The National Audit Office (NAO) has released the report on its investigation of the government’s emergency funding package for the charity sector, which the Chancellor announced nearly a year ago on 8 April 2020.
The 42-page document examines the Department for Culture Media and Sport’s (DCMS) distribution of the money, including how it delivered the package, how charities accessed funding, and the rate of progress.
The grant is enabling Good Things Foundation to support people who often don’t receive support or fall through the gaps. Good Things are building their confidence, helping them learn new skills, and supporting them to achieve positive employment outcomes. Find out more about Make it Click here.
We have seen, and anticipate further, increases in demand for DWP’s services due to the Covid-19 pandemic and we need to be able to serve more customers to provide them with the support they need.
To achieve this, we will look to:
We can confirm that a new temporary site at 1 Hammersmith Broadway, London, W6 9DL has been identified as suitable space to open a temporary Jobcentre and accommodate experienced and newly recruited Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) Work Coaches to deliver services to our customers approximately three to four months after 24 February 2021.
Work Coaches working from all sites, including the new temporary sites, will be able to decide how best to engage with customers, and to choose the best and most appropriate channel. Work Coaches will use their knowledge of the customer and the local situation to decide whether or not this should be face-to-face, on the phone or online, bearing in mind the latest guidance on both social distancing and guidance on opening offices in line with the local Covid-19 alert levels. The safety of our colleagues and customers remains paramount.
Due to the economic impact of the pandemic, it is vitally important that the Department helps support both new and existing customers through these critical Work Coach roles. This will help ensure that our millions of customers receive the payments and help that they need and to ensure that we continue to support often the most vulnerable members of society.
Please let me know if you would like to discuss our plans. Anu Bilon, Service Leader Anu.bilon@dwp.gov.uk
AY Group Community Services CIC is a charitable organisation focused on serving and improving the lives of people in our community. When the UK went into Lockdown in March 2020, Shop and Donate was born. From the food donations we receive, we create food parcels which we send on to local elderly and vulnerable residents, NHS staff and other food banks who support thousands of people in need. Shop and Donate is also an online shop, where we sell a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.
The proceeds from this go into sustaining and improving our growing services! Together with our sister organisation AY Group Community Services CIC we have been very successful in supporting disadvantaged individuals within our community and across London.
Click here to view our timetable
Click here for details on the Social Supermarket loyalty card
Social Prescribing London launches on International Social Prescribing Day – 18 March 2021, commissioned by Greater London Authority to specifically support the VCSE sector to deliver on social prescribing.
It is aimed at London-based VCSE organisations and shares information to help them become more involved with social prescribing, including a toolkit, useful resources, and case studies from existing social prescribing services. There’s also support for social prescribing Link Workers with links into local services, and information for commissioners of social prescribing services to help them better understand the VCSE sector.
To find out more, visit https://socialprescribinglondon.uk
It’s great news that the government is expanding the workplace rapid testing programme for small businesses. Find out how you can start using the tests in your workplace. Read more
HMRC has issued new guidance on how to comply with off-payroll working rules (IR35) that are coming into force on 6 April 2021. This will affect your charity if it employs any individuals who work like an employee, but through their own limited company (usually a personal service company ‘PSC’) or other intermediary. Click here to read the guidance.
HMRC have issued new guidance on how to pay VAT payments that were deferred between 20 March and 30 June 2020 – and how to join the VAT deferral new payment scheme. Read the guidance here.
Helen Stephenson, Charity Commission CEO reflects on the National Trust case and gives some welcome reassurance for charities. Read her blog here.
Got questions about reporting, audits, or any other charity finance issues relating to COVID? Haysmacintyre’s latest finance briefing covers the key things you and your finance team need to know. Click here to read the briefing.
sobus
20 Dawes Road, London, SW6 7EN
Telephone 020 7952 1230
Email info@sobus.org.uk
Registered Charity No.1071089
and Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No.03471416
Sobus is a new Community Development Agency for Hammersmith & Fulham. It has been created through the merger of the Community and Voluntary Sector Association Hammersmith & Fulham (CaVSA) and the Fulham Community Partnership Trust (FCPT). Building on the strengths of both organisations, sobus aims to provide a wider range of support services for local charities, community groups, social enterprises and start up businesses.
