Chancellor’s funding boost for charities

A £750 MILLION grant has been announced for charities to ensure theymeet the increased coronavirus demands, announced Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The government declared £360 million from its departments will go to charities providing key services, smaller charities will receive £370 million in support and £200 million will go to hospices.

Thousands of charities are expected to benefit, including St John’s Ambulance and Citizens Advice.

Mr Sunak said: “Our charities are playing a crucial role in the national fight against coronavirus, supporting those who are most in need.

“It’s right we do everything we can to help the sector during this difficult time, which is whywe have announced this £750 million package of extra funding.

“This will ensure our key charities can continue to deliver the services that millions of people up and down the country rely on.

“They have never been more needed than they are now, and they’ve never faced such a sudden fall in their funding.”

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations said the moneywas “an important first step”, but not enough to stop some charities from closing.

Chief executive of NSPCC, PeterWanless, said: “The scale of what’s required is immense, so we will remain hugely reliant on the generosity of the public to continue our vital work.

“We have taken a significant financial hit, but thanks to our staff and volunteers, we are working flat out to adapt our services to make sure we are still here for children.”

And nature and conservation charities said the moneywas not enough for them to continue tackling climate change during the pandemic.

Craig Bennett, chief executive of TheWildlife Trusts, said: “People’s health and wellbeing is paramount, so it is essential that we address the coronavirus crisis, but we mustn’t at the same time forget the very serious risks posed by the collapse of our natural world.

“Otherwise – as a society – we’ll just find ourselves lurching from one crisis to the next.”