Coronavirus

Charities across the country are facing imminent collapse as fundraising income dries up, charity leaders warned today.

Karl Wilding, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which represents charities, said: 

With charity shops shut and fundraising events cancelled, we estimate charities stand to lose around £4bn in 12 weeks as a result of the crisis. We have been pushing for government support because we know how many people and communities rely on the services charities provide, many of which are now at risk.

Latest research showcases a mixed picture on the time and the availability of volunteers. According to the latest results of the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer, 40% of the 710 respondents have experienced a decrease in the amount of unpaid time contributed by volunteers since March with just 27% reporting an increase.

Ahead of the launch of Volunteers’ Week 2021, 1-7 June, new research has revealed a far more mixed impact from the pandemic for charities and volunteer numbers than many headlines have suggested. The research also reveals increased positivity among charities, greater diversity among UK volunteers, and the rise of the digital volunteer.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is proposing to cut 22 out of 107 posts as part of a widespread organisational redesign and restructure.

• Income from trading activity expected to drop more than 17% next year.
• Two in five voluntary organisations have six months left of reserves.
• Many charities now run fewer services than pre-pandemic, others have expanded.

New research shows that the impact of the pandemic has been “uneven and unpredictable” on voluntary organisations and warns of projected declines in funding from all income sources in the next financial year.

It is still too early to determine the full extent of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the charity sector’s finances, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) said today, but the voluntary sector will inevitably be smaller in the immediate future at least.

To mark the launch of Volunteers’ Week 2021, 1-7 June, a government minister and charities around the UK are encouraging everyone to use it as ‘a time to say thanks’ to all those volunteering during the coronavirus pandemic.