Charities: Coronavirus

(asked on 20th April 2020) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's news story, Chancellor sets out extra £750 million coronavirus funding for frontline charities, published on 8 April 2020, when his Department plans to publish guidance on who is eligible to apply for that funding.


Answered by
Kemi Badenoch Portrait
Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
This question was answered on 27th April 2020

The Government knows that some charities are providing critical services and wider support to vulnerable people and communities during the pandemic. The new package of support will enable such organisations to continue providing essential services to those most in need.

  • £360m will be allocated by central government to charities based on evidence of service need. This will include up to £200m support for hospices, with the rest going to organisations like St Johns’ Ambulance and the Citizens Advice Bureau as well as charities supporting vulnerable children, victims of domestic abuse, or disabled people.
  • £370m will support smaller, local charities working with vulnerable people. This will provide support for thousands of charities on the frontline of helping vulnerable people affected by Covid-19.
  • A contribution of at least £20m to the National Emergencies Trust appeal.

This funding package will help charities providing essential services to continue their operations and to weather the storm until we return to more normal times. Funding for charities will be made available in the coming weeks and further information will be announced on Gov.uk. The Government’s aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible.

Many charities and social enterprises will also benefit from the existing measures announced to support employers and businesses. Under these measures, like other businesses, charities can defer their VAT bills and pay no business rates for their shops next year. All charities are eligible for the job retention scheme and the right answer for many charities will be to furlough their employees with the government paying 80% of wages.

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