Scope Charity Faces Job Cuts: Impact on Disabled Employees and Advocacy Efforts

Major Job Cuts at Scope Charity

Scope, a prominent disability charity, is set to reduce its workforce by more than 20% this year due to increasing financial pressures. This decision is expected to affect about 70 employees, with one-third of those being disabled staff members.

Redundancies and Their Impact

Last week, Scope announced a consultation regarding the potential redundancy of 124 out of 326 corporate roles, indicating that nearly 70 jobs could be lost this summer. Mark Hodgkinson, the charity’s chief executive, emphasized that the proportion of disabled staff facing redundancy is slightly higher than their non-disabled counterparts. He reassured that Scope is committed to ensuring that disabled employees, who make up one-third of its workforce, are not disproportionately affected.

Financial Struggles

The announcement follows a previous decision to close 77 of its 138 charity shops, resulting in the loss of around 200 retail staff, 14% of whom have a disability. These cuts have raised concerns among advocates about Scope’s ability to serve as a strong national advocate for disabled individuals, especially in light of upcoming government changes to welfare payments that could see 1.2 million disabled people lose eligibility for personal independence payments.

Advocacy and Future Focus

Tom Shakespeare, a professor of disability research, expressed concern about the diminishing advocacy for disabled individuals at a time when they may need it most. Hodgkinson acknowledged that the cuts would narrow the charity’s focus but assured that resources would be redirected to critical areas such as challenging benefit cuts, improving employment support, and changing social attitudes towards disability.

Support for Affected Employees

Scope is committed to providing stronger post-employment support for staff who lose their jobs, aiming to assist them in finding new opportunities. The projected savings from these redundancies are approximately £5.8 million over the financial year, as the charity has been operating at a deficit for four years, exacerbated by the pandemic, inflation, and rising costs.

Wider Impact on the Charity Sector

This move is part of a broader trend of job cuts within the charity sector, with other organizations like Macmillan Cancer Support and Save the Children UK also announcing significant layoffs. Sarah Elliott, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, pointed out that this crisis affects not just charities but also the communities that rely on their vital services.