Civil society
The nutshell
Civil society means all the groups people join or set up that are not part of the government or a business. Charities, clubs, unions, faith groups and community groups are all part of it, and these groups give people a way to help others and to have a say between elections.
Every fact on this page comes from official government sources, the charity regulator and non-partisan research. Each source tag — like GOV — opens where a fact comes from.
The basics
What civil society is
Civil society means all the groups that are not the government and not a business. The government's Civil Society Covenant lists charities, faith organisations, trade unions, co-operatives, informal community groups and more.GOVA charity is a group set up to help others, like a food bank or an animal shelter. A trade union is a group of workers who join together. These groups are sometimes called the voluntary sector.
How big it is
Civil society is a big part of UK life. The Charity Commission is the official body that registers charities in England and Wales, and more than 170,000 charities are on its register.CC More than 6.5 million people volunteer with those charities.CC The House of Commons Library records about 166,000 voluntary organisations across the UK, and about 96 in every 100 are small charities.HoC
What civil society does
These groups give people a way to help others and to have a say between elections. NCVO, the umbrella body for charities, records that about 14.2 million people volunteered through a group or organisation in 2021/22.NCVO Volunteering can mean helping at a food bank, coaching a team or running a community event.
How it works with government
In July 2025 the Prime Minister launched the Civil Society Covenant. This is a set of principles about how the government and civil society groups can work together.GOV The Covenant is built on four ideas: recognition, partnership, taking part, and being open.GOV
- Civil society gives people a way to help others and to have a say between elections, and the government's 2025 Civil Society Covenant sets out how the government and these groups can work together
- About 14.2 million people volunteered through a group, club or organisation in 2021/22, according to NCVO
- More than 6.5 million people volunteer with registered charities in England and Wales, according to the Charity Commission
- Civil society groups are not elected, so a large group does not automatically speak for everyone
- Most voluntary organisations are small — the House of Commons Library records that about 96% are small charities, often run mainly by volunteers
- Civil society is wider than charity — the government's Covenant counts trade unions, faith groups and community groups too, and only some are on the Charity Commission's register
The deep end6 min
What counts as civil society
Civil society is the space between the state, business and the family. The government's Civil Society Covenant, launched in July 2025, defines it broadly: charities, social enterprises, co-operatives, trade unions, faith organisations, informal community groups, philanthropists and social investors.GOV Not every part of civil society is a registered charity. A trade union, a mutual aid group or a faith congregation can be part of civil society without appearing on the charity register.
How big the sector is
The Charity Commission, the independent regulator for charities in England and Wales, records more than 170,000 main charities on its register, supported by about 921,000 trustees and more than 6.5 million volunteers.CC Across the whole UK, the House of Commons Library records about 165,758 voluntary organisations, of which about 96% are small charities.HoC The National Council for Voluntary Organisations puts the voluntary sector's total income at about £69 billion in 2021/22.NCVO
What civil society is for, and its limits
Supporters describe civil society as a way for people to act together, help others and hold power to account between elections. The Civil Society Covenant sets out four principles for the government and the sector to work in partnership: recognition, partnership, participation and openness.GOV NCVO records that about 14.2 million people volunteered through a group or organisation in 2021/22.NCVO
There are limits too. Civil society groups are not elected, so no single group speaks for everyone. Most voluntary organisations are small — the House of Commons Library records that around 96% are small charities, often run mainly by volunteers.HoC As the sector's own umbrella body, NCVO is not a neutral observer, so its figures sit alongside the Charity Commission's official register.
Civil society is one of several ways to take part in politics between elections. Other routes include signing a petition, joining a campaign group or contacting an MP. The topics on petitions and being heard beyond voting look at those routes.