...and how much is down to state funding then?

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The NCVO are reporting a 40% increase in the number of people employed by "charities" over the past decade:

The number of people employed by charities rose by 40 per cent in the past decade, according to the NCVO Workforce Almanac, which is published today.

The almanac, compiled in partnership with Skills – Third Sector and the Third Sector Research Centre, shows that at the end of 2010, the total voluntary sector workforce was 765,000, compared with 547,000 in 2001.

The sector employed 2.7 per cent of the UK workforce in 2010, compared with 2 per cent in 2001.

 These are figures up to 2010 - the numbers have fallen since then (and include yours truly). The question is really whether that increased number of employees is the consequence of:

1. Higher levels of government grants, tenders and sub-contracts for "third sector" organisations
2. The pushing aside of volunteers and their replacement with "workers"

Of course, it may be that charities have been raising ever so much more money from our generosity meaning that they can do more good stuff. But my money's on it being taxes!

....