Research and analysis

DCMS Coronavirus Impacts Third Sector Survey - Results

Published 11 March 2021

Summary

• The DCMS Coronavirus Impacts Third Sector Survey ran from 9th June to 18th June 2020.

• The survey received 1008 responses through YouGov.

• The YouGov sample consisted of middle managers and higher in third sector organisations. The survey was carried out online.

• Some self-selection bias may be present. Therefore, responses are illustrative and they should be treated with caution; results reflect the characteristics of those who responded and not necessarily the wider business population.

• Results do not necessarily sum to the total. This is caused by the exclusion of certain breakdowns from these results due to a small sample size.

• Note: “-“ Designates where a value has been removed to protect the identity of respondents.

• Please contact Sean.Kearney@dcms.gov.uk or Shamraze.Mahmood@dcms.gov.uk if you have any questions or would like to discuss the results in more detail.

Table 1: Organisation Size

Approximately how many people are employed by your company/employer in the country you live in?

Organisation Size	Number of Responses
1 (just me)	90
2	54
3 to 5	108
6 to 9	84
10 to 19	136
20 to 34	86
35 to 49	58
50 to 99	104
100 to 249	138
250 to 499	81
500 to 999	27
1,000 or more	43
Don’t know	0
Not applicable - I am not currently employed	0
Total	1008

Table 2: Sub-sector

Which ONE of the following industry sectors does your business mainly operate in?

Sub-sectors	Number of Responses
Culture and recreation	124
Education and research	165
Health	110
Social services	91
Environment	39
Development and housing	35
Law, advocacy and politics	40
Philanthropic intermediaries and voluntarism promotion	33
International	21
Religion	75
Business and professional associations, unions	39
Other	231
Don’t know	4
Total	1008

Table 3: Organisation Type

Which ONE, if any, of the following BEST describes the type of organisation you work for?

Organisation type	Number of Responses
Academic Institution	35
Charitable Organisation	529
Community Interest Company (CICs)	44
Guarantee Company	-
Non-Profit Organisation	301
Other	75
Don’t know	-
Total	1008

Table 4: Volunteering

For the following question, please think about how many volunteers supported your organisation in the months before the Coronavirus situation (i.e. before February 2020).

How many volunteers, if any, normally support your organisation in any way (e.g. working in shops, fundraising etc.)?

Volunteers	Number of Responses
0 - none	269
1 to 10	224
11 to 50	196
51 to 100	93
Over 100	185
Don’t know	41
Total	1008

Table 5: Financial Resilience

For the following questions, please think about your organisation’s financial resilience in light of the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Thinking about the next three months (i.e. from now until mid-September 2020)… Do you feel that your organisation’s ability to trade as a viable entity is under threat?

Industry Breakdown	Yes, I do	No, I do not	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	43	37	10	90
Small (excl. soles)	207	278	39	525
Medium	87	144	11	242
Large	53	90	8	151
Overall Civil Society	391	549	68	1008

Table 6: Financial Resilience ; Continue to be a viable entity

For the following question, please include any actions that you can/ have taken to help your organisation, such as taking mitigating actions and drawing on any financial reserves and credit (including Government support packages).

Approximately, how long do you estimate that your organisation can continue to be a viable entity? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Industry Breakdown	Up to 1 month	More than 1 month, up to 3 months	More than 3 months, up to 6 months	More than 6 months	Don’t know	Not applicable - my organisation is no longer trading	Total
Soletraders	-	9	16	49	14	-	90
Small (excl. soles)	-	36	114	325	46	-	525
Medium	-	-	38	172	24	0	242
Large	-	-	21	108	18	0	151
Overall Civil Society	-	54	190	654	102	-	1008

Table 7: Impacts on Income

The next few questions aim to explore the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on your organisation.

Thinking about the 2019 calendar year… Approximately, what proportion of your organisation’s total annual revenue came from each of the following sources?

Revenue Stream	0% (N/A)	1-25%	26-50%	51-75%	76-99%	100%	Total
Government grants, contracts and National Lottery funding	534	184	109	75	82	24	1008
Donations (including endowments received)	521	336	73	30	27	22	1008
Legacies	798	182	19	6	-	-	1008
Gifts and sponsorship	733	251	11	-	-	5	1008
Trading activity (e.g. selling goods and services)	425	253	100	65	89	76	1008
Investment income	755	226	14	-	6	-	1008
Income from charity shops and fundraising activities	725	222	39	11	5	5	1008
Income from the private sector (e.g. philanthropy or partnerships)	688	240	53	13	7	8	1008
Membership fees	734	142	46	29	35	22	1008

Table 8: Impacts on Income; Change in revenue

For the following questions, please now think about the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on your organisation’s income sources.

