Rising demand, falling income and staff departures are among a raft of workplace pressures prompting two in three charity leaders to consider quitting, a survey has found.

The findings have emerged in a report carried out by financial firm Rathbones into latest trends and pressures facing the charity sector.

This involved surveying senior executives at charities, with a collective £5bn worth of investments.

It found that 96% are curtailing services due to pressures such as a fall in income and amid increased demand for support.

Four in five are restricting eligibility criteria for support. Other measures taken, by almost three in ten, include lengthening waiting lists.

One in six have been forced to pause or cancel programmes and one in seven have reduced the areas they serve.

One in seven warn their charity faces permanent closure and one in four are open to a merger with another similar organisation.

Staff departures are another concern for senior charity figures. Almost nine in ten say they have seen an increase in workers leaving the charity sector. A similar proportion expect the number of departures from the sector to increase over the next two years.

Relying on volunteers

More than one in three charities are relying on volunteers to fill the gap left by leaving staff, found researchers.

“Charities play a major role in supporting families and individuals across the UK and the cuts to services will have a major impact,” warned Rathbones’ director of charities David Cox.

“Charities are being squeezed from both sides by a drop in income and a surge in demand for their services, which means it is vital they maximise their revenue through all means possible, including investments.”

Already one in eight people say they can no longer access charity services due to restrictions or closures, Rathbones found in separate consumer research it carried out.

One in five say they have increased their use of charity services or started using such services for the first time over the last year. This is double last year’s figures.

Cox added: “The pressure on charities is now being felt by the people who rely on their services, the staff who deliver them and the leaders trying to keep organisations sustainable.”

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