Charities have made a pre-Budget plea to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt as the energy price rises bite – “help us to become energy-efficient”.
More than 30 organisations have written to Hunt ahead of his big speech on Wednesday 15 March.
The government is limiting household energy bills to an average £2,500 a year, rising to £3,000 on 1 April.
But there is growing speculation that the current level will be extended for three months, thanks to a significant fall in wholesale prices, which has cut the cost of offering the support.
Bills remain considerably higher than last year, though, with many charities struggling to survive – not least because large numbers operate from older, less energy-efficient buildings.
In their letter to Hunt, the charities are looking beyond the current cost-of-living crisis and calling for government investment in adaptations to their buildings to enhance their energy efficiency and make them cheaper to run.
They warn that many charities are at crisis point, due to the combination of rising demand, falling income and rising operational costs, and that the voluntary sector cannot respond without support.
They write: “Charities want to take steps to protect the environment but many are operating out of inefficient buildings, without access to the support they need to make changes.
“We welcome the commitment to make social finance available for energy saving improvements via dormant assets, but this is not a silver bullet.
“The budget must introduce support and funding to ensure all charities and their landlords can become more energy-efficient.”
The signatories are also calling for the government to target funding for support with energy costs and to reduce energy use, plus increase the value of government contracts so they cover the true cost of delivery.
The letter, signed by charities and organisations including NCVO, YHA, National Care Forum, Age UK and Children England, goes on: “More than half of charities worry about struggling to survive.
“The challenges are particularly acute for service delivery organisations, including those providing care, support and accommodation.
“The scaling back or closure of organisations will have a direct impact on the lives of people who already have the odds stacked against them.
“Communities can’t afford to lose charities that provide local employment, pride in place and vital community connection.”
Sarah Vibert, chief executive of NCVO, said: “The cost-of-living crisis is impacting every corner of this country and has seen a rise in demand for help like never before.
“Volunteers and charities are on the frontline of this, offering lifelines to people who would be devastated without that support.
“For every charity that shuts down, a whole community of people have the rug pulled out from under them. Even scaling back services can have a detrimental effect on people’s lives.
“We need the Chancellor to act on these warnings and provide urgent help for the voluntary sector in next week’s Budget.”