Charitable and Voluntary Sector

Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Excerpts

Thursday 30th April 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill (Lab)]

My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Addington, on securing this debate at such a critical time for charities. This week, we should have been celebrating the achievements of all those who participated in the London Marathon and raised much-needed money for charities, matching the £66 million in 2019. Sadly, this is postponed until autumn—but the charitable sector’s needs are not.

As noble Lords have said, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations believes charities will lose around £4 billion over three months as a result of the pandemic, as lockdown closes shops and cancels fundraisers. The Government’s package of £750 million is appreciated, of course, but goes nowhere near meeting the £4 billion loss. Charities maintain the social fabric of our country. Once torn, it will take years to mend. I welcome extra resources being given to charities dealing with domestic violence as calls to helplines—and, tragically, murders of women—double. Large charities have been able to utilise schemes to pay staff, but furlough means they can no longer volunteer or fundraise. The MS Society, along with many other charities, has called for this rule to be eased.

Noble Lords have raised many examples of the essential support that charities offer to the most vulnerable, so I will reluctantly resist repeating them. However, I will raise one—Allergy UK, a small but vital organisation that supports those with life-threatening allergies and anaphylaxis. Uniquely, it warns members of ingredients in foods that have been wrongly labelled and therefore could kill. Can the Minister examine how this charity might be helped to continue its work? Its clients suffer increased anxiety about medication and other support needs during this pandemic. Life is difficult in normal times, but even worse for them now.