Women’s Resource Centre gives cautious welcome to the Chancellor’s offer to the charity sector

• Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, outlined a £750m support package for charity sector which is now facing a £4bn debt situation due to Covid-19
• Women’s health charities save Government £500m each year
• An average across the UK, there is a reported 25% increase in violence against women and girls cases

Yesterday, Wednesday 8th April 2020, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced a £750m support package for the charity sector.

Reacting to the news, Women’s Resource Centre, CEO, Vivienne Hayes, MBE, said:

“Whilst we welcome the Chancellor’s offer of £750 million to help charities across the UK, it still falls well short of the £4.2 billion required. It is encouraging that the Treasury recognises the needs of charities and the vital role they play for millions of people in the UK. Let’s not forget that the women’s health charities alone save the Government £500m a year. Violence against women and girls has increased by a known 25% since the restrictions were imposed; the unreported figure is closer to 50%. Women’s charities also tell us that women’s mental health is also having a toll with subsequent impact on families and the health service. How much of this handout will end up going to frontline women’s charities remains to be seen.”

“We are approaching a catastrophic moment for the country but especially for women and please let’s not forget their children, the hidden casualties of male violence. We are deeply concerned about this and the impact it will have on this country’s history of how women were left to die during this crisis. We continue our call on Government for adequate unrestricted funding for our life saving women’s charities to be distributed as soon as possible.”