Charitable donations have gone up by 4.2% in Northern Ireland, since 2005, according to a new survey from the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA).

The Northern Ireland Giving Survey 2008 said that 91% of individuals had given in the previous 12 months and that charitable donations are now worth an estimated £324m annually.

Despite this rise, the survey also revealed that giving in Northern Ireland largely relies upon cash donations that are made in places of worship. Without this type of giving, charitable donations would have fallen by 10.3% since 2005.

The report also warned that 54% of donors say that the amount of money they give to charity is determined by the level of disposable income.

The report is available on the NICVA website.