Through the government’s new Energy Bill Relief Scheme, non-domestic energy users (including all UK businesses, the voluntary sector and public sector organisations) will benefit from a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for a six-month period starting from 1 October 2022. This support will be equivalent to the £2,500-a-year Energy Price Guarantee put in place for households earlier this month.
Lisa Wainwright MBE, CEO of the Alliance said: “This announcement provides welcome additional support at a time when it is most needed. It is pleasing to see the voluntary sector has been afforded the same relief as the paid sector.
“However, whilst this support will ensure that energy bills are more manageable, we are aware that costs will still rise and this will have a significant impact on the ability of community sport and recreation clubs to operate.
“It must also be noted that this announcement only covers six months, and we must work to identify longer-term support to ensure the sustainability of grassroots activity beyond March 2023.
“Further measures still need to be investigated to address the immediate short term financial challenges clubs and organisations are facing already. These measures, as detailed in the landmark Unlocking the Potential report, include reform VAT treatment of sport, physical activity and recreation, a re-examination of Red Diesel exemption and protection and uniformity in relief for our sector in the business rates system.
“It is vital, for our nation’s health and wellbeing, that all parts of our sector are able to survive and to continue keeping people active.
“We will continue to remain engaged with our members and government to monitor the impact of this support and advocate for additional assistance as required.”
To read more about the Energy Bill Relief Scheme head here and you can find some further guidance here.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance were delighted to facilitate a Parliamentary launch for a new research report ‘The Social Value of Group Exercise’, commissioned by EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise.
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The National Sector Partners Group* (NSPG) has issued the following statement in response to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement.
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On 25 March, CEO of the Sport and Recreation Alliance Lisa Wainwright MBE gave evidence to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s Game On Inquiry in Parliament.
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