Help has to be delivered immediately if charities are to avoid closure
UK government sources have confirmed charities will be given financial support with energy bills from October.
An announcement by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy said support will be backdated, suggesting that the scheme could take many weeks yet to roll out across the country.
The government had said energy prices would be capped for charities with voluntary organisations qualifying for a support package that would cap the annual energy bill at £2,500 from October.
The DBEIS said details how the scheme would work and how to apply would be announced next week.
Prime Minister Liz Truss said the government would review how the scheme worked before deciding how to target further help and “make sure those most in need get support”.
However charities have said any delay could cost them dear and urged the measures to be rolled out as soon as possible.
Kirsten Hogg, head of policy at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, said: "While we appreciate that it will take time to make the arrangements for this support, any delay in financial support actually reaching voluntary organisations is deeply regrettable.
"Many voluntary organisations have no way of generating additional income at short notice to bridge the gap between rising costs and backdated help. We would urge the government to work more closely with charities to understand the real situation that voluntary organisations are facing, and to design a solution that works for them."
A DBEIS spokesperson said: “We will confirm further details of support for non-domestic energy users, including charities, next week.
“The scheme will support non-domestic energy users with their October energy bills, including through backdating if necessary.”
Richard Sagar, head of policy at the Charity Finance Group, said: “We welcome the news of the government’s support scheme. The sooner it is fully functioning the better.
“Delays to the scheme will inevitably impact the provision of vital services to communities across the country.”
