With the Christmas season upon us, many people start to think of those less fortunate than themselves, but do patterns in household giving reflect this?

Ideally, charities require a regular income throughout the year to enable them to plan ahead. Data from the national Expenditure and Food Survey however reveals that levels of giving fluctuate throughout the year. This research also highlights the differing patterns of giving for different types of households.

This research found that the average weekly value of donations starts high at the beginning of the year, falls during spring and summer, and rises again at the end of the year. It is likely that the peak at the end of the year is a result of charities' fundraising appeals in the run-up to Christmas, but may also be because of a rise in income from annual bonuses, for example.

The findings show that households on lower incomes are particularly charitable towards the end of the year compared to other groups. However, the figures suggest that those on higher incomes tend to give more at the beginning of the year. We suggest that this may be because donors on higher incomes are keen to make use of available tax reliefs before the end of the financial year in early April.

This information may be particularly useful for fundraisers who might want to consider targeting campaigns towards less well-off people, which includes younger people, at Christmas. It would seem that the best time to persuade donors on higher incomes to give, or to give more, is in early spring when thoughts turn to tax. This also suggests that focusing on tax-effective giving may be particularly valuable in the years ahead.

The full research report is now available to view below. What do you think? Are you more likely to give to charity during the festive season? Let us know in the comments box below.