‘Broken’ charity sector forced to lose staff, cut hours and turn off the lights as cost of living bites

Exclusive: Soaring bills and other costs are forcing some charities to switch off the lights and work in the dark in a bid to save money on electricity

Charities are having to cut services, let staff go and reduce their opening hours as analysts warn parts of the sector are now “broken” as a result of the cost of living crisis.

Soaring bills and other costs are weighing heavily on organisations within the sector, with some being forced to switch off the lights and work in the dark in a bid to save money on electricity.

Research carried out by the think tank Pro Bono Economics found that around half of charities in the UK are now using their reserves to meet operating costs, a situation it described as “unsustainable”.