Charities fear staff and funding gaps

LEADING JEWISH charities have said the government has “suggested weak solutions” to the staffing problems they are facing due to Brexit.

Jewish Care said it could not function without EU nationals and not having enough staff as a result of Brexit is a “major concern” for the charity.

The organisation’s chief executive, Daniel Carmel-Brown, said existing staff were being supported over concerns relating to their right to remain.

“We already struggle to recruit quality staff so without them I have no idea what we would do,” he said.

While the charity has been assured existing EU staff will be able to stay in Britain, he said the government needed to recognise that organisations like Jewish Care will “need to continue to welcome health and social care staff from Europe”.

He said the government’s Immigration White Paper was “worrying for the health and social care sectors.

“Very few of the roles we have are classified as ‘skilled workers’ paying over £30,000 a year.

“Sadly, front-line social care workers are wrongly classified as ‘low skilled’ workers and therefore will only be eligible for visas for up to a year.

“They will then be expected to leave and not apply again for a further 12 months.” Short contracts would result in the charity having to pay high training costs for staff “and before we know it they need to leave again”.

Like many charities in the community, around 80 per cent of Jewish Care’s funding comes from 20 per cent of donors.

Mr Carmel-Brown said the charity had “big concerns” about the impact Brexit may have on fundraising.

The charity said it needs to raise £15million every year to keep its doors of open.

Mr Carmel-Brown said he would expect economic uncertainty to have a direct impact on people’s “propensity and ability to support” but “fortunately, to date this doesn’t appear to have been the case”.

News that some people are considering leaving the UK “is worrying but at this stage there is no indication that our generous supporters will stop donating to Jewish Care.”

The charity relies on just over £9 million each year from major donors to help it meet its revenue fundraising target.

Children and families charity Norwood also cites staff recruitment and funding as its biggest concerns when it comes to Brexit.

Beverley Jacobson, chief executive of the charity, which needs to raise £12m a year in voluntary funding, said: “The barriers that Brexit will put up to entry to EU nationals will undoubtedly put huge pressure on the industry.”

According to Ms Jacobson, “political uncertainty” was making it “more difficult” to raise the funds.

Not having enough staff as a result of Brexit is a ‘major concern’