Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced more than £100m for charities in this year’s spring budget. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said the government will provide £101.5m of support to charities and community organisations in England over the next two years.
DCMS said 75% of the funding will deliver grants in 2023-24 to frontline charities most impacted by increased demand for their services from vulnerable people and increased delivery costs.
This is likely to include organisations providing the most vulnerable people with emergency support including accommodation, warmth and food. The remaining quarter will be used to fund measures over the next two years to increase charities’ energy efficiency and sustainability.
Youth Concern supports the most vulnerable young people in Aylesbury Vale. In five months, we have experienced an enormous increase in the numbers of young people accessing our services:
- 100% increase in the number of 13-25 year olds visiting our Drop-in Centre, our ‘shop front’ (64 unique visitors in Oct22, 128 Feb23);
- 219% increase in the number of young people eating a meal with us and receiving a food parcel (217 young people on average Oct22-Feb23);
- 3 fold increase in young people received emotional support from us in October than in February (121 Oct22, 363 Feb23) (sometimes a precursor to counselling, emotional support is provided by our youth workers and counsellors).
Gas and electricity costs at the Next Step Project have increased by 70% and our water, building insurance and council tax together have increased by a total of 17%. Increased opening hours at the Drop-in Centre (now open Saturdays and two evenings per week) have increased our heating bills: our ‘warm space’ for Aylesbury Vale’s 13-25 year olds will cost us an additional £900 this year.
We therefore welcome this commitment and look forward to hearing how the new funding will be distributed.
