VCFSE Sector News and Consultations
Community Action Suffolk (CAS) aims to help the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE ) sector in Suffolk. This is to ensure that the VCFSE sector in Suffolk has a voice in areas where we need to influence for the benefit of our communities, and to provide input into the development and growth of Suffolk.
Sector News
Links to Sector News and Reports that may be of interest to the sector will be displayed here on a regular basis.
June 2026
How charities are adapting to a more volatile operating
Charities are increasingly operating in what is being termed Protection Mode. According to NCVO, rising demand, financial pressures, misinformation, online hostility and rapid technological change are reshaping how organisations deliver their work.
NCVO in partnership with Zurich have produced a report that explores how charities are adapting to a more volatile environment and the support needed to build resilience for the future. To read the full Spring briefing visit the NCVO Website.
The Solidarity Fund: £60 million awarded to tackle root causes of poverty, disadvantage and discrimination
The Solidarity Fund goes beyond short-term fixes. It brings people together across different issues, places and communities. It helps them to act on shared challenges and build long-term solutions.
This funding complements vital services by investing in lasting change. It supports people closest to the issues to lead and organise. It helps communities build knowledge. And it strengthens relationships across different communities and issues.
We are backing organisations with strong community relationships and a track record. The funding gives them the stability to build on what already works. To strengthen community leadership. To share learning and tackle root causes over time.
Our focus is practical and long term: using truly life-changing National Lottery funding responsibly, where it can make the greatest – lasting – difference. To read more about the fund visit the National Lottery Community Fund website.
Regulators join forces to remind the public of their responsibilities when fundraising
The Charity Commission and the Fundraising Regulator have published new, joint guidance to help people who want to raise funds for charity. The regulators are advising members of the public to follow this latest guidance so that people can fundraise in a way that protects themselves and the charity they are raising money for.
Each year, almost a third of sector income is raised from donations and legacies, including fundraising by the public. The guide sets out practical steps for anyone thinking about setting up a fundraising appeal, including in response to an emergency. It is important that people follow the guidance because, when someone decides to raise money for charity they, not the charity, are responsible for ensuring the money goes where intended.
Built to last, built to borrow? Legal structures and social investment readiness
Good Finance have published a blog for organisations focused on their social mission, commenting that legal structure can feel like an administrative detail. In practice, it shapes the financing options available, the confidence investors place in your governance, and the flexibility you have to grow and adapt.
Companies House to bring in changes to accounts filing from April 2028
The government has announced that Charitable Companies, small companies and micro-entities will need to file profit and loss accounts but can opt out of publication. All companies will need to file accounts via commercial software with more time to prepare.
To give companies more time to prepare, this package of accounts reforms will now come into effect from April 2028, rather than April 2027. This means all companies will have one full accounting year, plus 9 months (21 months) to get ready. The government will be contacting all companies via their registered email address to tell them about these changes and signpost available guidance.
The changes will affect charitable companies but not charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs), which only file with sector regulators including the Charity Commission.
Approved mileage rates from tax year 2026 to 2027
The government has increased the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP) rate for employees and volunteers using their personal vehicles for business or volunteering purposes.
For cars and vans, the approved rate is now 55p per mile for the first 10,000 miles travelled in a tax year and 25p per mile thereafter. The change applies retrospectively for the 2026–27 tax year and therefore covers mileage travelled since 6 April 2026.
The approved rate represents the maximum amount that can be paid without creating a tax liability. Organisations can decide whether to adopt the new rate in line with their own expenses policies and arrangements. Organisations should also note that paying above the approved rate may have tax implications. More information is available on the GOV.UK website.
Real time guidance for serious on-farm accidents
FarmersAid is a long-term initiative from RABI, designed to strengthen emergency preparedness across the farming community. It has been developed with clinical and frontline expertise to ensure guidance is accurate, practical and usable in real on-farm conditions.
The FarmersAid app is designed for use in high-stress situations and can be accessed on any smartphone. Guidance is structured, clear and easy to follow, helping people act confidently until emergency services arrive. Visit https://farmersaid.org.uk/ for more details.
