As demand for volunteers across the UK increases, the army of people who run and support vast parts of our UK communities faces mounting pressure, especially with a later retirement age and longer working hours.
“The Big Society”
The phrase came to prominence when promoted by David Cameron as part of the Conservative party campaign in the 2010 general election. The Big Society, however, was originally developed at the start of the 21st century and was a mission that sought to integrate social responsibilities with the free market. In real terms, this meant that some social functions and services would be delivered by volunteers within the community. Usually, such services were ones which could not deliver sufficient economic profit to private corporations but which were considered necessary for the continued and smooth running of local communities.
Although the phrase is no longer in general use, the work undertaken in the voluntary sector in the UK has expanded with approximately 12.9 million adults (28%) participating in formal volunteering at least once during the last year, 2023/24. This contributed approximately £324 billion to the economy, representing 15% of the total GDP.
Local volunteers
There are a myriad of local organisations providing services within local communities, from youth clubs, scout and guides groups through to hospital support, care for the elderly, community outreach, wildlife trusts, conservation societies and animal sanctuaries. The list is almost endless, but all volunteer groups depend on the willingness and availability of individuals to give their time, and in many cases, contribute financially or undertake fundraising.
In addition, many district and county councils facing financial emergencies are increasingly devolving some of their services, not only to a town or parish council, but also to local volunteer organisations. This work now includes activities previously delivered by the district or county council, such as grass cutting, litter picking, minor road maintenance, and so forth.
The reduction in local bus services in rural areas where many elderly people now depend on volunteer driving schemes also reflects this expansion of the practice of volunteering. Helpers frequently use their own vehicles to provide transport for individuals for whom access to medical and dental appointments, visiting sick family and friends, etc. would be very difficult, if not impossible without these services.
Of course, we should not overlook the tremendous work done by caregivers. The most recent 2021 Census showed there are 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK and about 1.7 million people providing 50 or more hours of care per week.
The barriers to volunteering
One of the prime reasons for the fall in numbers of volunteers is the increasing pressure on people’s time. The rise of the gig economy, irregular work schedules and a growing culture of long working hours mean that many individuals, particularly younger people, find it hard to commit to regular volunteering. Balancing work, family and other responsibilities can leave little room for unpaid work, despite a desire to volunteer.
Although central government promotes and depends on volunteers, their policy of increasing the retirement age is somewhat contradictory, as delayed retirement immediately equates to less free time. As the retirement age rises (from 66 to 67 and later), older adults who traditionally formed a significant portion of the volunteer workforce are staying in paid employment longer, leaving less time and energy for volunteering.
Economic uncertainty and the cost of living increases also play a large role. Increased financial pressure means that some older adults must work longer due to insufficient pensions or rising living costs, reducing their capacity to offer unpaid labour. Additionally, many individuals are in minimum wage or zero-hours contracts, and volunteering seems like a luxury in the face of financial strain. With economic uncertainty, the prospect of unemployment can also make people reluctant to volunteer as they have to prioritize securing or maintaining a stable income.
Working patterns in the UK are also a factor, with analysis undertaken by the Trades Union Congress revealing that, on average, a full-time employee in the UK worked for 42 hours each week in 2018. When comparing this to other workers across the EU, the findings report that a UK worker is completing nearly two and a half weeks a year more than the EU’s average worker.
If work was not enough of a barrier, commuting time added to working hours eats up even more available time. The average commute time across the EU is around 25 minutes, but the UK often sees averages closer to 30 minutes or even 45 minutes in some studies, with London being even higher with the longest commute in the country at 74 minutes.
In short, our economic environment is at odds with providing resources to undertake the voluntary work required to keep people sufficiently supported in their communities.
The future
There is very little prospect of the current government seeking to change the fundamental economic environment in the UK. But it does need to wake up to what could be seen as hypocrisy in that it wishes to increase UK productivity while at the same time devolving responsibility for basic community services to the voluntary sector.
Whilst government (national and local) has abdicated responsibility for certain services, local people have tended to become complacent, sometimes taking their volunteer-based replacement services for granted and forgetting that these services are totally dependent on their neighbours’ willingness to give their time. This complacency has inevitably led to reduced pressure for full and funded services to be restored.
With the best will in the world, volunteers and volunteer organisations cannot provide and replace the professional services previously delivered by the state. For example, a regular bus route cannot be adequately replaced by a volunteer driving scheme.
Without clear recognition and support, volunteer numbers will continue to decline, and they may well become an endangered species with dire consequences for their communities. Local services will further decay and potentially disappear, leaving some of the most vulnerable in society with no support network and at great risk of loneliness and harm.
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