SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Malcolm Dean: Charities' uncertain future

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Malcolm Dean: Charities' uncertain future
Fears of the Leviathan

This is a golden age for charities, but the future is not so clear, says Malcolm Dean

Wednesday March 9, 2005
The Guardian

Have voluntary organisations and community groups reached a heyday? In the last decade, the number of charities has risen from 98,000 to 166,000, backed up by 200,000 community and neighbourhood groups. The number of professional staff employed has grown to 1.5 million, while the number of volunteers are estimated to be 6 million. In a typical year, 6,000 new charities are born. Expenditure on services, advocacy and campaigning has almost doubled to £20bn and assets now total £70bn.