corporate volunteering actually work:
“Skill-based corporate volunteering, where people use their work-related skills and abilities, can be effective in helping charities. There is also opportunity for personal development and team building, in a way that’s much more useful for the charity.
He added:
“Of course, there are challenges to corporate volunteering such as bringing a corporate mindset, which may not fit the charity’s mission or ways of working. Organisations should also be realistic about what can be achieved in the timeframe and set out to do purposeful work, instead of filling time. Over time, organisations can build relationships with that charity.”
Why aren't more people actually signing up to volunteer in the UK?
This is the million-dollar question. People are searching, companies are offering more opportunities, but the actual volunteering numbers are still down.
Shaf Mansour, Head of Charity Product at Access Assemble, breaks down the barriers people face:
“Searching for opportunities online is usually only the start of the volunteer journey – perhaps they want to give back after a charity helped them, or build their skills or social connections.
He adds:
“But their enthusiasm can soon wane if they encounter barriers along the way. For example, if a charity’s roles are inflexible, or its application and vetting processes are too time-consuming, they probably won’t continue.
“Similarly, even if employers increasingly offer paid volunteering days, staff don’t always take what they’re entitled to.
Shaf also points out that even when employers offer paid volunteering days, staff don't always take them:
"Heavy workloads or lack of transport can make it difficult to get out of the workplace, and they may also wonder what impact they can have in a day. Furthermore, not all charities are set up to manage volunteers who only come in once, so employees could struggle to find opportunities in their local area.”
What should charities do to attract more volunteers?
Professor King emphasises the importance of making the process smooth:
“The initial sign-up process needs to be hassle-free. Organisations that are doing well at recruiting have made this journey easy to navigate and understand. They’re exploring or implementing micro and episodic volunteering, which offers greater flexibility compared to set hours or location. And they’re also using technology to enable people to volunteer in different ways such as remotely.
“The charity sector is becoming more data-driven, and there’s a need for quality, consistent data to help organisations understand the volunteer journey, including motivations. But it’s important not to overlook the power of personal stories, which can really inspire and should be used as ‘data’ in their own right.”
5 practical tips for your charity
- Get specific about what help you actually need
Instead of generic "volunteer needed" posts, think about specific tasks. Can't commit to regular food bank shifts? Maybe they could help with social media, graphic design, or listing items on eBay from home.
- Make your volunteer roles appealing
Take inspiration from organisations like the RSPCA, which offers roles like 'cat cuddler' and allows people to complete small volunteering tasks from anywhere on their mobile phone.
- Streamline the volunteer experience
People expect smooth sign-up processes everywhere else – from online shopping to job applications. Why should volunteering be different? Move away from admin-heavy recruitment processes.
- Use technology to standardise your processes
This doesn't mean cutting corners on essential checks like DBS clearances. Instead, manage all applications in one secure system so you can track every milestone without searching through separate documents and emails.
- Show the impact clearly
Both corporate partners and individual volunteers want to see that their time made a difference. Share specific metrics and stories about how their contributions helped.
As Shaf Mansour puts it:
“Volunteer management software, enables charities to improve volunteer journeys, shortening the time it takes to get them onboard without compromising compliance. It helps you to grow and diversify your pool of volunteers, opening up new opportunities for them in line with their motivations and availability – even if they can only join you for a day or remotely. Our data suggests that the UK wants to volunteer, and this technology makes it easier for them to do so.”
How one charity almost doubled volunteer numbers in a year
While many charities struggle with declining volunteer numbers, some are bucking the trend. Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation – which maintains the world's first Garden City – almost doubled their volunteers to nearly 90 people in just one year.
Catherine Rose, their Volunteering Manager, credits streamlined recruitment processes, flexible scheduling, and light-touch applications for low-commitment roles like litter picking. The result? A thriving volunteer programme that runs everything from community transport to art galleries.
"We can easily create opportunities with all the details in our own tone of voice and share a link straight to the role on our website, where volunteers can apply right away."
Read the full success story to see how they transformed their volunteer recruitment and engagement.
So, what does this all mean for the future of volunteering?
The research reveals a fascinating contradiction: people want to volunteer more than ever, but traditional volunteering structures aren't meeting their needs. The organisations that thrive will be those that adapt to offer flexible, meaningful, and accessible ways for people to contribute.
Whether that's through better use of technology, more flexible scheduling, or creating new types of volunteer roles that fit modern lifestyles, the appetite is clearly there - it just needs better channels to flow through.
Discover how Access Assemble helps charities streamline their entire volunteer journey – from recruitment and compliance through to recognition and retention.
Methodology
The Access Group analysed Google search data from March 2024 to February 2025 to understand how the public’s interest in volunteering has changed over the past 12 months. The data was broken down by key towns and cities.
It also looked at around 50 companies in 20 sectors (1,000 in total) to find out whether they offer employees paid leave to volunteer and how many days per employee this equates to. This data was taken from careers pages, charities pages and CSR pages, where there is a direct reference to staff having paid time out of the office. Researchers filtered out other fundraising activities that take place out of hours, like marathons, and fundraising on the job, like cake sales.