Please think about your organisation’s expected monthly revenue for this time of the year compared to its actual revenue over the last month (i.e. since mid-May 2020).

Approximately, by how much has your organisation’s revenue decreased, increased or remained the same compared to what was expected over the last month? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Change in revenue	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Decreased by 100% or more	15	32	5	6	57
Decreased by 75% - 99%	11	46	20	12	89
Decreased by 50% - 74%	11	56	36	22	126
Decreased by 25% - 49%	11	87	36	29	163
Decreased by 1% - 24%	7	92	61	24	184
Remained the same	23	106	35	22	187
Increased by 1% - 24%	-	32	9	4	-
Increased by 25% - 49%	-	9	-	-	12
Increased by 50% - 74%	-	7	-	0	9
Increased by 75% - 99%	0	-	0	0	-
Increased by 100% or more	0	-	0	-	4
Don’t know	9	54	37	29	129

Table 9: Impacts on Income; Contributing factors

You mentioned that your organisation’s revenue has decreased compared to its expected monthly revenue for this time of the year.

Which, if any, of the following have contributed to this? (Please select all that apply)

Factors	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Reduction in donations (including legacies and endowments received)	8	101	47	31	187
Reduction in government grants	-	-	16	6	56
Reduction in National Lottery funding	-	9	6	-	18
Reduction in gifts and sponsorship	-	41	-	22	91
Reduction in orders or cancellation of contracts (i.e. organisations or consumers we supply have cancelled orders)	15	54	40	13	122
Reduction in trading activity (e.g. selling goods and services)	33	179	101	63	375
Reduction in investment income	-	24	23	-	61
Reduction in income from charitable activities	10	98	69	37	214
Reduction in income from the private sector (e.g. philanthropy or partnerships)	9	63	32	16	119
Reduction in membership fees	11	41	30	15	97
Other	5	25	11	7	48
Don’t know	-	-	-	-	7

Table 10: Impacts on service delivery

The next few questions aim to explore the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on the demand for your organisation’s services and the supply of volunteers.

Please now think about the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on the demand for your organisation’s services…

Please think about your organisation’s expected monthly demand for its services this time of the year compared to the actual demand experienced over the last month (i.e. since mid-May 2020).

Approximately, by how much has demand for your organisation’s services decreased, increased or remained the same compared to what was expected over the last month? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Change In Demand For Services	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Decreased by 100% or more	16	42	10	7	76
Decreased by 75% - 99%	8	42	9	15	74
Decreased by 50% - 74%	8	43	12	7	70
Decreased by 25% - 49%	4	33	20	8	65
Decreased by 1% - 24%	9	48	31	12	99
Remained the same	24	105	55	37	221
Increased by 1% - 24%	4	64	38	19	126
Increased by 25% - 49%	-	51	25	-	95
Increased by 50% - 74%	5	27	6	6	44
Increased by 75% - 99%	-	4	4	-	11
Increased by 100% or more	-	24	6	-	31
Don’t know	7	40	27	24	97

Table 11: Impacts on service delivery; Capacity to deliver services

Please now think about the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on your organisation’s capacity to deliver services over the last month (i.e. since mid-May 2020)…

To what extent, if at all, does your organisation have the capacity to deliver services to meet current levels of demand?

Capacity to deliver services	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
We are entirely able to meet current demands	34	128	59	52	273
We are mostly able to meet current demands	36	252	136	65	489
We are mostly unable to meet current demands	10	83	22	21	135
We are entirely unable to meet current demands	-	48	14	-	74
Don’t know	-	14	10	-	37

Table 12: Impacts on service delivery; Delivery constraints

You previously mentioned that your organisation does not have the capacity to entirely meet current levels of demand.

