Spring Statement response - SCVO letter to Deputy First Minister

Following the Spring Statement in which the Chancellor announced over £100 million to support charities and community organisations in England, SCVO has written to Deputy First Minister, John Swinney MSP, for clarity on how the full Barnett consequentials will be used to support voluntary organisations in Scotland.

Letter

Dear Mr Swinney 

As I know you’re aware, rising inflation and the resulting cost-of-living crisis is a long-term and deepening crisis that impacts on both the voluntary sector and the communities the sector works with. The impact of this crisis will be felt for many years. 

Over the last 18 months, you have regularly recognised the role of the sector in providing lifeline services to Scotland’s most vulnerable people and communities during this crisis, while voluntary organisations themselves struggle with rising costs, stagnating incomes, and, for many organisations, increasing demand for their services. I welcome this recognition. 

You have also said that while you recognise these pressures, your powers and resources have limited your ability to offer support to Scotland’s vital voluntary organisations, and by extension, our workforce, volunteers, and the people and communities we support. 

Yesterday the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, also recognised the essential role of the voluntary sector and the pressure organisations face. In his Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced over £100 million to support charities and community organisations with both immediate pressures and investment in energy efficiency measures. This support is urgently needed.  

SCVO and organisations across the voluntary sector welcomed this announcement which comes on the back of calls from organisations across the UK, including SCVO, for targeted funding to support the sector through the running costs crisis, particularly for energy costs. 

Can I assume that the Scottish Government will now share a clear plan for how the full Barnett consequentials of this announcement will be used to support the voluntary sector in Scotland? This investment should include a mix of short and long-term support enabling voluntary organisations to both weather the current crisis and adopt energy efficiency measures, allowing them to reduce future operating costs and become more sustainable.

This is an important element of our ongoing conversation about how we can work together to secure the services our sector provides, supporting our society and economy for the future by creating a more sustainable and resilient voluntary sector. 

I look forward to seeing your plans for passing on the full Barnett consquentials from the Chancellor’s Statement to the sector in Scotland, and we will continue to work closely with your officials in the Third Sector Unit to progress this important work. 

Yours sincerely    

Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive