The Minister for the Third Sector has challenged the sector to show the way in transforming public services. The challenge comes with a number of new developments demonstrating the Government’s commitment to working in partnership with charities, voluntary groups and social enterprise.

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OGCbuying.solutions, an executive agency of HM Treasury, has negotiated a range of new deals with suppliers. All public sector organisations procuring through the framework agreements will benefit by some 170 m pounds in total. This is in addition to the savings from the earlier framework agreements which are now expiring.

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Research by charity Turn2us shows that people are six times more likely to increase their borrowing from banks than seek help from charities, if they were to face financial difficulties.

If they lost their income or were unable to pay their bills, 25 per cent of respondents said they would borrow from banks and 14 per cent would use credit cards. By comparison, only 4 per cent said they would think to seek help from a charitable source, despite the existence of over 3,300 charities that give grants to people in financial need. Less than half of those surveyed would access welfare benefits and around one in eight said there wasn’t anywhere they would be able to get money from.

Read more on DEBT PROBLEMS – HELP FROM CHARITIES…