CFG has been working hard to support members and all charitable organisations following the autumn budget on 30 October. Find out how you can join us in supporting the future of our sector.
It has been one week since the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, shared her first budget and spending review with the nation.
We welcomed the government's investment in our public services, which have been chronically underfunded for the past decade. But it wasn't all positive news.
Since the announcements, we've been in touch with a significant number of charity members who are concerned about the 1.5% rise in Employer National Insurance Contributions (ERNICS) and the sharp rise in staffing costs.
We share those concerns too, which is why we are doing all we can to improve the operating environment for all charitable organisations that will be impacted.
Here's what we've done since 30 October and what we're doing next...
What we've done so far
1. CFG Autumn Budget Briefing
We have published a comprehensive budget briefing document to set out all the announcements relevant to charities.
2. Launched a survey to assess impact
To understand the scale and depth of the concern across the charity sector, we opened a budget impact survey. We urge you to complete it if you haven't already. Thank you if you already have!
The results are crucial because they give us the evidence we need to share with government officials and others. The results are also giving us invaluable insights into the current operational and financial challenges that charities face.
The survey closes midday, Friday 15 November, so there's still time. We'll share the results after that date, but you'll find initial results in our recent message to members.
3. Signed an open letter to the Chancellor
CFG has called for urgent action on the planned increase to ERNICS by signing the NCVO's/ACEVO's open letter to the Chancellor. It has attracted more than 5,000 signatories in the past week and the number continues to grow. Please add your name if you haven't already.
4. Met with government officials
CFG has now met with the Minister for Civil Society, Stephanie Peacock MP, and senior officials at DCMS, along with colleagues from ACEVO and NCVO. We stated our shared concerns and presented some of the initial findings of our survey on the impact of changes to ERNICs. We are grateful to DCMS for opening up the conversations and facilitating a first step towards exploring solutions.
What we're doing now
5. Policy and advocacy
We'll continue our conversations with government officials and we're now working behind the scenes with policy experts from NCVO, ACEVO and other sector bodies to look at all policy options and how the sector might be supported.
To find out more about our policy work, please contact Richard Sagar, Head of Policy and keep an eye on our news page for all the latest updates.
6. Supporting the Civil Society Covenant consultation
Developing a productive relationship with government is crucial to all work going forwards, including the government's missions. We encourage you to engage in the consultation on the Civil Society Covenant. As CFG's CEO Caron Bradshaw says: "Our members tell us how critically important and impactful the relationship between them and government is to delivering to the people and causes they serve. The Civil Society Covenant consultation offers a unique opportunity to influence how that relationship works in practice."
Find out more and get involved
7. Continuing to create expert and supportive spaces
We know how vital it is to be part of a wider community of supportive finance professionals and charity leaders. We're busy planning activities for 2025, including the launch of a new special interest group, coming very soon. Our member groups and helplines provide technical advice and insights, peer support and a safe space to ask questions and share experiences. We are here to help!
If you'd like to find out more about these, or any of our other membership benefits, please get in touch. We want to support you, your team and your organisation and we value your feedback and suggestions too.
