Why writing in plain English matters for charities

23 June 2025

by Jodie Hoskin

Marketing Manager at Media Trust.

Article

A practical guide to using plain English to cut through the noise, reach more people, and make every word count.

For charities of all sizes, every word counts. Whether you’re sharing a new service, launching a campaign, or asking for support, you’re often trying to explain complex issues with limited time, energy and budget. That’s where plain English can really help.

Writing in plain English doesn’t mean dumbing things down. It means making your message easier to understand, quicker to act on, and accessible to more people. This includes those who are tired, distracted, overwhelmed, or navigating thought overload or screen fatigue.

It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to make your communications more inclusive and impactful.

Why plain English is a smart comms strategy

Small charities often work across multiple audiences, from funders and trustees to service users and volunteers, with each group having different needs.

Most people don’t read every word. They scan. They skim. They decide quickly whether something is worth their time. Plain English helps them get what they need in a more accessible way.

How to write more clearly, even when you’re short on time

You don’t need to be a professional copywriter. You just need a few good habits and a willingness to put the reader first.

Start with what matters

Put your main point at the top or start of the sentence.

Example:

Instead of: “We’re pleased to share that we’ve received funding from…”

Try: “We’ve received new funding to expand our peer support service.”

Use everyday words

Choose familiar, friendly language, and try to avoid jargon or overly formal phrases.

Example:

Instead of: “We deliver holistic interventions”

Try: “We support people with a range of needs and help them find what works best for them.”

Keep sentences short and focused

Stick to one idea per sentence and aim for no more than 25 words.

Example:

Instead of: “Our programme works to improve outcomes across multiple areas including housing, employment and mental health, by collaborating with key stakeholders.”

Try: “We work with partners to help people find housing, secure work and improve their mental health.”

Write for people in a hurry

Use clear subheadings, short paragraphs, and bullet points to break up long blocks of text.

Left-align your text
Use bullet points for key info
Avoid long intros to help your reader get straight to the point

Use sentence case

Using sentence case (where only the first word and proper nouns are capitalised) makes your writing easier to read, especially on screens and mobile devices.

It also works better with screen readers and helps your audience take in the information more smoothly. Excessive capital letters (like in title case or all caps) can actually slow people down or be harder to read, especially for some neurodivergent readers.

Cut what’s not needed

Ask yourself: does the reader need this right now? If not, it’s okay to leave it out.

Keeping your message focused helps people find what they need when they need it.

It’s understandable to want to explain everything, especially when you care deeply about your work. But sometimes, less really is more.

Plain English in action

Here’s an example. This sentence gets the message across, but with a few tweaks, it could be clearer and more engaging for your audience.

‘Our services offer tailored support pathways for individuals experiencing multiple and complex disadvantages, through collaborative partnerships with key stakeholders and agencies.’

Here’s how you could rewrite it using plain English:

‘We help people facing tough times get the right support through one-to-one advice and links to local services.’

What changed?

The second version is shorter, warmer, and easier to follow. It uses everyday language, removes jargon, and centres the message around people, not processes. This makes it quicker to read, and much more likely to stick.

Your Plain English checklist

Want a quick way to check your writing is clear and accessible? Use this handy checklist when you’re creating a webpage, social post or supporter email. It’s a simple tool to help you stay focused on what really matters to your audience.

Have I said what matters first?
Are my sentences 25 words or fewer?
Have I avoided jargon and acronyms?
Have I used bullet points or subheadings to break things up?
Is the layout easy to scan quickly?
Have I removed anything that isn’t essential?
Have I explained any necessary terms/acronyms or context clearly?

Clear writing is inclusive writing

Writing in plain English isn’t about making your message smaller. It’s about making it stronger and more accessible and opening up your content to a wider audience.

When you write clearly, you show that you care about your audience’s time, energy and access needs. You give people the best chance to engage with your work, help your cause, and get the support they need.

Helpful tools and further learning

Simple writing is better writing by Ettie Bailey-King: A practical guide to writing clearly and accessibly.
Hemingway Editor: A free tool that highlights long or complex sentences and suggests ways to simplify them.
Readable: Analyses your content and gives it a readability score. It can help you spot jargon, check sentence length, and make your writing easier to understand.
Gov UK style guide: A trusted reference for plain English writing, especially useful for web content and public-facing information.