Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the financial impact of coronavirus on medical research charities, including the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

I sympathise profoundly with anyone who is affected by cardiovascular disease and I pay tribute to the BHF for the vital work it does in funding research and campaigning for improved care and support.

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the charity sector. Charities have been unable to fundraise over this period - a time of year when it holds many public facing events. I also recognise that the average UK charity only has four months of reserves held. It is for these reasons that I have been calling on the Government to provide charities with greater financial support.

On 8 April, the Government announced a £750 million support package for charities across the UK directly responding to COVID-19. While I welcome this funding, I am concerned that the money falls far short of filling the financial black hole charities are facing. A report by the New Philanthropy Capital also finds that only five of 152 Association of Medical Research Charities members are eligible to benefit from the Government’s support package.

The Institute of Fundraising has warned that the charity sector is facing a £12.4 billion loss this year. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has also expressed concern that charities across the UK are at risk of “imminent collapse” as fundraising dries up.

Medical research charities carry out vital, life-saving work, but with only 3% able to access Government support, I am concerned that important research is being shelved. The UK gets great returns on research funding, both in terms of our economy and in the positive impact for those that rely on breakthroughs in medical treatment.

Without Government intervention, I am concerned that charities like the BHF will be unable to cope. I will press the Government to listen to the sector and look again at what additional measures and financial support can be made available. Not doing so will place enormous pressure on public services and will result in many people in our communities struggling without the vital support and care they need.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP