Blog

Charity finance policy

18 April 2017, 16:02

GE 2017: Charities must not be afraid to make a case for themselves

Theresa May has called a General Election for the 8th June. NCVO has some good information for charities that are thinking about campaigning and I am sure that they will ...

Post byAndrew O'Brien

Where next?

Events »

Thursday, 6 February 2020
Midlands Conference 2020 More »

News »

Thursday, 14 November 2019
A Charity Finance Manifesto To Enable Civil Society To Thrive More »

Theresa May has called a General Election for the 8^th June. NCVO has some good information for charities that are thinking about campaigning and I am sure that they will be providing more support to charities on how to work within the Lobbying Act. However, with only 51 days from now until the election, charities need to get their act together quickly if we are going to shape the agenda to ensure that we are best able to support our beneficiaries. Here are some thoughts on how we can do this.

1. We must link charities with the biggest challenges facing politicians

It is tempting to think that Brexit will be the be all and end all of the debate, and it is certainly likely that Theresa May will want Brexit to be the focus of the campaign – as she hinted during her speech announcing the General Election. But all parties will need a programme for government. Even Brexit will come back to key issues such as health, housing, education, international aid and building a better society – after all it was to enable these challenges to be addressed that Brexiteers argued for the UK to leave in the first place. Moreover, no government will want to be pigeon holed as just being focused on one issue. It is important that charities input in the policy discussion on how we can solve these issues. With such a short campaign, politicians are not going to have pre-prepared manifestos and are likely to borrow heavily from experts and practitioners – particularly the charity sector.

2. If government is going to take, it needs to give

There is a risk that this becomes a traditional conversation where we give policies to future governments or offer to do more to help beneficiaries, with government then exploiting that eagerness to be useful and giving nothing substantial in return. However this cannot go on indefinitely. Charities have seen their costs increase steadily over recent years with increases in the National Living Wage, Business Rates, Apprenticeships Levy and Insurance Premium Tax as well as the continuing burden of irrecoverable VAT. If government wants to work with charities to deliver its agenda, and it will need to if wants to succeed, then it needs to takes responsibility for improving the operating environment for charities. If government wants us to do more, then it needs to give charities the resources to do this – or at the very least, not make it more expensive to deliver help to those that need it. The deficit and the question of how to resolve it will still remain after Brexit, and it is important that charities are not raided in order to balance the books.

3. We need to give them practical, evidence based policies

It is also important that we do not focus on vague sentiments or statements of support. We need to get specific proposals agreed by parties or at the very least commitments to reviewing specific proposals once in office. We know that governments of all colours value the work of charities. But what are they going to do to make it easier to do that work? CFG has put forward a number of costed and evidenced proposals forward to government through our Charity Tax Plan and we have worked with colleagues from across the sector to put forward detailed submissions in previous Budgets/Autumn Statements. This is the kind of work that we need to continue and keep putting the business case forward to all parties. The equation for politicians is a simple one:

Improve operating environment for charities = more beneficiaries supported = stronger society.

However, all parts of this equation need to be balanced if we are really going to unleash charities to be the best that they can. « Back to all blog posts

Blog

GE 2017: Charities must not be afraid to make a case for themselves

1. We must link charities with the biggest challenges facing politicians

2. If government is going to take, it needs to give

3. We need to give them practical, evidence based policies

Related Content

Economic Outlook Briefing December 2019

Finance Focus Nov/Dec 2019

A Charity Finance Manifesto To Enable Civil Society To Thrive

Has the Charity Commission has taken the wrong tone in its election guidance

Why does the narrative around public 'trust' makes me feel so uncomfortable?

What does Labour’s independent schools proposal mean for charities?

A living wage needs to lead to a sensible discussion about charity funding

Time to get on an election footing

Spending Review Briefing 2019

We must prepare for a no-deal Brexit

Five takeaways from August’s Inflation Report

The lessons for Oxfam and the wider sector

Our new PM is neither a buffoon nor a jester. It's time to take him seriously.

What does the new prime minster mean for the charity sector?

The Charity Tax Commission report - does it go far enough?

BEIS Review of the Financial Reporting Council

CFG Annual Handbook 2019

Economic Outlook Briefing 2019/20

Brexit crystal ball

Spring Statement 2019

If it comes down to a vote on no-deal, vote against it, says CFG

Charity Property Matters Survey 2018

CFG responds to the Charity Commission’s consultation on the SORP-making process

Charities are ill-prepared for a no-deal Brexit and fear the worst: CFG survey

Are you prepared for a WTO Brexit?

What the recent SCOTUS judge controversy can teach us about the Charities’ SORP

The Brexit deal is bad for charities says CFG, as it urges MPs to vote against it on Tuesday

London Charity Property Survey Findings

London Charity Property Survey Results in Summary

London Property Survey Statistical Analysis

Increasing number of charities fear property poses risks to their charitable mission

Charity Finance Group's briefing on the Autumn Budget 2018

Live Blog: Budget 2018

Labour Conference September 2018 update - Brexit and Beyond

Brexit will be bad for both charities and beneficiaries, says new report from CFG

Cost Benefit Analysis Of Brexit For Charities

Does the Civil Society Strategy deliver for charities?

Post-Brexit immigration rules could cause skills shortage in charities

The charity work force in post-Brexit Britain

Economic Outlook Briefing 2018

Charities need to find nearly £4bn additional income by 2020 finds CFG

CFG Annual Handbook 2018

Apprenticeship Levy Guide

Spring Statement 2018: What should charities be looking out for?

Review: Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing Report - Extremism in Charities

A stairway to heaven on business rates for the charity sector?

Live Blog: Autumn Budget 2017

What should charities expect from the Autumn Budget 2017?

Serious but still lacking substance – Labour Party Conference 2017

Government no longer has the luxury of ignoring charities

Could political instability create financial instability for charities?

Local infrastructure needs more support if it is going to meet needs of small charities, finds CFG report

Why has CFG written a report on potential Brexit deals?

Charities could thrive with a ‘clean Brexit’ says major report

The government is in danger of ignoring social issues in Brexit talks

Celebrating small charities

Record Management Toolkit Launch Roundup

Charities must not let Brexit negotiations get away from them

The wealthy and business prioritised over disadvantaged communities in Brexit negotiations, say British public

LIVE BLOG: General Election 2017

General Election 2017: The campaigns through a charity lens

CFG members should feel free to campaign in General Election 2017

General Election 2017: Conservative Manifesto Charity Analysis

General Election 2017: Liberal Democrats Manifesto Charity Analysis

General Election 2017: Labour Manifesto Charity Analysis

General Election 2017

CFG Handbook 2017

What the EU’s Brexit Strategy means for charities

We must not see a rush to charging charities for regulation – House of Lords report

Live Blog: Spring Budget 2017

IFS 2017 Green Budget – the good, the bad, and the worrying?

What does Theresa May’s Brexit Speech mean for charities?

If I was Prime Minister for a day...

Five things to look forward to in 2017