Vision for Radical Change to UK Charities, Culture and Status

Firstly, please imagine what life would be like here in the UK - for just about everyone in the land, were it not for charities. Think of all the initiatives, interests, activities, and indeed our civilisation itself that are largely functioning with charities right at their heart. Music and all of the arts, welfare, education in all its forms, recreation and sport, religion, conservation and environmental action, and the entire field of heritage, to name but a few, all depend upon charitable effort. Nobody should be under any allusion about this, whether by age, race, religion, physical or mental ability, or indeed, any other circumstance. Our lives are inextricably intertwined with charitable efforts in some way.

Why then am I making this point so forcefully right now? And who am I, to be so passionate about it?

A glimpse at my credentials will show that I`m pretty well-placed to make informed comment. With way over forty years of personal effort in the charity sector generally, activity and governance, fundraising and reporting, recruitment and support, vision and a whole lot more, it's all under my belt. I venture, that I do speak with some authority on this.

The nub of this today, for me, is that the entire charitable range of activity is being squeezed, agonisingly so, and in many cases to oblivion. This is no way to treat all the goodwill and generosity of spirit that goes into it, top to bottom. It is a ghastly fiscal war that has crept in, both wantonly and by stealth, or perish the thought, just unwittingly. This is a shocking thing to have to say, but this humble charity activist and trustee can tell you beyond doubt, the truth of it.

Stand back a second though, just so we are sure this is not building up to be a political rant. Governments and administrations of every hue are as guilty as each other, the only difference being the policies that inevitably create the situation and change with every term. Oh, there are plenty of placatory words about reviews, assurances about priorities, working groups, and perhaps even action promised. Hot air, the lot of it. And they all know it but hope that it will get them off the hook at the time.

The most positive and compelling fact about the entire charitable sector is that it is driven and delivered by decent people, who give and want the best. Ninety-nine plus per cent of them are fine people who simply want to get things done, and who want to make a difference. To take any of this for granted even for a nanosecond is, at best, cynical exploitation, or abuse of power for some other pressing purpose. It is hard to talk about this without straying into much stronger language.

After all this then, what am I banging on about? And what's my solution?

Governments all must create radically improved fiscal regimes, for a start. Not just cosy words but do it. I would advocate more pragmatic incentives, to encourage volunteering, whether through employers in public services, and all the rest. The immediate impact of the imminent hike in National Insurance is an aberration. Perhaps unwittingly, it is one of the biggest hits on the charities, ever imposed. Yes, ever! Some magnificent organisations both locally and nationally will go to the wall, if they have not already done so, as a direct result of this.

I would most definitely shy away from the more American systems of giving the tax break on donations back to donors and not the charities, who should surely receive it as is the case here. To do so would be counter to a long-held and valued ethical principle hereabouts. 

Social Enterprise is probably an area that needs clearer fiscal and governance support.

Lest it should be thought that this is just an intemperate rant, I`d suggest that charitable activity needs a very robust boost right now and ahead well into the future. Yes, abandon that sap on any initiative called short-termism, and create a real focus on enduring sustainability. Speaking from considerable experience and current commitments therein, the tide is against us. Now I`m not naturally a pessimistic sort of person, quite the reverse in fact, but I feel the negative force. Of course, a hundred and one good things are always happening in the sector, every day and throughout the land, in charities big and small. The level of selfless commitment from trustees is quite outstanding, but we need a new vision for charities and all the great work they do – for everyone and everything. There are wonderful pockets of recognition in many slices of charitable effort, these are to be applauded; they must be honestly supported. Initiatives like Investors in People have been doing their bit for several years, but this is not specifically for the voluntary sector. There are also many accolades with the word `charter` attached to them, and that too is beginning to confer the status that our sector here needs. I venture that as a nation, we must go one further than all of this though.

If the title Charity Charter had not already been grabbed, in a slightly different context, I`d be suggesting this.

I`d be looking for something that is entirely over-arching, not in any way political but which should nonetheless embrace ongoing government endeavours of every hue. It needs to enshrine the great efforts of trusts, foundations, and other sources of charitable income streams, including lotteries and government grants. Company-giving legislation and endeavour need to come into the picture big style. Both the Charity Commission and OSCR need to be visibly on board. This of course then brings HMRC into focus, as all the tax regimes supporting charities are major players. Yes, I`m talking about the need for something visionary here, but it must be achievable with the absolute minimum of bureaucracy, inspection or imposition. A tall order then. Something as yet unimagined, but something which will genuinely place the entire charitable sector centre stage in terms of support, status, and esteem.

Charities are not just an add-on to central and local government responsibilities, not just something nice for business and the commercial world to dabble in. Charities are the very lifeblood of who and what we are, and merit so much more to reflect this.

Is this all pie in the sky I wonder? When was there last a truly comprehensive review or National investigation into the voluntary sector? Could such an exercise be led by a charity perspective from the start, yet gain full public sector support and not the usual tokenism? Would it be even possible to garner all of the many interests in this to achieve a far-reaching goal to project this way beyond the present?

Ah, so many questions, and there could well be a dozen more which cry out for attention and action in this core arena. 

My vision therefore is for a radically new and comprehensive regime; The UK Charity  Accord.

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