Our latest poll is out! Conducted in conjunction with More In Common to find out what people really think about the burning issues in the health and charity sectors, it canvasses 2,000 people, grouped into 7 bespoke segments known as ‘The British Seven’. Our aim is to find out the opinions that broadly unite us, and the ones that divide us: litmus tests for a specific point in time and an indication of how the sands are shifting every 6 months.
Our December poll has provided some interesting insights when it comes to charitable support. From how much we plan to donate this year, to the level of trust we have in our charities to spend wisely, and the causes we think they should hold ultimate responsibility for.
According to the ONS, 92% of adults in Great Britain reported an increase in their cost of living in November-December 2022, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the number of people citing money as a barrier to donating has increased to 45% (from 37% six months ago).
What is less expected is that 60% of our poll responders still expect to give the same amount of money to charities over the coming year, and - yet more surprising - that 8% say they are planning to give more!
When we looked deeper into this, we saw that these responders are most likely to belong to three of our seven groups. Will this prove to be a short lived New Year’s resolution - or a genuine commitment?
One thing’s for sure: having shot to second place as a reason for not donating to charity (after affordability), trust in charities to use our donations well remains even more critical to support. It suggests that the importance of evidencing responsible spending, and of showing impact, can never be overrated.
Cause areas were another interesting category, particularly when it comes to consumer opinions about whether it’s the responsibility of the government or of charities to tackle them. Our December 2022 segments are divided on where the responsibility lies for many areas (and across left-right political lines), but ‘relieving and preventing poverty in the UK’ is a common area where most lean towards government responsibility (60% weighted in favour).
The UK government’s own Agenda 2030 asserts that it is committed to reducing UK poverty through welfare reforms, employment initiatives and providing security in retirement. But in a time where we talk about ‘food poverty’ and ‘energy poverty’ it is worth asking whether audiences now accustomed to more layered narratives around poverty will expect more detail and relevance. If it’s not coming from the government, will they look to charities to for information?
It is perhaps also surprising that the topic of homelessness returned a more equal perception of responsibility between government and charities. So, if homelessness is the ultimate end point of ‘housing poverty’, why isn’t it seen in the same light? Does it need its own soundbite to rival the success of embedding ‘heating v eating’ on the public consciousness? Or is there something afoot to do with audience perceptions of who is to blame? Watch this space.
If you want to find out more about this poll and others, or to understand how we can help you make use of these insights into different audiences, why not get in touch today?
Contact matthew.hunt@11-london.com.