Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the £22 million in cash grants awarded by the Government to health charities as a result of the covid-19 outbreak, what assessment his Department made of the (a) funding needs of those charities and (b) effectiveness of the services those charities provide prior to that award; and what criteria the Government used to determine which charities should receive grants.

The Government has set out a £750 million package of support for charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the COVID-19 crisis. This will enable such organisations to continue providing essential services to those most in need. Part of the funding for charities is being disbursed with £360 million directly allocated by government departments. The most up to date information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector#government-financial-support-for-charities. Our aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible.

These services have never been more needed than they are now, especially health charities. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is responsible for allocating funding to health charities and making decisions about the criteria and effectiveness of the services they are funding. Further details about the £22 million awarded to this sector and the types or organisations supported is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/22-million-awarded-to-life-saving-health-charities-during-virus-outbreak.