A survey of English charities shows medium-sized organisations are more worried about finances than others

Medium sized voluntary organisations are more worried about their financial future than any other charities according to the English umbrella body for voluntary organisations.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations’ (NCVO) poll south of the border found 60% of charities with an income between £100,000 and £1 million thought economic conditions in the sector would continue to be negative over the next 12 months.

That compared to just 26% of large charities with an income of over £1m and 30% of charities with an income of £30,000-£100,000.

One in four charities in the middle income bracket also said they expected their charity to decrease spending in the next year.

Karl Wilding, director of public policy at NCVO, said the poll confirmed its fears about a squeezed middle in the sector.

ldquo;We have been aware for some time that an organisation big enough to be running some significant services but not big enough to spread risk around its operations is more vulnerable, and these results seem to add weight to our concerns,” he said.

“Middle-income charities are feeling the uncertainty of a changing outlook in charity funding and services.”

The poll went on to find charities in London and the south east were more likely to spend money in the next year than those elsewhere in the country.

Wilding added that was probably down to London being the headquarters of more large charities rather than any real geographical reason.