A large learning disability charity has warned that 1,700 voluntary and community sector jobs in Northern Ireland are at risk as EU-funded services end next year.
Mencap told Civil Society News that 1,700 staff across Northern Ireland’s disability sector would have to be put on protective notice when programmes funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) run out.
The charity said this will affect 50 of its own employment officers and 350 participants.
A protective notice is a period of time from which employees are informed whether their employment is in danger. A notice letter typically informs staff that funding linked to their contract of employment is due to end. The notice tends to include reassurance that if further funding is secured contracts will be renewed.
Last week, charities Career Connect, the Salvation Army and Groundwork also warned that employability programmes in England that are funded by ESF are likely to end next year, with some already closing.
1,700 staff at risk
Mencap has delivered training, employment and social inclusion services funded by ESF to people with a learning disability over the past 31 years.
Edel Harris, chief executive officer of Mencap, said ESF is “an integral part of our infrastructure and enables us to provide vital support for young people with a learning disability making the transition to adulthood.
“Like the wider voluntary and community sector, we’re deeply concerned about the looming cliff edge in funding of essential services after March 2023 when ESF ends. It’s estimated that this could mean a loss of service for up to 17,000 people and will affect the 1,700 employees who support them,” she added.
“The proposals for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which will replace ESF funding and UKSPF proposals, fall substantially short and offer inadequate funding levels to maintain our current service. This will have dire consequences for people furthest removed from mainstream society.”
Gap in funding
ESF is a former EU funding pot that supported employment across the bloc’s member states between 2014 and 2020. In England, the funding can be accessed until 31 December 2023, but many of the current employability programmes finish in March next year.
This year, the government launched its own UKSPF to invest in three local priorities: communities and places, support for local businesses and people and skills.
UKSPF is worth £2.6bn over the next three years, with England being allocated £239m in 2022-23, £409m in 2023-24 and £918m in 2024-25, totalling £1.6bn. In England, funding to support people and skills commences from 2024-25 onwards – or earlier for places that “meet the voluntary sector considerations”, meaning that charities will face a funding gap.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can access funding from the people and skills priority – which focuses on employment and education and replaces ESF – from 2022-23.
While local government will be given responsibility for developing an investment plan for the delivery of UKSPF, the UK government said that in Northern Ireland it will work with local partners to design a specific investment plan.
According to the Institute for Government, the UK was allocated €11bn (£9.6bn at current exchange rates) of EU structural funds between 2014 and 2020. Of this, €5.1bn came through ESF.
Related articles