Breaking the Cycle: Tackling Fly-Tipping and Waste Crime – A Roadmap for Reform
Future Countryside and the National Rural Crime Network (NRCN) have published a new report warning that fly-tipping and waste crime have evolved into a large-scale criminal industry that is devastating rural communities, damaging the environment and costing the UK economy hundreds of millions of pounds every year.
The report has been produced jointly by Future Countryside and the National Rural Crime Network and draws on official statistics, industry evidence, academic research and testimony from across the rural sector. Future Countryside and the NRCN are calling on ministers, regulators, police forces, local authorities and the Environment Agency to work together to deliver a more coordinated and effective national response. Breaking the Cycle: Tackling Fly-Tipping and Waste Crime – A Roadmap for Reform is available to read in full now.
Skills England Annual Skills Report and Sectoral Skills Needs Assessments 2026
The annual skills report sets out the key challenges facing England’s skills system in 2026 and how
Skills England is responding. It highlights the need for a more flexible, employer-led and evidence-driven system to address skills shortages, support young people, and align training with economic priorities.
The Sectoral Skills Needs Assessments (SNAs) go on to provide an overall view of current and future demand for skills, map pathways from courses to occupations, and identify where current provision can be developed to meet skills needs.
The assessments are designed to support engagement with employers, and support policy making. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-england-annual-skills-report-and-sectoral-skills-needs-assessments-2026
Menopause in the Workplace
This resource is part of MENO-kit: an online toolkit to help organisations address menopause in their workplace (www.meno-kit.org.uk). MENO-kit was developed as part of a research project by Lancaster University, University of Nottingham and King’s College London. It was funded by the charity Wellbeing of Women.
Switched On to Privacy
Switched on to privacy is a campaign from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to help parents and carers of 4–11-year-olds talk to their children about online privacy.
If you work directly with families or parents this Switched On to Privacy guidance offers simple tools and conversation starters to help families navigate conversations about online privacy. They have got tools and resources that organisations can use to promote the guidance on their website. https://ico.org.uk/switched-on-to-privacy/switched-on-to-privacy-campaign-toolkit/
Delivering for All: Rural Realities
The Rural Services Network have launched their Delivering for All: Rural Realities survey findings, capturing the lived experiences of more than 2,400 rural residents across England, highlighting both the very real challenges facing communities and the untapped potential within rural places. https://rsnonline.org.uk/delivering-for-all-rural-realities-research
From Good Work to Good Health: Employers’ Role in the Health of the UK Workforce
A new report from the Living Wage Foundation exploring the links between work, health, and financial security, funded by the The Health Foundation has recently been published. Alongside a review of the evidence, the report includes new polling on workers’ experiences and what people most want from employers — from fair pay and secure work to flexibility and better support for paternity and sickness. It demonstrates what really makes a difference to people’s wellbeing.
https://www.livingwage.org.uk/good-work-good-health-employers-role-health-uk-workforce
Making grants to charities and other organisations
The Charity Commission have published new guidance to help charity trustees make confident, responsible grant-making decisions. Thousands of charities carry out their purposes by making grants to other organisations. The new guidance covers the fundamentals of effective grant-making, from setting funding priorities and carrying out due diligence, to monitoring grants and reporting impact.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/regulator-publishes-new-guidelines-on-grant-making-as-charity-sector-continues-tofeel-financial-squeeze
The Digital Exclusion Risk Atlas (DERA)
The DERA is an online, location-based analytical tool designed to help health and care system teams understand and identify patterns of digital exclusion across England. It brings together a range of data indicators to highlight areas where people may face barriers to accessing and using digital health and care services. By improving visibility of these patterns, the Atlas aims to support more targeted interventions and contribute to efforts to reduce health inequalities. DERA User Guide
The new high street playbook: Community-led innovation in action
Power to Change have produced a ‘new high street playbook’ which shares lessons from their Community-Led High Street Innovators programme, and shows why they matter now. Connecting real world practice to the current policy window, this report reflects a growing focus on the conditions needed for longer-term stewardship, particularly the role of community influence, governance and ownership in shaping the future of our high streets.
