The Community Life Survey has been published. The survey provides official statistics on issues including volunteering, giving, community engagement and well-being.
In 2016-17, 27% of respondents agreed they could personally influence decisions affecting their local area. This has remained fairly consistent since 2013-14 when 26% agreed with this
statement. While only 27% of adults agreed they could personally influence decisions, 58% stated that it was important to be able to influence decisions and 51% said they would like to be more involved in decisions made by their local council.
In 2016-17, 63% of respondents in England had taken part in any volunteering1 during the previous 12 months, while 39% had participated at least once a month. Levels of volunteering have decreased between 2013-14 and 2016-17, with the proportion of adults who had engaged in any volunteering in the last 12 months falling from 70% to 63% and the proportion who had engaged once a month falling from 44% to 39% in this period. However, the proportion of adults who had engaged in formal volunteering, both annually and monthly, levelled off in 2016-17.
In 2016-17, 75% of respondents in England had given money to charity in the four weeks prior to completing their survey. This is similar to the previous year (76% in 2015-16) but a decrease from 2013-14 when 82% reported they had given to charity in the last four weeks. The average amount given to charity in the four weeks prior to completing the survey in 2016-17 was £22, the same as the previous year.
Annual levels of civic participation and civic consultation have increased from 33% to 41% and 16% to 18% respectively between 2015-16 and 2016-17.