Which, if any, of the following have contributed to this? (Please select all that apply)

Delivery constraints	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Lack of income	23	100	58	23	205
Lack of volunteers	11	78	25	16	130
Unable to access goods	-	22	6	-	35
Unable to access services	15	50	20	13	98
Unable to access expertise	-	20	-	-	28
Operations have closed down in accordance with social distancing guidelines (e.g. restrictions on gatherings/ live events, non-essential shop closures etc.)	29	269	120	65	483
Reduced productivity due to employees working from home	5	78	48	14	146
Reduced connectivity due to employees working from home	8	90	37	19	154
Employee sickness	-	24	19	-	57
Employees requiring leave due to childcare	-	61	39	-	119
Employees being unable to travel internationally	8	29	20	12	69
Other	8	65	16	13	101
Don’t know	0	10	-	-	15

Table 13: Impacts on service delivery; Organisational needs

Other than financial support… Which, if any, of the following needs for your organisation have you been unable to meet using your existing support mechanisms during the COVID-19 outbreak?

(Please select all that apply. If your organisation has been able to meet all of your non-financial needs during the COVID-19 outbreak, please select the “Not applicable” option)

Organisational needs	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Accommodation	5	11	7	6	30
Cleaning products	-	27	-	10	51
Clothing or toiletries	-	7	6	-	14
Food	-	7	8	-	18
Logistics	4	40	13	12	69
Organisational support	7	38	17	9	70
Stationery	-	8	4	-	15
Technology (communications)	-	27	10	-	44
Technology (digital)	-	41	18	-	70
Technology (physical)	-	26	14	-	47
Personal protective equipment	-	48	26	-	92
Office space	-	74	39	-	127
General volunteers (in person)	10	106	41	27	184
General volunteers (remote)	-	40	-	12	67
Professional skills volunteers (in person)	7	71	22	18	117
Professional skills volunteers (remote)	0	32	9	7	47
Other equipment	-	18	5	-	27
Other	7	21	6	6	39
Don’t know	7	39	30	24	100
Not applicable - my organisation has been able to meet all of our non-financial needs during the COVID-19 outbreak	52	222	104	63	440

Table 14: Impacts on service delivery; Working from home

Please now think about your organisation’s capacity to deliver its services remotely through working from home.

Approximately, what proportion of your organisation’s services can be delivered remotely?

Working from home	0% - i.e. none of our services can be delivered remotely	1% - 24%	25% - 49%	50% - 74%	75% - 100%	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	10	14	12	17	32	5	90
Small (excl. soles)	68	97	83	121	144	12	525
Medium	18	49	26	66	73	10	242
Large	11	35	22	42	36	6	151
Overall Civil Society	107	195	142	246	286	33	1008

Table 15: Impacts on costs

Please now think about the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on your organisation’s costs.

For the following question, please think about your organisation’s expected monthly costs for this time of the year compared to its actual costs over the last month (i.e. since mid-May 2020).

In this estimation, please include any reduction in costs as a result of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment scheme, even if you are yet to receive these payments.

Approximately, by how much has your organisation’s costs decreased, increased or remained the same compared to what was expected over the last month? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Change In cost	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Decreased by 100% or more	-	-	0	0	-
Decreased by 75% - 99%	4	21	-	-	29
Decreased by 50% - 74%	8	37	14	12	70
Decreased by 25% - 49%	10	62	36	16	124
Decreased by 1% - 24%	12	117	55	26	210
Remained the same	40	147	40	28	254
Increased by 1% - 24%	-	50	26	-	87
Increased by 25% - 49%	-	9	5	-	17
Increased by 50% - 74%	0	4	4	0	8
Increased by 75% - 99%	0	0	0	0	0
Increased by 100% or more	0	-	-	0	-
Don’t know	12	73	59	56	200

Table 16: Impacts on costs; Fixed costs

For the following question, by “fixed costs”, we mean any operating costs that you would describe as fixed - i.e. meaning that these costs cannot be reduced easily.

This includes anything that will not normally vary in a 12 month period - e.g. rent, business rates, interest rate payments etc.

Please do not include staff costs as a fixed cost in this calculation.

Approximately, what proportion of your business’ operating costs would you describe as fixed costs? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Fixed Cost	0% - i.e. we have no fixed costs	1% - 24%	25% - 49%	50% - 74%	75% - 100%	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	17	25	16	12	10	10	90
Small (excl. soles)	10	171	88	101	67	88	525
Medium	-	57	38	40	-	76	242
Large	-	25	20	24	-	63	151
Overall Civil Society	29	278	162	177	125	236	1008

Table 17: Mitigating Actions

The next few questions aim to explore the adjustments your organisation has made in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Which, if any, of the following types of mitigating actions is your organisation currently taking in order to maintain revenue or reduce costs in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?