May 2026
High cost of living: Impact on households
The House of Commons Library have produced a Research Briefing on the high cost of living and the impacts on households. In it, they point out that in April 2026, 79% of adults in Great Britain reported an increase in their cost of living compared with the previous month. Of those whose cost of living increased, 92% said it was because food shopping had increased in price, while 80% said it was because fuel prices had increased. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10100
Young people with mental health conditions are now more likely to be NEET
New analysis from The Health Foundation indicates that mental health and the rising number of young people who are NEET show a correlation. Nearly 957,000 young people are now not in education, employment or training (NEETS) – 200,000 more since 2021. Landing to coincide with the landmark Milburn interim report, their latest analysis shows mental health is an increasingly important factor. With major policy decisions on young people and work ahead, understanding the link between health and participation is critical.
Key findings from the analysis include:
• Work-limiting health conditions among NEET young people rose from 26% to 44% (2015–2025).
• Mental health conditions among young people nearly doubled.
• Those reporting a mental health condition are now three times more likely to be NEET.
• The link between mental health and NEET status is strengthening, not weakening.
Research Report: Impacts of public services being delivered by civil society organisations
To support the implementation of the Civil Society Covenant – the Government’s commitment to resetting the relationship between the state and civil society – the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) commissioned Ipsos UK to help develop a Theory of Change articulating the impact of civil society delivering public services. The purpose of the research is to improve cross-government understanding of whether, how, and to what extent there is additional value generated when public services are delivered by civil society organisations.
This report identifies and discusses inputs and activities, mechanisms and outcomes, and impacts. The research draws on the wider literature to provide an assessment of the evidence for each outcome and examples of the impact of civil society in delivering public services. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impacts-of-public-services-being-delivered-by-civil-society-organisations/research-report-impacts-of-public-services-being-delivered-by-civil-society-organisations
What charities need to know about the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
Charity Comms have written a useful blog that helps explain how the legislation governing how charities handle data has changed.
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) updated key legislation, including UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). The act became law in June 2025. But most of the changes it created came into force on 5 February 2026.
So what does this mean for your charity? The highlights below will help you get to grips with it (including some welcome news about how you can contact supporters with your marketing). https://www.charitycomms.org.uk/what-charities-need-to-know-about-the-data-use-and-access-act-2025
Searching for Life Rafts: The Funding Experience Survey 2026
IVAR (Institute for Voluntary Action Research) conducted a survey in early 2026 about the Funding Experience. The report of the survey is introduced as one that tells two stories. The first of progress, with charities indicating that grant-making has improved over the last three years, with a number of funders making the processes clearer, asking better questions, and being more will to engage prior to full application. The second story though does not paint such a positive picture, with some respondents indicating that their funding experiences have worsened over the last three years, with unrestricted funding, multi-year funding and useful feedback. View the Searching for Life Rafts: The Funding Experience Survey 2026 report on the IVAR website.
UK Local Giving Report – Mapping generosity across the country
The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) have produced new research highlighting a greater desire for community involvement in the UK. It analyses the levels of charitable giving, community engagement and local pride and found that when people engage in their local communities they are more likely to donate to charity and feel a sense of local pride. UK Local Giving Report 2026.
Healthy Ageing: physical activity in an ageing society
The Health and Social Care Committee of the House of Commons has recently published a report on Healthy Ageing: physical activity in an ageing society. In it they have looked at one of the government’s priorities for the NHS, to shift from illness to prevention, pointing out that despite the overwhelming evidence of the benefits of physical activity, it continues to be treated as an optional extra across the NHS and social care. Read more: Healthy Ageing: physical activity in an ageing society.
Sales, leases, transfers or mortgages: what trustees need to know about disposing of charity land (CC28)
The Charity Commission Guidance on Sales, leases, transfers or mortgages: what trustees need to know about disposing of charity land (CC28) has been updated to reflect the changes to leases which have come in from the Renters’ Rights Act that came into force on 1 May. Visit the Charity Commission page Sales, leases, transfers of mortgages update to read more.
