Access to urgent dental appointments has been improved, don’t suffer with painful tooth problems, you can now call NHS 111 to get help.

Appointments can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week through NHS 111 — either online or by calling 111.

What the service covers

Urgent dental appointments are there to help people experiencing serious dental problems, including:

  • severe toothache that cannot be managed with over-the-counter painkillers
  • dental abscesses causing swelling, pain or fever
  • broken, fractured or knocked-out teeth and fillings
  • bleeding in the mouth following an injury
  • infection
  • severe gum bleeding.

How to access care

You do not need to be registered with a dentist to use this service. Anyone in need of urgent advice or treatment can contact NHS 111.

More information about urgent dental conditions is available at NHS.uk/urgentdentalcare.

Autumn Budget 2025 – Christmas cheer or bah humbug? It’s up for debate!

Hot off the press, our new article by Jay Kennedy, Director of Policy and Research at DSC, delves into the turbulent Budget season filled with leaks and uncertainty, which left charities questioning whether to anticipate positive changes or unwelcome challenges.

Jay outlines the promising measures announced in the Budget, such as the removal of the two-child limit and new VAT relief, while also addressing ongoing concerns like impending tax and compliance reforms. Read the full analysis here.

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising, in collaboration with fundraising think tank Rogare, has called on charities across the UK to pledge to create and enforce a Donor Code of Conduct aimed at protecting fundraisers from inappropriate behaviour by donors or supporters. Find out more here.

 

The Charity Finance Group is undertaking a short survey to understand how charities currently use salary sacrifice arrangements, particularly for pension contributions. This information is critically important because there are strong indications that the Chancellor may announce a cap of £2,000 per year on salary sacrifice contributions for pensions in the upcoming Autumn Budget. Complete the survey here.

 

Ahead of the Autumn Budget set to be published at the end of the month, the Civil Society Group, which includes DSC, has written to the government on behalf of charities and community organisations across the UK. Take a look at what we said here.

Whether you’re launching a new campaign, applying for a grant, or engaging major donors, one thing is certain: your case for support needs to be clear, compelling, and credible. Read more.

Over 300 charities and voluntary organisations have signed a letter to the home secretary, declaring their refusal to support her “immoral and impractical” plan to implement a volunteering “test” for migrants seeking indefinite leave to remain in the UK. Read more in this Civil Society article here.

You can now purchase raffle tickets from our office at the GNC, which will be drawn at our Christmas Fayre on the 6th December.

Xmas Raffle

Xmas Fayre

 

 

The Charity Governance Code – that familiar backbone of good board practice – has been revised for 2025. What’s changed? Find out here.

The revised Code of Fundraising Practice has come into force this month, with civil society’s Stephanie Peacock commending its “more transparent guidelines regarding digital donations”. Learn more here.

The government has chosen Julia Unwin, an experienced leader in the sector, as its preferred candidate for the role of Charity Commission chair. Unwin, who served as chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for nine years and chaired the Civil Society Futures inquiry in 2018, is set to face pre-appointment scrutiny by MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Tuesday 25 November. Learn more here.