Crowdfunder, the UK’s leading crowdfunding platform, has released new data showing a marked growth in grassroots political fundraising ahead of the 2026 local elections.

A total of £436,000 was raised for political causes on Crowdfunder from January to April 2026 — a 236% increase on the equivalent pre-local election period in 2022. There has also been a significant increase in the amount of people donating to political causes, with campaigns receiving three times as many individual pledges as in 2022. 

“Crowdfunding for political causes is about more than just raising money — it’s about active participation in a political system.”

The data also points to a broadening base of participation in how political campaigns are funded. Notably, support is concentrated in more deprived communities: 42% of backers of political campaigns are based in the 30% most deprived areas of the UK, compared to 21% from the least deprived—indicating strong engagement from lower-income areas.

Simon Deverell, Founder and Co-CEO of Crowdfunder, said: “Crowdfunding for political causes is about more than just raising money — it’s about active participation in a political system.”

The figures come as recent reporting has highlighted the continued role of large individual donors in UK politics. Although crowdfunding continues to represent a small share of overall political finance, it reflects a …