Towards a Model Neighbourhood: Next Steps on Implementing Neighbourhood Health
PPL (Public Private Ltd) in partnership with The NHS Alliance have launched a new report advancing on how neighbourhood health is delivered in practice. You can read the full report on the PPL website: Towards a Model Neighbourhood: Next Steps on Implementing Neighbourhood Health.
Future Suffolk – Creating three new councils
Suffolk’s councils have come together to launch Future Suffolk – a new website providing a trusted, single source of information on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).
With changes planned to create three new unitary councils by 2028, the site explains what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you. Please visit the Suffolk LGR Hub website to find out more.
Community energy: Widening Participation
The Centre for Sustainable Energy has produced a toolkit with practical resources, insights and case studies around widening participation in Community Energy projects to encourage greater involvement of people from across their communities. Visit The Community Energy: Widening Participation Toolkit to read more.
New rules strengthening benefits claimants’ rights to volunteer welcomed
Charity sector umbrella body NCVO has cautiously welcomed new government rules that aim to reinforce the freedom of people who receive welfare benefits to work and volunteer. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) intends for its “right to try” regulations, which came into force yesterday, to strengthen benefits claimants’ ability to volunteer without automatically triggering a reassessment of their claims. DWP stated: “Right to try makes it clear that undertaking work or volunteering will not automatically lead to a reassessment.” View the Civil Society New rules strengthening benefit claimants’ right to volunteer to read the full article.
New Research Highlights Digital Barriers To Getting Active
New research from Good Things Foundation and Sport England highlights how digital exclusion is becoming an increasingly important barrier to taking part in sport and physical activity.
The report, Digital inclusion and physical activity: insights and recommendations from user research, explores how digital access, confidence and online experiences shape people’s ability to get active, from finding information about local opportunities to booking sessions and using fitness apps.
Researchers found that digital barriers are often hidden obstacles to participation. These include difficulties affording internet access or suitable devices, low digital confidence, concerns around online safety, and inaccessible or confusing booking systems. New Research Highlights Digital Barriers To Getting Active.
Energy and Water Use in the English Countryside Report
Rural England CIC have produced a report on the different energy and water pressures facing rural households across England. Read the Rural England Energy and Water Use in the Countryside Report.
No More Excuses: Affordable Rural Housing Works
English Rural has launched a new report unpicking the myth that has shaped housing policy for decades: ‘Rural housing is too expensive to manage.’
It comes from funders. From government. From within the sector itself. And, according to English Rural, it has quietly held back investment in rural England for years – even as villages have lost their schools, their shops, and the key workers who keep them running.
English Rural has published this new research carried out with Acuity Research & Practice that puts that assumption to the test using Acuity’s benchmarking data – 145 housing associations, around 180 performance measures. Read the full report ‘No More Excuses: Affordable Rural Housing Works’ by going to their website – https://englishrural.org.uk/no-more-excuses/
Delivering For All: Rural Realities, The Voices Behind The Data
What does it really mean to live in rural England today?
For too long, the story of rural communities has been told through statistics, funding gaps, service deficits and infrastructure shortfalls. Important though these are, they only tell part of the story.
The Rural Services Network has launched Delivering for All: Rural Realities a major new piece of research that goes beyond the numbers to capture something more powerful: the lived experiences of rural residents themselves.
Drawing on over 2,400 responses from rural residents across England, alongside in-depth focus groups, this research is one of the most comprehensive insights into rural life in recent years.
It paints a clear and consistent picture:
Rural communities are under pressure and feel forgotten in rural policy, but remain full of untapped potential.
From connectivity and transport to housing, health, and the rural economy, the findings reveal not isolated challenges, but a web of interconnected issues shaping everyday life. Visit Delivering For All: Rural Realities, The Voices Behind The Data to read more and download the full report.
Hannah Reid, Community Action Suffolk’s Chief Executive, recently asked on LinkedIn “Suffolk charities – what tier are you and are you ready for SORP impact reporting?
If you’re unsure, this is a really easy, quick and practical read – well worth 5 mins…”
Are your trustees ready? Preparing for the new SORP impact reporting issues
From January 2026, new rules around reporting for charities came into effect. The Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) sets out what different charities are required to report on based on their income:
- Charities with a gross income below £500,000 are classed as Tier 1.
- Charities with an income of above £500,000 but below £15 million are classed as Tier 2.
- Charities with an income in excess £15 million are classed as Tier 3.
This post contains sponsored content from The Charity Spark. Read the full article please visit: Are your trustees ready? Preparing for the new SORP impact reporting issues.
Board behaviours: research with CEOs and chairs of trustee
New research from ACEVO, the Association of Chairs (AoC) and nfpResearch explores the behaviours, relationships and governance practices shaping charity boards across the UK.
Drawing on insights from CEOs, chairs and trustees (members of ACEVO or AoC), the research highlights that while most CEO–chair relationships are strong, this does not always translate into highly effective boards. Trust, open communication and constructive challenge are critical, but many organisations still face governance challenges, including unclear roles, difficult board behaviours, inconsistent appraisal processes and skills gaps. Visit Board behaviours: research with CEOs and chairs of trustee to read more and download the full report.
April 2026
Local government in England is entering one of its most significant periods of transformation in decades. With ongoing devolution and restructuring, new governance and decision‑making systems are emerging – systems that will influence how community services are planned, funded and delivered.
To support organisations through this shift, NAVCA and ACRE have introduced a new website that gathers useful tools and guidance in one place. It’s designed for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) groups, as well as local authorities, combined authorities and rural community support organisations, helping them understand and adapt to the changing landscape. Visit https://www.navca.org.uk/devolution-lgr for more information.
The Government has published a policy paper called Our place to give: a plan for growing place-based philanthropy which looks at how the government will work in partnership with philanthropists, local government, and civil society to address barriers and strengthen place-based philanthropy. Visit Our place to give: a plan for growing place-based philanthropy for more information.
The Rural Services Network recently shared The Connection Project report that explores how the UK’s transition to digital services is being experienced.
RSN pointed out that while digital infrastructure continues to improve, the report finds that participation, confidence and trust are not keeping pace. It estimates that between 14 and 22 million people face at least one barrier to using digital services, including connectivity issues, low confidence and reliance on others.
With multiple changes happening at once, from full-fibre rollout to the digitisation of essential services, the report highlights the importance of a coordinated and inclusive approach to ensure everyone can benefit.
Read more👇
https://rsnonline.org.uk/digital-transition-not-working-for-everyone-new-report-warns
#RuralDigitalConnectivity #DigitalInclusion #DigitalTransition
The Charity Commission recently updated their guidance on Charities and social media. Social media can be a powerful communication tool for charities, to raise awareness and funds and to better engage beneficiaries. It can help charities reach a much wider audience, much more quickly, than traditional methods of communication. To read more, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charities-and-social-media/charities-and-social-media
Identifying and managing conflicts of interest in a charity
The Charity Commission has recently updated their guidance on Identifying and managing conflicts of interest in a charity which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/identifying-and-managing-conflicts-of-interest-in-a-charity-cc29/conflicts-of-interest-a-guide-for-charity-trustees
Trustees must make decisions based only on what is in their charity’s best interests. This is one of their legal duties. A conflict of interest is when what is in the charity’s best interests conflicts with, or may conflict with:
* your personal interests, or
* the interests of people or organisations connected to you
This guidance explains in more detail what conflicts of interest are and sets out a step by step process to manage them.
Safety Planning eLearning Module
- Does your role put you in positions where you may speak to people who are overwhelmed, upset or struggling?
- Do you sometimes wonder what you should say and worry that you might say the wrong thing?
This eLearning module may be of interest to you. Please don’t be put off by the fact that it is called Safety Planning. This module helps to give you the confidence to have these conversations with people. You don’t need to be a medical professional; you just need to care.
