Post by jman on Aug 2, 2011 10:03:56 GMT 1
Article in Independent on the cuts facing charities such as CAB from legal aid cuts and cuts from others. Guardian and BBC have similar articles today 2.08.11
"Threat to Cameron's Big Society as cuts take toll on charities
Citizens Advice Bureaux face closure as funding withdrawn
By Oliver Wright, Whitehall Editor
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Prime Minister David Cameron has said the Big Society initiative would get all his 'passion'
In a blow to David Cameron's flagship 'Big Society' policy, Citizens Advice Bureaux across England are facing closure after budget cuts, the charity warned last night.
CAB, which provides advice and support to more than 2 million people, said that the situation in some parts of the country was now "desperate".
On average the charity has seen budget cuts of 10 per cent to its 394 bureaux this year on top of 5 per cent cuts last year.
Related articles
•Leading article: Cutting all means of support
Search the news archive for more stories
But the figures mask huge regional variations. Some CABs have had more than 50 per cent of their public funding withdrawn and are already cutting opening hours and services. Several have had their funding cut entirely.
CAB is also facing further cuts of around 18 per cent as a result of changes to the legal aid system. Under government proposals, social welfare and housing cases will no longer be eligible for legal aid – a key source of income for CAB. These cuts would deprive the CAB of around £20m a year. Recent cuts by local authorities include:
* Leicestershire County Council reduced the amount it provides the CAB by £99,470;
* Birmingham, Corby, South Gloucester, Rotherham and Thurrock have had their subsidies cut by 50 per cent;
* Southwark reduced its subsidy from £84,194 to £31,573;
* Oldham cut its grant from £149,879 to £97,876.
It comes as the number of clients seeking help with debts, benefits and homelessness has as much as doubled, the charity says. Because CAB bureaux are all individual charities and the funding cuts are disproportionate in some parts of the country its umbrella organisation has warned that many may go out of business.
"In some parts of England the situation is now desperate," said Citizens Advice chief executive, Gillian Guy. "Overall this year we are looking at local authority cuts of around 10 per cent on top of the cuts last year.
"And the worst is yet to come. We're facing the triple whammy of local authority cuts, the end of the Financial Inclusion Fund and cuts to legal aid – and you don't get very much notice of these things.
"Some Bureaux look like they may be forced to close and in other cases it will be a question of just trying to keep going by whatever means they can."
The figures emerged from a survey of local authorities carried out by the union-backed pressure group False Economy.
It found that charities working in the public sector are facing net funding reductions of more than £110m this year, although the final figure is likely to be higher as some large authorities, such as Manchester, Leeds and Sunderland, refused to provide details of their cuts. Of the charities affected 382 worked with children and young people, 142 with the elderly and 151 with disabled people.
Birmingham City Council alone has cut funding to 191 charities while the cross-council organisation London Councils, has cut funding to 174 groups.
False Economy's campaign director Clifford Singer said the cuts would have a direct effect on the ability of charities to play an active role in the Government's Big Society drive.
"These cuts are not just to 'nice to have' groups but organisations providing services for older people trying to maintain independent lives, vulnerable children and abused women."
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which has overall responsibility for CAB, said: "Core funding for Citizens Advice Bureaux typically comes from local authorities, and we very much hope they share our view that the Bureaux are important and should be supported. It's also vitally important that everyone has access to free debt advice, which is why the Department for Business has provided £27m to maintain the programme of face-to-face debt advice."
Other victims of the cuts............"
Rest at link below
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/threat-to-camerons-big-society-as-cuts-take-toll-on-charities-2330253.html
"Threat to Cameron's Big Society as cuts take toll on charities
Citizens Advice Bureaux face closure as funding withdrawn
By Oliver Wright, Whitehall Editor
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Prime Minister David Cameron has said the Big Society initiative would get all his 'passion'
In a blow to David Cameron's flagship 'Big Society' policy, Citizens Advice Bureaux across England are facing closure after budget cuts, the charity warned last night.
CAB, which provides advice and support to more than 2 million people, said that the situation in some parts of the country was now "desperate".
On average the charity has seen budget cuts of 10 per cent to its 394 bureaux this year on top of 5 per cent cuts last year.
Related articles
•Leading article: Cutting all means of support
Search the news archive for more stories
But the figures mask huge regional variations. Some CABs have had more than 50 per cent of their public funding withdrawn and are already cutting opening hours and services. Several have had their funding cut entirely.
CAB is also facing further cuts of around 18 per cent as a result of changes to the legal aid system. Under government proposals, social welfare and housing cases will no longer be eligible for legal aid – a key source of income for CAB. These cuts would deprive the CAB of around £20m a year. Recent cuts by local authorities include:
* Leicestershire County Council reduced the amount it provides the CAB by £99,470;
* Birmingham, Corby, South Gloucester, Rotherham and Thurrock have had their subsidies cut by 50 per cent;
* Southwark reduced its subsidy from £84,194 to £31,573;
* Oldham cut its grant from £149,879 to £97,876.
It comes as the number of clients seeking help with debts, benefits and homelessness has as much as doubled, the charity says. Because CAB bureaux are all individual charities and the funding cuts are disproportionate in some parts of the country its umbrella organisation has warned that many may go out of business.
"In some parts of England the situation is now desperate," said Citizens Advice chief executive, Gillian Guy. "Overall this year we are looking at local authority cuts of around 10 per cent on top of the cuts last year.
"And the worst is yet to come. We're facing the triple whammy of local authority cuts, the end of the Financial Inclusion Fund and cuts to legal aid – and you don't get very much notice of these things.
"Some Bureaux look like they may be forced to close and in other cases it will be a question of just trying to keep going by whatever means they can."
The figures emerged from a survey of local authorities carried out by the union-backed pressure group False Economy.
It found that charities working in the public sector are facing net funding reductions of more than £110m this year, although the final figure is likely to be higher as some large authorities, such as Manchester, Leeds and Sunderland, refused to provide details of their cuts. Of the charities affected 382 worked with children and young people, 142 with the elderly and 151 with disabled people.
Birmingham City Council alone has cut funding to 191 charities while the cross-council organisation London Councils, has cut funding to 174 groups.
False Economy's campaign director Clifford Singer said the cuts would have a direct effect on the ability of charities to play an active role in the Government's Big Society drive.
"These cuts are not just to 'nice to have' groups but organisations providing services for older people trying to maintain independent lives, vulnerable children and abused women."
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which has overall responsibility for CAB, said: "Core funding for Citizens Advice Bureaux typically comes from local authorities, and we very much hope they share our view that the Bureaux are important and should be supported. It's also vitally important that everyone has access to free debt advice, which is why the Department for Business has provided £27m to maintain the programme of face-to-face debt advice."
Other victims of the cuts............"
Rest at link below
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/threat-to-camerons-big-society-as-cuts-take-toll-on-charities-2330253.html
