Tim Harrison-Byrne, Co-Managing Director, nfpResearch
Trustees govern charities and are accountable for their direction – yet for most people, they remain almost invisible. Understanding what the public knows and feels about trusteeship matters, not least for efforts to recruit more diverse boards.
In January 2026, nfpResearch polled 1,000 members of the general public in the United Kingdom on their attitudes to trustees, working with the Association of Chairs and Interims for Impact. The sample was representative by age, gender and social class.
The slides accompanying this blog can be found at the bottom of this post, as can commentary from Association of Chairs CEO Liz Lowther, governance expert Penny Wilson, and Felicia Willow from Interims for Impact.
Public understanding of trustees is hazy
Just 13% of the public said they definitely knew what a charity trustee was before being asked, rising to 21% among the AB social grade. 27% said they probably knew what a trustee was. Those who say they would not vote were noticeably less familiar: 44% said they were unsure, compared with 31% overall.
When shown a definition, recognition rises from 40% to 50% – modest progress, with half the public still uncertain about what a charity trustee is. This fits with earlier nfpResearch polling, reported by Civil Society, which found that only 15% of the public correctly identify trustees as accountable for a charity’s direction and strategy. Most people attribute this responsibility to either the Charity Commission or the government instead.
Most people think they don’t know a trustee
Fewer than one in five said they know a charity trustee, and just 1% said they are one themselves. Some 44% said they definitely do not know a trustee, which is almost certainly an underestimate, given that there are around one million trustees in England and Wales alone.
Only about a third of the public understand trustees are unpaid volunteers
When asked to choose from a range of options, only 35% correctly identified trustees as unpaid volunteers who receive expenses. Some 18% thought trustees were employees of the charity, 17% thought they were paid for their time, and 29% were unsure. In other words, the majority of the public either do not know, or hold an inaccurate view of, one of the most basic facts about how charities are governed.
Only a minority would consider becoming a trustee
Just 6% said they would definitely consider becoming a trustee, while 54% said definitely or probably not. Interest was higher among those under 45, and lowest among over-65s – none of whom said they would definitely consider it. Given that older age groups are often seen as a natural pool for trustee recruitment, this is a striking finding.
The words the public associates with trustees are broadly positive
When shown a prompted list of words and phrases, the public’s associations with trustees were largely warm. The top five responses were committed (47%), volunteers (46%), kind-hearted and community-minded (both at 45%), and well-meaning (43%).
Time, skills and legal responsibility are the main barriers to becoming a trustee
Time was the biggest barrier to becoming a trustee, cited by 32% of respondents, followed by skills (31%) and legal responsibility (28%). Notably, 19% said they had simply never seen anyone looking for trustees, pointing to a visibility problem as much as an attitudinal one. Among 45-54 year olds, time was particularly prominent as a barrier (45%), while those over 65 were much less likely to cite it (14%, compared with 35% overall).
Training, a job description, payment and a love of the cause would increase motivation
Training and support were the factors most likely to increase motivation to become a trustee, cited by 32% of respondents. Clarity about the role and time commitment came next, at 24%. Both were more important to younger people: 42% of 25–34 year olds cited training and support, compared with 32% overall. This is a reminder that interest exists among younger adults, but that they want clearer structures and pathways before committing.
The public is fairly relaxed about paying trustees
Opinion on paying trustees is more open than is sometimes assumed. Some 35% said it was acceptable for getting specialist skills, 28% for those who lost income as a result of the role, and 25% for those doing significant work between meetings. Just 16% said trustees should not be paid under any circumstances, and that view was particularly rare among younger people, with only 2% of 16–24s held it. That sits in some tension with the Charity Commission’s long-standing emphasis on voluntary trusteeship as central to public trust in charities.
The overall picture is one of goodwill without engagement. The public views trustees warmly but knows little about them, underestimates how many it knows personally, and has limited appetite to become one. The practical implication is clear: better visibility of trustee opportunities, clearer role descriptions, and proper training and support are not just nice to have – they are the conditions under which more people will consider the role.
Get the full picture:
Read the Trustee research response from Felicia Willow (Interims for Impact)
Read the Trustee research response from Penny Wilson (Governance Consultant)
Read the Trustee research response from Liz Lowther (Association of Chairs)