(Please select all that apply. If your business is not currently taking any mitigating actions, please select the “Not applicable” option)

Types of mitigating actions	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Changing services to assist with response to the Coronavirus outbreak	20	194	108	63	385
Accessing government support packages (including Coronavirus Job Retention scheme allowing organisations to furlough employees, granting temporary absences)	11	219	126	78	434
Seeking advice or other support from the private sector	8	38	18	6	69
Making insurance claims	0	11	19	10	40
Temporarily reducing services (e.g. reducing opening hours, reducing staff hours, etc.)	20	193	91	60	363
Temporarily halting service/ production	23	152	64	42	281
Terminating temporary employee contracts/ reducing zero-hours contracts (i.e. by reducing their hours to 0)	-	50	29	-	107
Furloughing employees (granting temporary absence)	4	241	153	92	490
Making employees redundant	0	35	22	30	87
Employees working from home where possible	24	360	185	116	685
Adjusting working practices to follow social distancing guidelines	26	261	144	92	522
Accessing commercial loans	0	15	9	6	30
Adjusting supply chains / renegotiating contracts	5	58	41	28	131
Delaying payments to creditors	-	26	10	-	49
Other	-	30	6	-	40
Don’t know	-	14	16	-	44
Not applicable - my business is not currently taking any mitigating actions to maintain revenue or reduce costs	26	52	8	7	93

Table 18: Mitigating Actions; Funding

Has your organisation applied for or accessed any new sources of funding in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?

This could be funding from government grants, the National Lottery Community Fund, National Emergencies Trust, BBC Big Night In, or other sources.

Funding	Yes, it has	No, my organisation has not applied for or accessed any new funding sources	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	13	72	5	90
Small (excl. soles)	198	269	58	525
Medium	66	113	63	242
Large	19	66	67	151
Overall Civil Society	295	520	193	1008

Table 19: Paid Employees Working From Home

Approximately, what proportion of your organisation’s paid employees are currently working from home?

(Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Paid Employee Working From Home	0% - i.e. no one is working from home	1% - 24%	25% - 49%	50% - 74%	75% - 100%	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	-	5	-	-	61	-	90
Small (excl. soles)	48	60	34	43	331	9	525
Medium	6	42	21	20	143	10	242
Large	-	18	-	-	84	-	151
Overall Civil Society	74	125	71	82	619	37	1008

Table 20: Furloughed

You previously mentioned that your organisation has furloughed employees (granted temporary absence) and/ or accessed government support packages, which may include the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme that allows organisations to furlough employees.

Approximately, what proportion of your organisation’ employees have been furloughed (i.e. granted temporary absence as part of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme)? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Furloughed	0% - i.e. no one has been furloughed	1% - 24%	25% - 49%	50% - 74%	75% - 100%	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	8	-	-	0	-	-	14
Small (excl. soles)	17	83	52	70	-	-	276
Medium	0	74	33	24	20	8	160
Large	0	-	-	13	16	13	102
Overall Civil Society	25	196	107	107	92	25	552

Table 21: Redundancies

You previously mentioned that your organisation has made employees redundant.

Thinking about the total number of employees you had just before the Coronavirus outbreak (i.e. late February 2020)…

Approximately, what proportion of your organisation’s employees have been made redundant? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Redundancies	1% - 24%	25% - 49%	50% - 74%	75% - 100%	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	0	0	0	0	0	0
Small (excl. soles)	23	7	-	0	-	35
Medium	16	-	-	0	-	22
Large	19	-	-	0	8	30
Overall Civil Society	58	13	5	0	12	87

Table 22: Terminating temporary employees/ zero hours contracts

You previously mentioned that your organisation has terminated temporary employee contracts/ reduced zero-hour contracts (i.e. by reducing their hours to 0).

Approximately, what proportion of your organisation’s temporary workers and workers on zero hours contracts have seen their employment terminated or hours reduced to 0? (Please select the option that best applies. If you are unsure, please give your best estimate)

Terminating temporary employees/ zero hours contracts	1% - 24%	25% - 49%	50% - 74%	75% - 100%	Don’t know	Total
Soletraders	-	0	0	0	0	-
Small (excl. soles)	23	4	5	12	5	50
Medium	19	-	-	-	5	29
Large	-	-	-	-	7	-
Overall Civil Society	52	8	8	21	17	107

Table 23: SME

The following question shows support packages that have been announced by the Government that SMEs can apply for.