The module is about connection, compassion, giving time and active listening to help someone feel understood and supported. A safety plan is like a mental health first aid kit that you can help to create when they are feeling, overwhelmed, anxious or low. It gives them something practical to turn to when things feel tough and helps you to feel confident about supporting them.
This eLearning module takes around 30 minutes and is free of charge. Please hit Click to Enrol on the flyer to sign up.
New website launched for Rural Flood Resilience Partnership
Essential tools, resources and updates to support rural communities to better prepare for periods of severe weather are now available online via the new website of the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership.
The new site can be found at www.ruralfloodresilience.org.uk, and includes updated guidance for rural communities, farmers and landowners, which covers flood preparedness and recovery support.
Consultations
Links to Surveys and Consultations that may be of interest to the sector will be displayed here on a regular basis.
June 2026
Access to Banking Services Review: Call for Evidence
HM Treasury has launched a Call for Evidence seeking views from stakeholders to inform the Access to Banking Services Review.
The Access to Banking Services Review, chaired by Richard Lloyd, was commissioned in May 2026 to consider whether declining access to in-person banking services is causing consumer detriment, and the scale of any detriment, including to any specific cohort or demographic.
The Call for Evidence is seeking evidence in order:
- To identify which in-person banking services are essential or important to consumers
- To understand which groups need access to in-person banking services
- To assess whether any detriment is being caused to consumers and the extent and materiality of this detriment
- To examine both the current provision (including existing mitigations) and the future trajectory of in-person banking services in the UK.
The Call for Evidence will close on 20th July 2026. Visit https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/accesstobankingservices to take part.
Norfolk and Suffolk ICB – Audiology Service Review
NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board is currently reviewing audiology services in our area. They would like to hear from:
- People who use audiology services
- Family members or carers
- Community groups or organisations who support people to access audiology
If you would like to tell them about your experiences with audiology and hearing support services and help them understand what works well and what could be improved, then please complete the survey by the 28th June. Visit https://www.letstalkhealthandcare.co.uk/audiology-services-review
Farmer Welfare Grant
Defra is tripling previous funding for farmer mental health and wellbeing support, with a total of £1.5 million available over three years from this summer. This funding will support targeted interventions to strengthen personal and business resilience in the agricultural sector.
We are getting in touch as you have previously engaged with us on the Farmer Welfare Grant and we are now finalising our application guidance.
To help us understand the level of interest in the Farmer Welfare Grant, we welcome your views through our pre-market engagement survey. All questions are optional, and responses will not be linked to any application, but we would greatly value your views on potential applications. The survey also includes an opportunity to share feedback on the grant, and it will close at the end of Tuesday 16th June.
Information sharing duty introduced in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act.
The Department for Education is seeking views on their statutory guidance on the information sharing duty introduced in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act.
They are seeking views on draft statutory guidance, including a data sharing agreement template. These are designed to:
- set out the new information sharing duty, and who it’s for
- help organisations and practitioners to interpret and apply the legislation in practice
The duty will apply from September 2026.
The statutory guidance is intended to:
- promote consistent implementation
- support a cultural shift in how information sharing is understood and practised across sectors
It will replace the Department for Education’s existing guidance on information sharing. The statutory guidance on working together to safeguard children will still apply.
They are seeking responses from safeguarding organisations and their practitioners.
To support responses to this consultation, they are hosting a number of national webinars on the information sharing duty to provide more information, foster discussion and answer any questions. You can visit the website https://consult.education.gov.uk/mais-strategy-policy-and-programme-unit/statutory-guidance-for-information-sharing-duty/ for more information.
Making care home choices
Knowing Works (previously Healthwatch Suffolk) are working with Suffolk County Council to understand people’s experiences of choosing a care home – whether for themselves or for someone else. They want to hear from anyone who has faced making this decision, so we can help to improve the information and support available to families across Suffolk. https://knowingworks.co.uk/choosingacarehome/
A survey for home schooling young people
This is an opportunity for young people educated at home to participate in Suffolk’s biggest survey of young people’s wellbeing – My Health, Our Future.
