Charities across the UK are facing a difficult balancing act with rising demand for services, tighter budgets, and stretched teams. At this year’s Charity Digital Summit, sector leaders and digital experts came together to explore how technology can ease that pressure and help charities deliver support more effectively.
The central theme of the event focused on how charities can reimagine service delivery through digital. From AI-powered tools to practical service design, the summit showed how digital approaches can help charities work smarter, not harder. It also highlighted what kind of support is needed to make that shift a reality.
Charity Service Delivery in 2025
This year has brought a fresh set of challenges for the charity sector. Demand is rising, while funding and staffing are becoming harder to secure. Demand for services continues to rise, while funding and staffing remain difficult to secure. The summit’s keynote session explored these pressures and presented findings from Charity Digital’s Reimagining Services survey.
Charities rated their ability to meet user needs at 7 out of 10. But their confidence in digital delivery was lower, scoring just under 6. The most common reasons included lack of time, limited training, and not having dedicated resources to plan and implement a digital strategy.
Despite this, 81% of charities are using digital tools in some form, whether behind the scenes or in direct delivery. Those that are embracing digital more proactively are finding new ways to connect with their communities, from launching online courses to integrating virtual care to improve service delivery.
Using AI to Support Charity Services Without Losing the Human Touch
AI is becoming more common in charity service delivery, but it doesn’t need to mean less human connection. When used correctly, it can support more personal and responsive services. That was the focus of a session exploring how charities are embedding AI into their operations while keeping relationships and trust front and centre.
We heard how services like Age UK’s telephone befriending programme now use AI to transcribe calls, audit transcripts for privacy, and flag issues for follow-up. In another example, a national animal adoption automated repetitive admin tasks, giving staff more time to focus on rehoming animals.
AI is also being trialled as a triage tool to reduce pressure on helplines and as a meeting assistant to take notes and schedule follow-ups in social care settings. But the message was clear. AI should play a supporting role. Human oversight is critical, especially in sensitive areas like health and social care, where accuracy, context, and compassion are essential.
There was also a reminder to consider the environmental impact of AI tools. While individual tasks use relatively small amounts of energy, charities are encouraged to weigh up the carbon footprint of larger or more regular usage.
Streamlining Operations to Protect Frontline Services
Making better use of internal systems doesn’t just save time; it also improves charities ability to deliver effective frontline support. That was a message echoed by many at the summit. With increasing costs, tight budgets, and staff shortages, charities are under pressure to work more efficiently.
Admin-heavy processes, fragmented systems, and duplicated effort all take time away from service delivery. Charities that can simplify the way they work internally are more able to direct resources to where they’re needed most.
The 2024 Digital Skills Report found that operational efficiency was a priority for nearly half of charities surveyed. Yet without the right support, knowing where to start can be difficult, especially for smaller teams.
Building a Digital Strategy that Works for Your Charity
Digital tools don’t need to be complex or expensive to make an impact. The key is tailoring your approach to suit your charity’s structure, services, and users. Throughout the summit, we heard how charities of all sizes are finding ways to use digital more effectively, often starting small and building confidence over time.
Examples included tools that allow service users with physical disabilities to control livestreamed sessions via eye-tracking software and AI features built into support workflows from the outset. But the most effective strategies weren’t necessarily the most advanced; they were the most focused on real needs.
What works for one charity might not suit another. The important thing is to understand what you’re trying to achieve and choose the right mix of digital tools and systems to help you get there.
Final Thoughts: Digital as a Catalyst for Change for Charities
The Charity Digital 2025 Summit highlighted a sector ready for change. Whether through experimenting with AI, improving internal operations, or tailoring digital tools to match user needs, charities are actively rethinking how they deliver services in an increasingly challenging environment.
Reimagining service delivery through digital isn’t about doing more tech for the sake of it. It’s about doing what you do best in smarter, more effective ways.
However, many organisations are still finding it hard to move forward. Limited capacity, unclear priorities, and the fear of getting it wrong can all slow progress. That’s where the right support can make the difference.
Optimum PPS: Digital Transformation Partner for Charities and Non-Profits
At Optimum PPS, we work with charities and non-profits to build the foundations for practical, people-first change. That could mean streamlining workflows, selecting and implementing the right systems, or helping teams adopt new digital tools with confidence. Our focus is always on practical, manageable change that frees up your time for what matters most: delivering better outcomes for the people and communities you support.
Whether you’re at the start of your digital journey or looking to take your next step, we’ll work alongside you to make change manageable and meaningful. Get in touch today.