As the Lobbying Bill trundles through Parliament, the nightmare of charities being severely limited in politically representing their beneficiaries threatens to become a reality. So what exactly do the public think about charities having the right to lobby? And what does it mean to MPs and journalists for charities to 'be political'?

nfp Co-Managing Director, Tim Harrison-Byrne, and Head of Professional Audiences, Peter Dawson, write:

“Honestly, the rubbish I get [from charities]. [...] they send all sorts of nonsense that bears no relation to my role, interests or the government’s agenda.”

That was one MP, a charity campaigner of ten years before they were elected, in the open comments of our most recent quarterly survey with MPs.

The 2026 elections have reshaped the political landscape across the UK in ways that charities cannot afford to ignore. Plaid Cymru have become the biggest party in the Senedd for the first time, likely leading a Welsh Government. Reform UK dominated another round of English local elections and in Scotland, the SNP retained their position as the largest party at Holyrood though with significant MSP turnover bringing a wave of new faces who don't yet know your organisation, your work, or your mission.

We are sitting in purgatory between knowing the Iran war will affect living costs and not knowing the intensity of the impact. While there is uncertainty around what is to come, we have the past to call back on. nfpResearch has been tracking donation trends in the UK for decades, meaning we have seen the impact of war-driven inflation costs on charitable giving intentions. Most recently, we monitored the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war.

By nfpResearch co-Managing Director, Tim Harrison-Byrne

Last year, Cian and I travelled to the United States for a series of conferences and meetings with colleagues across the nonprofit sector. On that trip, and in the months since, we have spoken with leaders working in communications, marketing, development and executive roles at both funders and delivery organisations across the country. All conversations were off the record.

What do Scottish donors and politicians really think about charities? A preview of our Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations findings

If you work in the Scottish charity sector, you will probably recognise the mood. Public goodwill can feel fragile, political attention is stretched and the pace of the news cycle leaves little room for reflection. Against that backdrop, it is worth asking a simple question: what do Scottish donors and politicians actually think about charities right now?

As Reform UK gathers a head of steam, charities are asking themselves fundamental questions. Should they engage with the party on policy issues like they would with any other? Or should a party with very different values from many in the sector be beyond the pale for charity public affairs teams? We debated this topic at nfpResearch in one of our recent monthly knowledge meetings. Views were split. Some colleagues argued that charities must take the pragmatic approach and work with those in power.

On 17 July, Labour announced plans to table a Bill introducing a range of measures of electoral reform to “restore trust in our democracy”, featuring lowering the voting age in all UK elections to include 16- and 17-year olds.

Members of our team recently attended the launch of the latest British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey produced by NatCen. The BSA is widely regarded as one of the most reliable barometers of public opinion in the UK. It provides rich insight into how people across the country view politics, society and everyday life.