Volunteers Week 2018 - take a look at some stats about volunteering

As we celebrate Volunteers Week 2018 we look at some of the stats relating to volunteering… 

£22.6bn - the estimated value of the contribution volunteers make to helping UK charities – that’s 1.2% of GDP! 

19.8m – the number of people in the UK (37%) who volunteered formally at least once in 2016/17. 

11.9m - the number of people in the UK (22%) who volunteered formally at least once a month during 2016/17. 

950,000 – the number of charity trustee roles which are filled by c.700,000 individuals for the 168,000 charities in England and Wales. 

£76bn – the annual income of registered charities in England and Wales.  75% of registered charities have an income <£100k. 

150,000 - the estimated number of new trustees appointed each year by existing and new charities in England and Wales. 

These figures highlight just how important volunteers are to a thriving charity and voluntary sector – and therefore society as a whole. 

But volunteering doesn’t just benefit charities and the people they support. Research and feedback from volunteers tells us that volunteering is good for those individuals too: 

• Providing a good balance with work and family life. 

• Developing new skills and honing leadership ability. 

• Enhancing wellbeing and boosting self-confidence. 

That’s why CABA and ICAEW encourage our members to volunteer. 

4,540 people – the number of individuals signed up to ICAEW Volunteers to find a volunteering role. 

We want to say a big THANK YOU to all ICAEW members who volunteer their time in all sorts of ways, to serve their communities and help charities to make a real difference to the people they support. 

New to volunteering? There is no shortage of voluntary roles and different types of not-for-profit organisations – so there’s something out there for everyone.  Whether you’re looking for a finance-related role or to use your business skills indirectly, take a look at ICAEW Volunteers for a great range of volunteering roles. 

Source: NCVO and Taken on Trust: the awareness and effectiveness of charity trustees in England and Wales published November 2017