Helen E.’s Post

There is nowhere left to cut. From our CEO, Jane Devine.👇 BBC News is rightly highlighting the impact of increased national insurance contributions on charities. I’ve previously set out the costs to Four Square (Scotland). This post is about the impact.   Here is an example of just the support costs of one of the services we provide: homeless accommodation with support for 45 homeless young people aged 16-25 in Edinburgh. The cost of support is paid for by the council. 🔹 In 2018 we received support costs of £167 per bed per week 🔹 In 2024 it is £169 per bed per week. An increase of 1%.   The biggest cost of supporting people is staff: 🔹 In 2018 the real living wage was £9.00 per hour 🔹 In 2024 it is £12.60 per hour. An increase of 40%.   This is precarious.   We make thing work just now by supplementing our homeless services from income from our social enterprise and donations from the public. We also get an uplift from Scottish Government to support wage costs, but that is not guaranteed and this year was not passed on until June.    Now we have to find another £67k to fund employers national insurance increases.   We have just 10 non-frontline staff out of a staff team of around 120. We won’t cut staffing to frontline services. There is nowhere left to cut. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gWcxsJpQ

We in the Not-For-Profit sector know it is tough out there for many of our supporters as we struggle with the cost of living issues. For those with capacity, it might be a time to give a little more where we can. This article reflects the pressure we all feel.

Yesterday The Filo Project's founders Libby Price and Dr Liz Dennis, were joined by families and friends of those who live with dementia, to deliver an open letter to No.10 Downing Street. They are calling for not-for-profit organisations delivering welfare support and care, to be exempt from VAT in the 2024 Budget announcement in March. As The Filo Project is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC), rather than a registered charity, we are required to charge families 20% VAT on the essential care we provide. This doesn't seem fair especially when certain other profit making services are VAT exempt, such as bingo and gambling. If the government can give a tax break to bingo halls, (as it has done since 2014), why must it charge VAT for essential services for individuals in need, where profit is not the end goal? Since 2014 families supported by The Filo Project have paid more than £700,000 just in VAT on the care of their loved ones. The impact of VAT on families supported by The Filo Project means that many are unable to afford as much care as they need. We think this needs to change. Add your voice to this campaign by signing our petition: https://lnkd.in/g5vq6exz #Campaigns #DementiaAwareness #TimeForChange #EndTheDementiaTax #VAT #UKHealthcare

Yesterday, Rachel Reeves announced that charities will not be exempt from National Insurance increases. Here are the implications and next steps for social care. 👇 The situation 📍 Over 7,300 providers of care, including Hft, have signed an open letter warning that this tax rise will cost the social care sector an estimated £2.8 billion a year. We fully support the position of Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), which has consistently called for fair and adequate funding. Without this funding, we will struggle to deliver the support people need to live with independence and dignity. The Care Provider Alliance’s survey of over 1,180 care providers highlights the devastating consequences of these changes. - Nearly three-quarters will refuse new care packages from local authorities or the NHS. - Over half are planning to hand back existing contracts. - 22% are considering closing entirely. - 64% are being forced to make staff redundant. Allocating £600m to social care on one hand, while demanding £2.8billion with the other simply doesn’t add up. The people we serve deserve to live fulfilling lives, and we cannot meet that need without proper financial backing. Next steps 👣 The upcoming local government settlement presents an opportunity for the Government to prevent a collapse in social care. It is critical that local authorities receive enough funding to cover these rising costs and that it is ringfenced to ensure it reaches providers. If the Government can’t exempt charities from these costs, it must provide the funding to ensure the wellbeing of those we serve. Anything less is simply unacceptable. What can I do? 💡 1. Keep the conversation going! At the risk of repeating ourselves, we need to continue to apply the pressure and keep this topic in the public eye. Share this post and spread the word! 2. Read our full statement here: https://loom.ly/JdxT6zg #NationalInsuranceIncrease #CharitySector #SocialCare

The upcoming UK Budget could see a £3bn cut to sickness benefits over the next four years. The article highlights: ▶️ The savings will be made through tightening assessments for long-term sickness benefits. ▶️ Many charities are concerned about the significant impact on disabled people. ▶️ There are also plans to explore new sources of revenue including potential tax hikes, national insurance and capital gains tax increases. Read the article here 👇 https://bit.ly/4fb9sdJ #UKBenefits #WelfareBill #SicknessBenefits

That also means adequate support.

Have you got your Lasting Power of Attorney in place? I would like to thank you for the courtesy, speed and understanding at a difficult time to help us put these documents together. Did you know that 85% of UK adults do not have a Lasting Power of Attorney? It's a crucial document to have in place in case you can no longer manage your financial affairs or make important decisions about your health and welfare. We can help you through the process and ensure the documents are completed correctly. Plus, with every order, we make a charitable contribution to your local branch of Age Concern or Age UK. Don't wait until it's too late! Get in touch with us to discuss how we can help you secure your future. #LPA #lastingpowerofattorney

#ThursdayThoughts MANY COUPLES MAY NEED TO RESTART CHILD BENEFIT CLAIMS The changes to the High Income Child Benefit Charge (#HICBC) announced in the Spring Budget have now been incorporated into the latest Finance Bill effective from 6 April 2024. The increase in the threshold for the tax charge was good news, although many were lobbying for the charge to be removed completely.  #Planning #opportunity An individual’s #pension contributions and payments to #charity under Gift Aid have the effect of reducing net income for the purposes of HICBC. #Salarysacrifice arrangements agreed with the employer can also be effective in reducing net income for HICBC purposes. #taxplanning with PK Group

Have you got your Lasting Power of Attorney in place? I would like to thank you for the courtesy, speed and understanding at a difficult time to help us put these documents together. Did you know that 85% of UK adults do not have a Lasting Power of Attorney? It's a crucial document to have in place in case you can no longer manage your financial affairs or make important decisions about your health and welfare. We can help you through the process and ensure the documents are completed correctly. Plus, with every order, we make a charitable contribution to your local branch of Age Concern or Age UK. Don't wait until it's too late! Get in touch with us to discuss how we can help you secure your future. #LPA #lastingpowerofattorney

Have you got your Lasting Power of Attorney in place? I would like to thank you for the courtesy, speed and understanding at a difficult time to help us put these documents together. Did you know that 85% of UK adults do not have a Lasting Power of Attorney? It's a crucial document to have in place in case you can no longer manage your financial affairs or make important decisions about your health and welfare. We can help you through the process and ensure the documents are completed correctly. Plus, with every order, we make a charitable contribution to your local branch of Age Concern or Age UK. Don't wait until it's too late! Get in touch with us to discuss how we can help you secure your future. #LPA #lastingpowerofattorney