On 15/03/23, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the Government’s spending plans in the Spring Budget.
Among a host of announcements, Hunt stated that the government will provide over £100m of support for charities and community organisations in England. This will be targeted towards those organisations most at risk, due to increased demand from vulnerable groups and higher delivery costs, as well as providing investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and will be managed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Responding to the Spring Budget, Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, said:
“We are pleased the Government has recognised the key role charities play in providing vital local services across the country. We wait to see how it will be managed, but the £100m for third sector organisations at risk is welcome and will help some organisations desperately struggling to make ends meet due to the pressures of long-term inflation.
“But rough sleeping has risen by 26% in the last year, while hundreds of homelessness services are on the brink of shutting down and multiple local councils have announced plans to cut local homelessness budgets. At the same time, non-domestic energy bills are due to rise even further from April.
“The Chancellor had an opportunity today to make sure people experiencing homelessness have safe support and accommodation to turn to, but he didn’t take it. Without a full inflationary uplift for homelessness support, hundreds of services could still shut down altogether, despite the extra funding announced today. Not only will this leave people experiencing homelessness with nowhere to turn for accommodation and support, but those already housed may face the trauma of returning to the streets.”