Charities make call in letter

Some 30 charity leaders have written to the chancellor calling for a job-retention scheme for the third sector.

Civil society leaders want Rishi Sunak to ensure communities are supported as the best way to recover from the pandemic.

The letter says the sector faces a “critical dilemma” and calls for a tailored job retention programme.

The coalition is led by the Charity Finance Group and backed by 31 other organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, the charity leaders’ body Acevo, the Small Charities Coalition and the Association of Charitable Foundations, the coalition represents thousands of charities and social enterprises across the UK.

The group is asking for a time-limited scheme that enables organisations in the sector to furlough staff and allow them to volunteer their time and skills back to their not-for-profit, public benefit employer. 

“The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was an exceptionally generous scheme which was welcomed by the sector and which charities and social enterprises have availed themselves of during its first phase,” the letter states.

“However, as a scheme designed predominantly with private enterprise in mind, it had the perverse effect of incentivising mothballing of provision and not mobilisation.

“It is counterproductive to be paying for a charity or social enterprise employee to stop working when our citizens so desperately need helplines, advice, support and guidance; whether on mental health, unemployment, homelessness or loneliness and isolation.”

The letter says the sector faces a “critical dilemma” and calls for a tailored job retention programme.

The coalition is led by the Charity Finance Group and backed by 31 other organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, the charity leaders’ body Acevo, the Small Charities Coalition and the Association of Charitable Foundations, the coalition represents thousands of charities and social enterprises across the UK.

The group is asking for a time-limited scheme that enables organisations in the sector to furlough staff and allow them to volunteer their time and skills back to their not-for-profit, public benefit employer. 

“The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was an exceptionally generous scheme which was welcomed by the sector and which charities and social enterprises have availed themselves of during its first phase,” the letter states.

“However, as a scheme designed predominantly with private enterprise in mind, it had the perverse effect of incentivising mothballing of provision and not mobilisation.

“It is counterproductive to be paying for a charity or social enterprise employee to stop working when our citizens so desperately need helplines, advice, support and guidance; whether on mental health, unemployment, homelessness or loneliness and isolation.”