Some people in Northern Ireland donate £ 1,200 a year to charity, making them the UK’s most generous donors.

A new study shows that in every constituency here, the typical donor gives more of their income to charity than the UK average of 0.7%.

Donors in North Antrim have been found to be the most generous, according to the Law Family Commission on Civil Society, as the typical person donates 2.9% of their gross income there, or £ 1,200 per year.

Nationally, however, research by Pro Bono Economics found that the typical donations of the richest 1% of UK earners – namely those earning over £ 175,000 – have fallen by 21% in real terms between 2011/12 and 2018/19, despite the income of this group increased by 10% during the same period.

To tackle this decline in philanthropy, the Commission calls for a collaborative effort between the charitable sector, central and local government, philanthropists and businesses to bring donations across the country to the same level as in Ireland of the North, which is hailed as a pioneer region.

Northern Ireland has the highest average rate of charitable giving in the UK among those who report charitable donations on their tax returns, according to the study.

In this scenario, 1.7% of the typical donor’s income is donated to good causes each year. This is more than double the typical UK average of 0.7%.

Analysis found that as of 2018/19, North Antrim residents who report charitable donations were the most generous, with the typical donor giving £ 1,200 per year.

However, across the UK, the proportion of the population giving to charity has declined. Between 2000 and 2018, the proportion of households giving regularly to charity increased from 32% to 26%.

Matt Whittaker, CEO of Pro Bono Economics, said £ 20bn is donated annually by the UK public through philanthropy.

“As charitable donors in Northern Ireland lead the way in giving, this new research shows that those with the richest pockets can afford to go a step further,” he said. noted.