Third Sector Trends in England and Wales

The Third Sector Trends in England and Wales study was established to look at structure, resource, purpose, practice and impact of the Third Sector from an independent and as far as possible, an ‘objective’ point of view. Every three years since 2010, the survey asks organisations; small local groups, charities, social enterprises and more, about their structure, finances, volunteers and staff, partnerships, challenges and ambitions.

Why it Matters

• It is the largest and longest‑running study of its kind in the UK.
• It gives a full national picture (England + Wales) of how the voluntary sector fares, helping policy‑makers, funders, local authorities and community organisations get reliable data.
• The findings complement data from other big resources (e.g. financial databases) by adding insights into people, purpose, collaboration and impact, including aspects other data rarely cover.

What the Latest (2025) Survey Shows

• The 2025 survey, the seventh iteration, collected 8,680 complete responses from organisations across all English regions and Wales.
• Overall, the sector remains capable, confident, resilient and impactful, contrary to frequent doom‑laden headlines.
• The sector harnesses a huge number of human resources: paid staff plus regular volunteers together amount to the equivalent of around 1.3 million full‑time workers.
• Leaders of voluntary organisations remain ambitious and optimistic, despite facing repeated shocks over the years (economic crises, austerity, Brexit, pandemic, cost‑of‑living pressures).

Challenges and Changing Patterns

• Many organisations are struggling to recruit or retain paid staff reflecting difficulties in the wider labour market.
• Volunteer support, which dipped during the pandemic, has not fully recovered: about 38% of organisations have fewer regular volunteers than before.
• Partnership working within the sector is becoming more selective. The most recent data (2025) shows a drop in formal partnerships - down from 34% in 2022 to ~28% , though many organisations still maintain informal or semi‑formal collaborations.
• Where organisations are in poorer areas, collaboration tends to be stronger — perhaps reflecting higher need or shared challenges.

What This Means for Communities

• The third sector remains a major force for social good, providing services, support, care and volunteering across England and Wales.
• But persistent pressure on staffing, volunteers and funding highlights the need for ongoing support, investment and recognition of the value these organisations deliver.
• Strong local collaboration, whether formal or informal, remains important for resilience, especially in disadvantaged communities.
• Policymakers, funders and communities should pay attention to data like this: it shows both where things are working and where extra help might be needed.

Read more from St Chad’s College and download the full report here.