The Giving List 2017

The wealthiest people in the United Kingdom have donated a record £3.2bn to a variety of charities in the past 12 months according to the Sunday Times Rich List which is due to be published this weekend (Sunday 7th May)

The amount of money donated to charity in the past year has increased by 20% in comparison to the previous year’s list. The list which is published in conjunction with the Sunday Times Rich List who report that there is now a ‘record number of billionaires in Great Britain’. Data shows that in order to enter the ‘Rich List’ that a person would require a fortune of £110m to qualify as opposed to £103m in 2016.

The ‘Giving List’ which outlines the top 260 philanthropists, their recent donations and the main charitable organisations that these people are donating too. Jamie Cooper has finished in the top slot (after finishing second in 2016) after giving away 60.8% of her fortune - £204.9m. Her causes include health, nutrition and climate change. Coming in at second position was Lord Sainsbury who has donated £204.9m which is equivalent to 35.1% of his total wealth to education, arts and humanitarian causes.

Businessman Steve Morgan donated the largest single amount in the past year which included £226m worth of shares from his house-building business Redrow to his own charity – The Morgan Foundation.

Celebrities such as Sir Elton John gave away over £34m in the last year which equates to over 11.8% of his total wealth.

In 2016, the Giving List saw philanthropists from the likes of One Direction, David Beckham, Rory McIlroy and JK Rowling amongst others donate to good causes close to their hearts, which in turn helps spread awareness.

Whilst these acts of generosity are incredibly powerful and beneficial, we can all do our bit to help charities close to our hearts by donating what we can and fundraising to raise money and awareness.