More than half of charities (53%) surveyed by Charities Aid Foundation say they are at full capacity for their services, with two-fifths of these unable to help anyone else, and one in eight saying they have been forced to turn people away.
CAF surveyed 607 charities last month for the research, including food banks, community groups and support services. One London-based girls’ charity quoted said: “demand for our services has tripled but we’ve had to turn people away, which is a step we never wanted to take”. A Welsh homelessness organisation said: “our operations, more crucial now than ever, are stretched thin, forcing us to prioritise essential services while pausing others, leaving gaps in our support network.”
Around six in ten (59%) charities say that demand has increased compared to a year ago, with a third saying this has increased substantially. In a similar CAF survey in November 2022, 63% said demand had increased during the last year.
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CAF reports that the continuing pressures of the cost-of-living crisis means that the challenges facing many charities of higher demand, lower income, inflated costs, have become entrenched, with no improvement in the last year. 53% of charities currently say they are worried about surviving in the current climate – the same as in October 2022.
Energy costs remain a significant issue for charities – despite the Government discount scheme in place for businesses and charities, nearly a third (31%) of charities say they have not been able to get support to cope with the cost of their utilities. Additionally, one in seven (14%) say they are locked into an unfavourable energy tariff. With all Government support for energy costs expected to end in March 2024, one-third of charities say they plan to invest in improving their energy efficiency for the long-term.
Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, said:
“The relentless financial pressure on charities is continuing. Many are unsure how they will survive from month-to-month. Tens of thousands of charities are at full capacity, and sadly this means many are having to turn people away, people who desperately need their support.
“We can’t afford to have charities facing such uncertainty. The Chancellor recognised their critical work in the March Budget, but now a longer-term plan is required to build the fantastic, hardworking charity sector back up.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.
