Coping with cuts

On 20 October 2010, the government announced the results of its Spending Review. The review not only detailed which government department budgets will be cut over the next five years, but also outlined measures relating directly to the voluntary and community sector. These included the announcement of a new £100 million transitional fund, and additional resources to implement the Big Society agenda.

We responded to the inital government announcements and have produced a comprehensive report Counting the cuts that offers our best estimate of where, how, and how much the cuts from Government in public spending will impact our sector.

The more we know about the situation the stronger our evidence base will be. We need your help in gathering data about the scale of the cuts across the sector. Find out more about sharing how you're being affected.

This section brings together the lastest research, thinking and resources:

Information and briefings
Recent articles
NCVO advice guides and toolkits
Direct support from NCVO staff
Other resources

Tell us how you're being affected

Share your data

We've launched the website www.voluntarysectorcuts.org.uk to help build a nationwide picture of how government spending cuts are taking a toll on the voluntary and community sector.

It's a joint project with a number of other umbrella bodies - all of the data captured will be public, so that you can use the information in your campaigning and policy work, and see the real impact cuts are having on voluntary organisations in your area.

Add your experiences to the site now - you can also keep up-to-date with all reported cuts on Twitter, either by following @vscuts or the #vscuts hashtag.

Share your experiences

We're also collecting examples of good and bad practice with regards funding and VAT to share with the Prime Minister following a meeting between senior Government Ministers and members of our Public Services Delivery Network. Please get in touch if you have any examples to share – they will help us give the Government a valuable steer on what support our sector needs in the months ahead.

Spending Cuts Have you been told your statutory funding will be cut or withdrawn? We're looking for examples of organisations who are experiencing disproportionate or inappropriate local authority spending cuts to communicate intelligence on the scale of the challenges ahead. If you've an example to share, please take a couple of minutes to add your details to our collaborative www.voluntarysectorcuts.org.uk site.

VAT Irrecoverable VAT – including VAT charged when voluntary organisations share services (for example, IT, HR or finance functions) - can be a significant barrier to collaborative working. We need you to share your experiences to help us demonstrate how levying VAT on shared services can be a dis-incentive to working together. Please get in touch with our Senior Policy Officer, James Allen, if you can help.

Information and briefings

Counting the cuts
Our comprehensive report offers our best estimate of where, how, and how much the cuts from Government in public spending are and will impact our sector.

Our response to the Government Spending Review
Download our response to the Government Spending Review, as well as our briefing and discussion paper.

Budget 2010: How will it affect you?
Find out what the Emergency Budget means for those working in or with the voluntary and community sector, as we bring you an at-a-glance summary of key points announced by the Rt Hon George Osborne MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer on June 22.

Spending Review [PDF]
Read our initial briefing on the Spending Review 2010 and find out more about how you can contribute to the upcoming government consultation process.

Capitalisation and Social Investment - First Consultation
Learn more about the Funding Commission's findings and emerging recommendations on giving civil society organisations better access to capital to help them build their capacity; develop new products and services; or cope with unexpected events.

Recent articles

DCLG guidance for councils considering funding cuts to the sector
NCVO news briefing on the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) new consultation on draft 'Best Value' guidance.

50 ways to reduce your spending
Karl Wilding, Head of Research, responds to the main themes and ideas that have been put forward via the public sector Spending Challenge website.

Implications of the Budget
Katherine Hudson, Third Sector Foresight's Research Development Officer, looks at how you can anticipate and plan for the changes that may come as a result in the way you work, who you help, and who funds you.

Cuts in the Community
Karl Wilding, Head of Research, looks at how the £1.6 billion of in-year cuts for 2010-11 will be borne by local authorities.

The axeman cometh?
Karl Wilding, Head of Research, looks at the likely impact of public spending cuts on the voluntary sector using data from the Institute of Fiscal Studies.

Trends in Statutory Funding
This excerpt of our UK Civil Society Almanac 2010 looks at the voluntary sector's financial relationship with the state in more detail [PDF, 853KB].

Both sides of the COINS
David Kane, Research Development Officer, examines how the government's publication of detailed state expenditure – the Combined Online Information System (COINS) database - can add to knowledge within the sector.

NCVO advice guides and toolkits

Our specialist teams provide information, advice and support to those of you working in, or with, the voluntary sector. We've pulled together a selection of guides and tools that we believe will be most helpful in the current climate, from financial management to volunteer recruitment, and strategic analysis to collaborative working. Of course, you can always browse our extensive support service using the main site navigation links too, or use the search tool in the top right of the site.

Direct support from NCVO staff

If you feel the need for more in-depth support, our specially designed face-to-face service Getting Ready for Cuts will help your organisation prepare for these changes. It’s delivered by our expert, friendly staff as part of our consultancy service. We’ll come and work directly with your team to help you identify the scenarios you’re likely to face, improve your readiness for change, and develop a useful action plan.

Other resources

HM Treasury Website
View the full Spending Review Framework document, the Chancellor's speech in Parliament and the Treasury press release.

NCVO Third Sector Foresight
Strategic insight and planning tools for the UK voluntary and community sector.

Funding Central
Our free funding website, packed with up-to-date funding opportunities, advice and support.
Funding Central is a free website enabling you to identify thousands of grants, contracts and loan finance opportunities. It is updated daily and features statutory and non-statutory funding all in one place. It has practical tools and resources supporting you to develop sustainable income strategies appropriate to your needs. Funding Central makes complex searching easy - sign up and receive weekly, tailored funding and finance alerts delivered straight to your inbox – find out more http://www.fundingcentral.org.uk

HR Services Partnership
For practical support with all the HR issues that will arise from cuts - e.g. writing redundancy letters; attending or leading consultative meetings; handling appeals etc - NCVO's Preferred Supplier HR Services Partnership can offer practical and affordable support to ensure that you manage changes effectively and lawfully.