The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) has published a new Sector Overview Report covering the period up to 31 March 2023.
The report uses key facts and figures from our database of charity information to present a profile of income, expenditure, purposes, beneficiaries, activities and operations.
Key figures include:
- The gross annual income of Scottish charities on the Scottish Charity Register is £14bn
- The majority of charities (57%) report annual incomes of £0 to £25,000
- It is estimated that there are 180,000 trustees of charities on the Scottish charity register, with charities having 7 on average
- Charities employ 209,601 people as paid staff, however around two thirds of charities employ no paid staff and are run entirely by volunteers, including the charity trustees.
The bulk of data used in the Sector Overview Report comes from charities that have used OSCR Online to submit an online annual return. It uses a new design that will continue to evolve in the future as we continue to capture more data through our annual monitoring processes. Previously, this report about charities in Scotland was published as a document every two years, with the last publication in 2021. As part of our commitment in OSCR’s Corporate Plan to promote and improve transparency, we have moved the Sector Overview to an online platform where it will be updated quarterly from now on.
You can find more data and research from OSCR here. If you have any feedback on the report, we would appreciate it if you would let us know by emailing dataresearch@oscr.org.uk.
OSCR’s Chief Executive, Maureen Mallon, said:
“Knowing the scale and scope of the charity sector, and what issues are challenging charities in Scotland, helps inform the decision making of OSCR, governments and other stakeholders.
“The report is a great resource for anyone seeking general information about the Scottish charity sector. In time, the data will also help us understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost crisis on charities and how charities adapt. The new dynamic format of our Sector Overview Report allows us to share this vital information more frequently and automates some of our internal processes so our resources can be used in other ways.
“If you are a charity trustee, please make sure your charity submits information to OSCR on time. This will keep our reports as accurate and relevant as possible and enable policy decisions across the sector to be as informed as they can be.”
