£750m is not enough says Labour

A UK government minister has dismissed a call for more emergency funding for charities affected from the coronavirus lockdown.

Jo Stevens, Labour’s shadow minister for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), said charities needed further funding or many would go bust.

However Oliver Dowden, DCMS secretary, rejected the call.

Stevens said: “Vulnerable people are relying on them for support, and the government must not them down. Can he guarantee that?”

Dowden said the Treasury’s £750m funding pledge to charities earlier this month, as well as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which funds the furloughing of staff, and measures allowing organisations to defer the payment of VAT, were working.

Part of the £750m package sees £50m coming to Scotland to help hard pressed charities. For information on all the funding streams available to Scottish groups visit the Coronavirus Third Sector Information Hub.