Which ONE, if any, of the following BEST describes how your organisation has engaged with each of the following support packages?

(Please select one option on each row. If your organisation is not eligible for any of these types of support, please select the “Not applicable” option)

SME Support Packages	Received this support	Application in process	Have not applied, but are considering it	Have not applied, and not considering it	Don’t know	Not applicable - not eligible	Total
Statutory Sick Pay relief package for small and medium sized organisations (SMEs)	32	27	71	269	308	301	1008
Small organisation grant funding of £10,000 for all organisations in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief and tapered relief	91	26	36	175	250	430	1008
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank	11	6	35	335	258	363	1008
Bounce Back Loans scheme, which will provide loans of between £2,000 and £50,000, interest free for the first 12 months, with access to cash within days	18	13	36	354	260	327	1008

Table 24: Self Employeed

The following question shows support packages that have been announced by the Government which the self-employed can apply for.

If you/ your organisation is not eligible for any of these types of support (e.g. because you are not self-employed), please select the “Not applicable” option.

Which ONE, if any, of the following BEST describes how you/ your organisation has engaged with each of the following support packages? (Please select one option on each row)

Self Employeed Support Packages	Received this support	Application in process	Have not applied, but are considering it	Have not applied, and not considering it	Don’t know	Not applicable - not eligible	Total
The Self-employment Income Support Scheme - which will provide grants worth 80% of their profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month, to those who have profits of less than £50,000	47	-	-	121	152	671	1008
Increased amounts of Universal Credit for self-employed	6	-	-	128	167	691	1008

Table 25: Wider Government Support Packages

The following question shows other support packages that have been announced by the Government which organisations can apply for.

Which ONE, if any, of the following BEST describes how your organisation has engaged with each of the following support packages?

(Please select one option on each row. If your organisation is not eligible for any of these types of support, please select the “Not applicable” option)

Wider Government Support Packages	Received this support	Application in process	Have not applied, but are considering it	Have not applied, and not considering it	Don’t know	Not applicable - not eligible	Total
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (all UK employers with a PAYE scheme that was created and started on or before 28 February 2020, will be able to access support)	332	42	21	162	222	228	1008
Deferring VAT and Income Tax payments	45	18	49	191	364	341	1008
12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery organisations in England	39	22	18	96	256	577	1008
Grant funding of £10,000 or £25,000 per property for retail, hospitality and leisure organisations with property with a rateable value less than £51,000	52	16	16	98	240	586	1008
The HMRC Time To Pay Scheme, where organisations and self-employed people in financial distress, and those with outstanding tax liabilities, may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs	5	5	41	211	339	407	1008
The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme enabling banks to loan up to £25 million to firms with an annual turnover of between £45 million and £500 million	-	-	11	144	262	585	1008
The Coronavirus Corporate Financing Facility, a new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans	-	-	13	194	296	500	1008
Other support package	27	23	17	120	492	330	1008

Table 26: Support Package Effectiveness for organisations to remain financially viable over the next 3 months

You mentioned that you have received support or applied for at least one of the types of supports mentioned in the previous questions.

Considering all of the Government support packages you have applied for, and their combined impact on your organisation…

How effective or ineffective do you think the available packages will be in supporting your organisation to remain financially viable over the next 3 months (i.e. from now until mid-September 2020)?

Overall Effectiveness	Very effective	Somewhat effective	Neither effective or ineffective	Somewhat ineffective	Very ineffective	Don’t know	Total
Civil Society	107	269	61	31	12	28	508

Table 27: Additional Support

Which, if any, of the following types of support has your organisation considered seeking or obtained from businesses?

(Please select all that apply. If your organisation has not sought or considering seeking support from businesses, please select the “Not applicable” option)

Additional Support	Soletraders	Small (excl. soles)	Medium	Large	Total
Charitable donations	16	183	89	36	324
Pro-bono professional services (e.g. financial, legal, human resources)	13	95	39	11	157
Logistics support	3	25	9	4	42
Digital training	12	53	24	9	98
Volunteers	13	101	42	17	173
Equipment	-	58	27	-	97
Access to credit	-	5	7	-	15
Other	-	9	-	-	13
Don’t know	-	38	-	51	139
Not applicable - my organisation has not sought or considered seeking support from businesses	54	247	82	52	435