Please encourage young people to take part if you can. https://knowingworks.co.uk/mhof-athome/
Have you needed to use non-emergency patient transport?
Since 1 April 2026, Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services in Suffolk have been operated by Health Transportation Group (HTG‑UK). Knowing Works (previously known as Healthwatch Suffolk) know people’s experiences can be affected when services change hands, both in positive and negative ways. They want to know what is working well, and what could be different about your experiences. https://healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk/news/neptsfeedback/
Call For evidence: Rural Resilience and Off Gas Grid Heating
The APPG for Rural Services has launched a new inquiry into Rural Resilience and Off-Gas Grid Heating, focusing on the challenges facing rural households as they navigate rising energy costs and the transition to net zero.
The inquiry will explore:
• The affordability of heating for off-gas grid homes
• Practical pathways to decarbonisation
• The suitability of current Government support for rural communities
• Barriers to achieving net zero in rural areas
The Rural Services Network, as Secretariat to the APPG, is inviting evidence submissions from members, stakeholders, organisations and individuals with relevant expertise or lived experience.
📅 Deadline: 30 June 2026
📧 Submit to: [email protected]
Find out more on https://rsnonline.org.uk/call-for-evidence-rural-resilience
May 2026
If you show up for young people, you need to show up in the National Youth Sector Census
With renewed government focus on youth services through the National Youth Strategy, it’s vital that organisations funding, commissioning and delivering youth work complete the National Youth Sector Census.
The Census is managed by the National Youth Agency on behalf of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. For the second year running it is also supported by the Home Office. It creates the most comprehensive picture of youth work provision across England showing where it is delivered, who it reaches, how it is funded and gaps in provision.
Your data will help commissioners and local decision-makers target investment and interventions where they are needed most, helping to identify where there are gaps and duplication. Completing the Census ensures your organisation’s work is visible and helps strengthen the evidence base behind the National Youth Strategy.
Leigh Middleton, Chief Executive, NYA said:
“If you’re showing up for young people, show up on the Census map. High-quality data underpins early intervention and it’s essential to embedding evidence-based approaches to tackling crime, reducing the risk of violence and responding to mental health needs within local prevention strategies, including the roll out of the Young Futures Panel Pilots element of the Young Futures Programme. The National Youth Sector Census is how we evidence what provision exists, what’s effective, and where investment is needed most.”
Complete the Census by 31 May. It takes around 15 minutes, is mainly tick-box, and you can save and return to it. Find out more and ensure your youth provision shows up on the map at https://nya.org.uk/census/
Ageing well: falls, frailty and ageism
Suffolk County Council are seeking to understand the knowledge, confidence and training needs of VCFSE sector staff and volunteers in relation to falls, frailty and ageism. Your responses will help shape future training and resources for the sector. The survey should take 10–15 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Please click here to fill in the form – Ageing Well: Falls, Frailty and Ageism – Fill in form Thank you!
The Department of Health and Social Care is developing a new Mental Health Strategy to support people earlier and faster and help those with mental health conditions to live a full life. They would like to hear from frontline workers, clinicians and those with experience of mental ill-health. Visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-transform-mental-health-care-with-new-strategy to read more and have your say.
West Suffolk Council are looking for feedback on whether the Public Space Protection Orders that they have in place in West Suffolk should be renewed. These orders, introduced under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2012, have to be reviewed every three years. If they are not renewed, they will expire on 30 September 2026.
New orders from the Forestry Commission and additions to existing orders requested by Suffolk Police, are also the subject of the public consultation which runs to 10 July 2026. If you are from West Suffolk, you can feedback by visiting https://orlo.uk/9b9gG
April 2026
SEND reform: putting children and young people first – https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/
Proposed changes to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including: early, local and fair support, effectively grounded in evidence, and with shared accountabilities across local partners.
Why your views matter
We are consulting on proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.
The consultation document explains the changes we plan to make and asks for comments from everyone with an interest.
