Two neighbouring Age UK charities are in talks to merge to improve their financial security.

Age UK Croydon and Age UK Sutton have announced they are involved in discussions about the possibility of a potential merger.

“Whilst there is no financial or timing driver for this exploration, we do believe that there are a number of potential benefits,” said the statement by Age UK Sutton chief executive Nicola Upton ad Age UK Crowdon’s interim CEO Deborah McCluskey.

Benefits of the move between the two south London charities include helping to build capacity, provide better long-term sustainability and financial security as well as “creating new opportunities for growth, offering more services, to more people, across both Boroughs”, said their statement.

The statement adds: “Both Boards have expressed their commitment to explore all possibilities, risks and positive opportunities of any such merger and we are just entering into feasibility and due diligence processes to help this exploration.

“If the decision is made to merge, it will be because we believe that in bringing the two local Age UK entities together, we will be able to deliver more and better for local older people.”

Earlier this year youth sector charities Catch 22 and Community Links announced their merger, four years after sharing back office and corporate services.

Research published in February found that Covid-19 has been a factor in a fifth of charity mergers that took place between May and October 2020.

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