Covid slump in medical charity donations 'puts research at risk'

Report calls for government to set up partnership to support sector facing up to 4bn loss

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A slump in donations to medical charities will result in potentially life-saving research being shelved unless the government steps in to support the organisations, a leading thinktank has said.

The closure of charity shops, suspension of fundraising events, such as the London to Brighton cycle ride, and wider economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic meant medical charities stood to lose more than 4bn between now and 2027, according to a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).