PBE CEO Matt Whittaker gives his reaction to Danny Kruger's review Levelling up our communities.

“As the country wrestles with how to recover from coronavirus, Danny Kruger has shone a welcome spotlight on the pivotal role civil society should play. This review is clearly the product of broad consultation, and identifies many of the barriers that need overcoming if civil society is to deliver its full potential.

“Ideas for accelerating improvements to the data the UK holds on the social sector would – if implemented – help revolutionise policymaking and enable charities and social enterprises to have greater impact. The focus on boosting volunteering, philanthropic giving and social value means the review covers some of the most important themes for supporting civil society to do even more.

“When government turns to considering which recommendations to implement, urgent attention must be paid to how to funnel more resources into the sector. Our research shows the recession driving greater demand for charity services, with the sector facing a £10 billion funding gap this year. But it’s right that we look beyond the immediate challenges too, and the review identifies a number of important questions relating to the longer-term functioning of civil society. These are themes which the Law Family Commission on Civil Society will be sure to return to when it launches later this year.”

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