To say that some charities shouldn’t exist?

[YourJadeSeal]

Shouldn’t governments take responsibility for things like homelessness and food banks instead of relying on charity?

But there are charities in Germany though?

Category:Charities based in Germany - Wikipedia

As far as I'm aware you can't just go to a food bank if you run out you have to be authorised by SS or someone to be allowed to access a food bank.

But what happens when it becomes too reliant on Government funding and then funding gets squeezed?

Or the Government makes decisions that it fundamentally disagrees with but it can't say anything as it doesn't want to bite the hand that feeds it?

There are big medical research charities that raise money to give money to scientists for research.

If that was left to Government to fund, there would be competition for funds, only certain types of research would be encouraged, and it would be at risk of losing funding when other Government areas take precedent.

Indeed it should. In fact as a pp has said some statutory services are contract out from local government to charities to deliver.

But those charities don't get funded properly so have very long waiting lists.

Also seems to be huge difference in provision of services from area to area. Where some places are council funded and other places rely on charities to plug the gap.

@cakeorwine that makes zero sense. That’s like saying ‘let’s not have an NHS’. Because once it’s properly funded by government, it’s recurring, not a whim. It’s not a donation by the government that can be withheld if they don’t agree with something. It’s like any public service, if they need capital funds for new boats, then they need to have their old boats meet agreed criteria to be decommissioned and apply for funding to meet government criteria for replacement. But their core business either air or sea rescue remains a funded element, just like nhs funding. If more money needs to be generated then taxation needs to reflect that.

Do you think that other services funded by Government have ever seen their funding cut or reduced?

Charity gagging clauses

Citizens Advice signed ‘gagging clause’ in exchange for £21 million from DWP – Disability News Service

A national advice charity signed a £21 million contract which included a “gagging clause” that prevented it bringing the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) “unfairly” into “disrepute”, an official document has finally confirmed.
Citizens Advice signed the Help to Claim contract last year, extending its agreement with DWP to provide support to people making a new claim for universal credit by another year.
But the charity refused to say at the time whether the grant agreement included a gagging clause that could prevent it speaking out on social security issues.
DWP resisted a freedom of information request to see the agreement last February but following a complaint by Disability News Service (DNS) to the information commissioner, it has now backed down and released the document.
It shows that Citizens Advice agreed not to take any actions that “unfairly bring or are likely to unfairly bring [DWP’s] name or reputation and/or [DWP] into disrepute”.

I can't get my head round the fact that lifeboats arent funded like ambulance and fire engines etc. They save lives.

Clearly that service should not be run by groups of people, it should be fully funded staffed by paid employees supported by volunteers when necessary and run by the government.

Food banks save lives.

Medical research saves lives

But they are charity based. Do you think there is a difference?

I run a food bank and I agree with you OP.

We do good work, we support a lot of people (hundreds a week), we’re efficient, we use / redirect a lot of food waste… and yet…

huge duplication of effort
lack of expertise
big-picture issues that we can’t address (I’m forever trying to make nutritious food parcels for families in temp accommodation; food is really not the problem here)
working people accessing our service because they can’t afford to live

and so on.

The government has built our existence into their planning model and it enrages me.

Of course they shouldn't exist. In a civilised society it appalling that we accept the need for fundraising to support our children, our older people, our less able people. It is shocking that charity support life boats, air ambulances, essential medical equipment and medical research.

However, the alternative is higher taxes, particular on those with deeper pockets. I'd suggest you look at many recent threads on this very forum for how those with deeper pockets feel about this. And unfortunately those with deeper pockets seem to get more say, and indeed get into power, in our own society.

Even I am not one of those with deeper pockets, I'd be happy to pay a penny or two extra in the tax pound for the benefits we would gain. But when push comes to shove, particularly at election time, I don't think many would say similar and particulary those who can most afford it.

@cakeorwine i don’t think you’re understanding the ask of the op in this post. What charities would you think should be fully funded nationally. I believe all emergency services including RNLI and Air ambulance should. Not everyone will agree. That’s ok. But stick to the topic and don’t throw nonsense that’s irrelevant into the fantasy non charity mix.
So, back to the original ask, gagging clauses for charity wouldn’t be relevant as nationally funded and operated.
Government funding for essential health services should be more I agree. I am not against taxation.
im going to mute you though because you’re responses are frankly useless and not helpful. Your inability to understand the ask is, I fear, unable to be overcome.

Trussell Trust actually say that their mission is to remove the need for their services. They don't mean that the government should run food banks instead though, they mean that there should be an adequate social security net and work should pay sufficiently that food banks are unnecessary.

"Shouldn’t governments take responsibility for things like homelessness and food banks instead of relying on charity"

Technically that's the OP.

Obviously during that discussion, issues such as RNLI funding have come up and there are well known reasons why the RNLI does not want Government funding, as well as the issues and concerns other charities have when getting Government funding.

Some people like to hear other views to form an opinion. And when they hear other views that contradict their own beliefs, most people get defensive instead of being receptive.

And I'd add to that Jacob Rees Smug saying that the rise in food banks was 'uplifting'.

CAB employees are charity workers too you know! And Citizens Advice has twin aims - to provide advice and information to help solve people's immediate problems, but also to tackle the root causes of those problems through influencing government policy.

It depends on the food bank. The largest network of them, run under the Trussell Trusts umbrella, needs a referral. But it's pretty easy to get one. I'm a referer as a casework volunteer with another charity, but you can get one from any CAB, doctors surgery, school (usually) etc.

Some smaller food banks are walk in, but that risks there not being any food available.

Charities that support people often want to not just give support but also want to give advice to help people get themselves out of a situation.

Such as supporting people filling in complex forms to claim certain benefits, supporting with appeals when it comes to claiming certain benefits.

Helping with nipping things "in the bud" before they escalate.

"Shouldn’t governments take responsibility for things like homelessness and food banks instead of relying on charity"

Often it's Government policy that leads to things like homelessness and food banks.

So - and here's a thought - maybe they should try and implement policies that reduce homelesness and the need for food banks.

God yes, appalling wasn’t it?

I work for a charity and we make referrals to food banks. We have lots of different food banks/pantry type things in the town. It’s hard to keep up as there seem to be more popping up all the time. They all work differently. I often think it would be more efficient if at least some of them combined and worked together. I think food banks are here to stay now. It’s like they’ve become part of the local council service/charity infrastructure where I live at least. And I wouldn’t say I live in a particularly poor area. It’s mixed I would say in terms of wealth.

We do have a coastguard service (accessible by dialling 999 in coastal areas) but I confess that I'm rather vague about what they do compared with what is done by the RNLI.

They call out the RNLI, they use the radar, co-ordinate with helicopters, RNLI etc

If you ever watch Saving Lives at Sea, you'll see what they do.