The changes aim to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND across the 0 to 25 years system.
We would like to hear from everyone who has an interest in the reforms including:
- children, young people and families
- teachers and leaders
- schools, trusts and early years and post-16 providers
- local authorities
- experts and academic organisations
- representative groups
We welcome and will carefully consider comments and representations on all aspects of the consultation paper and subjects related to the proposed reforms, in addition to the specific consultation questions. Further contributions can be made in the text box at Question 39 or in the text box of Question 12 in the Easy Read version.
You can also engage with the consultation by signing up for consultation events and webinars with Ministers covering the full 0 – 25 system.
You can also respond to this consultation via email at [email protected], or by post to:
SENDAP Reform, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT
Closes 18 May 2026
Making public services work for you with your digital identity – https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/making-public-services-work-for-you-with-your-digital-identity
The government intends to introduce a national digital ID (identity document) system. This will sit at the heart of next-generation digital public services in the UK and support innovation in the wider economy. It will help unlock entirely new ways to offer goods and services, and be key to making people’s interactions with the state as efficient and useful as those they are accustomed to in the private sector, like online banking.
Background
We propose that three core principles will guide the design of the new digital ID. It must be:
- Useful
- Inclusive
- Trusted
We want people in the UK to shape the system and how it will work to ensure these objectives can be achieved. This is why we are running a wide-reaching and inclusive consultation to gather views and bring people together for discussion and debate, ultimately informing our future design choices.
To deliver the new system in the most cost-effective way possible, we will be expanding on existing government systems which are already successfully proving and verifying people’s identities.
We are designing the new digital ID as something people will want to get, rather than something they must have. There will be no legal obligation for people to have or present the digital ID.
What we’re consulting on
This consultation is structured as follows:
- Part 1: Our ambition introduces the current landscape before setting out our goals for the new system and the high-level benefits it will bring to people across the UK
- Part 2: Our approach describes how we are intending to build the digital ID system, harnessing the government’s existing investments in developing a digital state. It explains the lifecycle of the digital ID – how it will be issued, where it will be stored and how it can be shared and checked
- Part 3: Useful discusses how the digital ID system has the potential to help us consistently identify people, so we can reduce bureaucracy and build more intuitive, efficient, and responsive public services in the future. It explains how it will be usable in the wider economy, and how we will make use of the digital ID to help tackle illegal working, so that only those with the right to work in the UK can do so. These chapters ask questions about what information should be included on the digital ID and how it could be most useful to you
- Part 4: Inclusive covers the government’s plans for an ID and digital inclusion drive, to make the digital ID available and accessible to all. It discusses who will be eligible, including the minimum age for the digital ID. It invites views on what groups may need extra support, what their needs are and what alternative access routes could look like
- Part 5: Trusted includes information on how we will design the new system to ensure that everyone can have confidence that it will protect their data. It includes discussion of technical security measures, data protection standards and how people can exercise greater consent and control when using the digital ID. There is also a chapter on governance and oversight
- Part 6: Wider considerations outlines our early assessment of the potential impacts of the system and the value we believe it could have, from helping us build more intuitive, efficient, and responsive public services to reducing friction in the wider economy
Who we want to hear from
A national digital ID system is vital public infrastructure for the digital age. We want to draw on the expertise and wisdom of a wide range of stakeholders, from businesses to trade unions, technologists and civil society, as well as leaders in the public and private sectors who can use the digital ID to improve services for people in the UK. Key design decisions will only be taken after this consultation, to build the best possible product for everyone. We are grateful to everyone who takes the time to participate.
Permitted development rights for onshore wind turbines in England – Department for Energy Security & Net Zero – https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/permitted-development-rights-for-onshore-wind-turbines-in-england
The government is seeking views on several proposals for permitted development rights (PDRs) for onshore wind in England.
The government is proposing to not change existing domestic PDRs that apply to households or introduce a new PDR for repowering or community energy projects. However, they are seeking further views and feedback on further changes that could support these types of development.
This consultation closes on 10 June 2026.
