The Government must provide emergency cash for charities working on the front line of the coronavirus outbreak, Sadiq Khan has said.

The Mayor says London’s voluntary sector is under “enormous strain” as demand increases at the same time as donations have largely dried up.

UK charities will lose out on an estimated £4.3 billion of revenue in the next 12 weeks, according to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.

 

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The Mayor has tried to stop the gap in London, partnering with the City of London to set up an emergency fund.

Both backers put £1 million into the London Community Response Fund – which now stands at over £8 million, thanks to support from other organisations in the capital.

Mr Khan now adds his voice to over 300 MPs and peers from across the political spectrum who have written to the Government to demand support for the voluntary sector.

In his letter to the Chancellor yesterday (Thursday), the Mayor said charities need emergency funding to cover running costs now.

Volunteers working with the poorest Londoners will need extra cash so they can keep helping those worst hit by Covid-19, he said.

 

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The Mayor also believes the Government’s wage support scheme for furloughed staff should be tailored to the sector.

The Treasury should pick up the bill for 80 per cent of all charity wages during the coronavirus crisis and recovery period, he claimed.

Mr Khan said charities need “the same amount of financial support as the business sector” and are “particularly important” in London.

Food banks, mental health charities, housing and homelessness services, and domestic violence charities are doing crucial work in the city, he said.

He added: “Many of these organisations are volunteer-led, in fragile financial positions, and lack the resources to adapt their delivery to home working and meet social distancing requirements.

“They are becoming more stretched each day.”

The Government has now (March 23) ordered everyone to stay at home unless absolutely necessary to fight the spread of coronavirus. You can find the latest guidance here. Advice on the virus from Public Health England is available here.