Charity Sector and the New Government

There are few voices in the Charity Sector as significant as that of Sir Stuart Etherington, the former Chief Executive of NCVO.

So, when he set out before the General Election what he thought the Charity Sector should be asking of the next government, it would have been wise for charity leaders and politicians alike to take notice.

One of his most welcome suggestions was a treasury move towards boosting tax advantages for donors and simplifying the process for reclaiming tax on gifts, as is the case in the USA. This has been mooted over many years during both the Thatcher and Blair administrations – but has never come to fruition. The fact that Americans give more to charity than we do is not because they are wealthier or more generous – it’s simply that the financial advantages for them in so doing are greater than they are here.

Borrowing good practice from elsewhere was also a theme in the Third Sector Conference in June. Mary Rose Gunn, Chief Executive of The Fore, pointed out that large charities can find new ways of innovating by studying what small charities are doing at the grassroots.

The Blair government identified areas where charities could undertake tasks more efficiently and cost-effectively than public sector organisations. This gave many small charities, including some with which Minerva has worked, a great opportunity to move into new areas, try new solutions – and save taxpayers’ money.

Sadly, in recent years these opportunities for the Charity Sector have declined. Let’s hope that the new government will build on the achievement of its Blair predecessor and offer our sector more opportunities in the future.