Most generous cities in the UK revealed - but some need more kindness than others

Daily Mirror

30-04-2025

Sheffield has emerged as the UK's city most desperate for a dose of kindness, with research showing that a seven in ten of locals are calling for more acts of kindness from their fellow residents. The study, which surveyed 2,000 Brits, placed Bristol and Leicester in the top five of cities in need of a generosity boost too.
Edinburgh and London were crowned the kindest cities in the country. However, Liverpudlians were most likely to offer their time to someone else for nothing in return. The research was carried out by giffgaff, who are keen to shine a light on their juicy deal of 100GB for £15.
To mark the occasion, telly favourite and last year's Big Brother champ, David Potts, joined forces with the mobile network to champion goodwill. Potts made quite the entrance in Sheffield, rocking up in a flamboyant pink horse-drawn carriage, dishing out £100 gig vouchers, a hefty 15lbs of cake, and a smattering of other treats.
David said: "Let's be honest, we all love a little extra, whether it's cake or compliments," adding, 'it's about the little things that actually mean loads, like surprising someone with flowers or giving them a lift when they need it. Seeing how much it brightened people's day in Sheffield was lush.'
Half of those surveyed described people in their town as being generous, though 43% admitted they had never experienced an act of kindness from a stranger in their local area. However, only 4% said they perform daily acts of generosity, and 14% admitted they cannot even remember the last time they were generous.
The survey revealed that seven in ten people believe society should be more generous. Small gestures, like offering someone a lift, were seen as having more impact than grand displays of generosity.
When asked what generosity means to them, 66% associated it with acts of kindness, while 42% linked it to emotional support. Interestingly, 25% said giving acts of kindness brought them more joy than receiving them.
However, thoughtful presents such as flowers, cake, or a cuppa also ranked highly among the most cherished gestures. Meanwhile, nearly one in five respondents expressed a preference for experiences, like attending a concert or being treated to lunch.
Partners topped the list of those most likely to be showered with acts of generosity, followed by children, mates, and parents. However, a quarter cited finances as the main obstacle preventing them from being more generous.
The survey also discovered that a whopping seven out of ten people reckon businesses could do more to promote generosity.
Ash Schofield, the CEO of giffgaff, which is currently hosting prize giveaways on its Instagram page, remarked: 'We know that people are calling out for more acts of meaningful generosity.
'By increasing our offering for no more money, we're bringing a little unexpected delight to everyone.'
TOP FIVE UK CITIES MOST IN NEED OF GENEROSITY:
Sheffield
Bristol
Leicester
Southampton
Liverpool
TOP FIVE UK CITIES LEAST IN NEED OF GENEROSITY: