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<p>The Government has announced a broad package of support for businesses and charities
to ensure that organisations that need support are able to access it. This includes
the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme,
and the option to defer VAT payments due between 20 March and 30 June 2020.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>In addition, on 8 April the Government announced a £750 million funding
package to ensure charities providing frontline services to vulnerable people affected
by the pandemic can continue their vital work. We have been focused on distributing
these funds as quickly as possible, but balanced with ensuring it reaches those that
need it most. Of this, £360 million was to be allocated to individual government departments
based on evidence of service need. This funding has now been allocated to government
departments, who are using a range of approaches to award funding either directly
to charities or through bidding processes. All funding must be spent by the end of
October 2020.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>£370 million has been allocated to support
small and medium sized charities during the pandemic. This includes £60 million funding
through the Barnett formula to support charities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Of the £310 million to be spent in England, £200 million has been distributed to the
National Lottery Community Fund to award grants through the Coronavirus Community
Support Fund. Applications for this fund opened on 22 May and the National Lottery
Community Fund is assessing applications in the order in which they are received,
in order to award grants as quickly as possible.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In
addition, the Government is matching public donations to the BBC Big Night In. The
first £20 million of match funding went to the National Emergencies Trust. The 47
local Community Foundations across the UK, including Scotland, Wales & Northern
Ireland will then provide grant funding to eligible organisations within their community.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>Further information on available funds and how to apply for them can
be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19</a>.</p><p>
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