Requests for charity services more than double during COVID-19

Digital exclusion means that a generation of disadvantaged pupils will now face increased difficulties in accessing education. Charities have also seen an increase in grant applications for different items during lockdown, including helping families with childcare as schools closed. Applications for grants included requests for help with study equipment, including laptops, internet access and computers, for those that could not afford them.

Many charities have also been offering digital mental health and wellbeing services, counselling and advice services (such as debt, careers or benefits advice) to help individuals cope with lockdown and the impacts of the virus. For example, The Licensed Trade Charity offers a wide range of digital services to beneficiaries - including access to free courses through their online learning portal, digital resources to help manage money troubles and mental health and an online benefits calculator, to make sure users are aware of all the benefits they might be entitled to.

In response to this clear need for greater financial support, ACO has just launched the ‘Here to Help’ campaign to raise awareness of the assistance grant-giving charities can provide to those that have lost their jobs or are struggling due to COVID-19. The campaign seeks to raise public awareness of these charities and their services, while also reaching out to key organisations that work closely with the public, including Citizens Advice, food banks and Job Centres.

As part of their campaign, the ACO has produced a short guide to financial support from grant-giving charities to inform individuals about the services available and how to find help.

“With most of our member charities seeing an increased demand for support as a result of this pandemic, we believe it is vital we reach out to members of the public that could be suffering at this time to let them know there are charities here and ready to help.

As we, unfortunately, anticipate further redundancies as the government’s Job Retention Scheme comes to an end, we urge members of the public and those working closely with them to think about whether a grant-giving charity could help. People know the big-name charities, but often do not realise there are hundreds of charities out there that could offer assistance.

There are charities that help people, and their families, that have ever had a certain job, that help people living in a certain region of the UK or those that will help you if you fall into a certain group in society – such as being a women, older person or child. Many do not know that retail staff, construction workers, carers, hospitality staff, nurses and virtually any occupation you can think of all have their own charity providing support to those that have fallen on difficult times. We seek to change this.”

 

- Donal Watkin, Chief Executive at ACO