This page is to bring together a number of different strands of information related to Charities.
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant
Under the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant (RHLG), businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for the following cash grants per property.
Charities which would otherwise meet this criteria but whose bill for 11 March had been reduced to nil by a local discretionary award should still be considered to be eligible for the RHL grant.
The guidance document can be found here.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Charities are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, meaning they can furlough their staff and apply for a grant that covers 80% of their usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions (up to the level of the minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contribution) on that subsidised furlough pay. You can find more details here.
Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Rebate Scheme
Charities with a total combined number of PAYE employees of fewer than 250 on or before 28 February 2020 are eligible for the Government's Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme. The Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will repay charities the current rate of SSP that they pay to current or former employees for periods of sickness starting on or after 13 March 2020. If you’re an employer who pays more than the current rate of SSP you can only claim the current rate amount.
The repayment will cover up to 2 weeks starting from the first day of sickness, if an employee is unable to work because they either; have coronavirus, cannot work because they are self-isolating at home, or are shielding in line with public health guidance. Employees do not have to give you a doctor’s fit note for you to make a claim. You can find out more here.
Charities Commission Guidance
The Charities Commission has issued guidance covering a range of issues, including topics such as financial support, holding virtual meetings, and keeping people safe. You can read the Charities Commission Guidance in full here.
Additionally, the Charities Commission has released guidance related to managing financial difficulties in your charity caused by coronavirus. You can read this here.
Government £750 million Funding
Charities across the UK have had a £750 million package of support made available to ensure they can continue their vital work during the coronavirus outbreak. Tens of thousands of charities providing vital services will benefit from direct cash grants to ensure they can meet increased demand as a result of the virus as well as continuing their day-to-day activities supporting those in need.
As part of a UK-wide package of support, £360 million will be directly allocated by government departments to charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the crisis. As well as this, £370 million for small and medium-sized charities, including through a grant to the National Lottery Community Fund for those in England, will support those organisations at the heart of local communities which are making a big difference during the outbreak, including those delivering food, essential medicines and providing financial advice.
The Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund
The Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund is a £25m emergency loan fund which will provide repayable finance to charities and social enterprises directly affected by the current crisis.
The Fund offers loans of £100k-£500k, a loan term of a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years, is interest-free and fee-free for the first 12 months. You can learn more about this fund here.
Funding Central
Funding Central offers access to a searchable online database listing thousands of current funding opportunities and is free for organisations with income less than £100k. You can visit Funding Central here.