The chancellor’s main commitments were to volunteering and social investment,not to the voluntary sectorAfter George Osborne’s autumn statement failed to deliver the damage to charities and voluntary organisations that had been rumoured, there were feelings of relief, and frustration and,dare I say, a little optimism.
First the relief. The Department for Culture, and Media and Sport was allegedly planning to take £320m from charity funder the Big Lottery Fund to replace lost statutory grants for arts and sport. A specific commitment that the Big Lottery Fund will not be raided is superior news for the sector and should be warmly welcomed. More broadly,many charities who support the working destitute will be relieved at the reversal of the decision to sever tax credits, but will be mindful that the roll-out of universal credit may be storing up problems for the longer term.
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Source: theguardian.com