Nearly half of UK adults are likely to volunteer over the next year, research commissioned by Marie Curie has found.
Out of 5,000 respondents, 47 per cent said they were likely to volunteer in 2026.
The survey, carried out by Opinion Matters between 26 November and 5 December, found Northern Ireland had the highest proportion of people who said they were considering volunteering over the coming year, at 66 per cent.
People in Yorkshire and the Humber were the least likely to volunteer, with just under 32 per cent of respondents in this area saying they would in 2026.
The survey also revealed that a lack of time was the biggest barrier to volunteering, with half of respondents saying this.
This was followed by concerns about the level of commitment needed, at 22 per cent; uncertainty about how to get involved, at 18 per cent; and a lack of awareness of opportunities in their area, at 17 per cent.
Of the respondents who have already volunteered, 56 per cent said that giving back to their communities inspired them and nearly half said volunteering gave them a sense of pride and purpose.
A further 38 per cent said they got involved to meet people and feel part of something bigger.
The survey also found that overall, people were more likely to sign up to short-term volunteering opportunities or to roles that had flexible hours.
It also found that for Gen Z, social connection was a significant motivator, with 32 per cent of young respondents saying they would be more likely to volunteer if they could do it with friends or family.
For millennials, flexible hours that fit around work was the biggest motivator, while Gen X was more likely to volunteer for short-term or one-off opportunities, the survey found.
Marie Curie has urged people to give a couple of hours to collect for the charity’s Great Daffodil Appeal in March.
Last year, more than 6,600 volunteers helped to raise more than £1.2m for the appeal, the charity said.
Jayne Waterhouse, head of regional fundraising at Marie Curie, said: “With almost half of the UK saying they’re likely to volunteer in the next year, it’s clear that the public just need the right opportunity.”