Collaboration or collapse

Description

Charities play an important role in the ‘mixed economy of welfare’ in the UK. Originally seen as supplementary or superfluous to the aims and activities of the state, charities are now partners in the delivery of essential public services in the form of care homes, hospices, employment and income support, citizens advice, dementia support and more. There has been rapid change in central and local government funding of charities as public bodies move from being providers to purchasers of public services. The involvement of charities in supporting local government to tackle the cost of living crisis is therefore unsurprising. However, a number of features of this crisis mean the partnership between the public and charity sectors warrants a closer look.