The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak has announced a £750m package to help to keep struggling charities afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The move follows concerns that some charities in the UK are facing major difficulties – including, in many cases collapse – with income in the sector vastly shrinking as the frontline shops being enforced to close during the lockdown.
The move by Sunak follows growing concerns that some charities are facing collapse, with income shrinking considerably.
Larger charities, such as Age UK and Oxfam, have been forced to furlough two-thirds of their staff.
The measures involve cash grants which will go direct to charities that are providing key services during the crisis.
As part of the scheme, £360m will be allocated to those charities with another £370m will go to small local charities; including those who are delivering food and essential medicines whilst also providing financial advice.
Sunak said that the government could not match every pound of spending that the 170,000 charities in the UK would be likely to receive this year.
He did, however, say: “The government want to help the charities that were on the ‘frontline’ of the fight against coronavirus.
“To shut up shot at this moment would contravene their very porpose”.
