Acevo has called on the Treasury and the minister for civil society, Rob Wilson, to release the £40m Local Sustainability Fund, as part of its six-point plan ahead of next week's Budget.

The Fund was promised to the sector by Nick Hurd in March 2014 and Acevo warns that this funding is "long overdue for release".

The plan, delivered by letter to the Treasury yesterday in the run up to the 2015 Budget, outlines the six ways in which Acevo believe that the voluntary sector and the government can strengthen their working relationship. In the letter, Acevo chief executive Sir Stephen Bubb said “you cannot have a thriving economy, or a fair and free society, without an independent and robust third sector”.

Acevo has also called on the Chancellor to protect the advocacy rights of charities and social enterprises and publicly distance himself from comments made by Eric Pickles, 

It also called on George Osborne to publicly support the advocacy rights of voluntary sector organisations and to speak out on behalf of its beneficiaries.

“The Chancellor must join us and seek to protect free speech and the free society we cherish. He must safeguard the independence of charities to speak out against injustice,” said Bubb.

A greater role for voluntary sector organisations in helping under-pressure NHS accident and emergency units is also recommended. Following the release of Acevo’s Free Society Manifesto in November, government funds were released to allow 29 A&E units to get voluntary sector support. Acevo has recommended this scheme be scaled up and made permanent.

In a statement, Bubb said: “We are pleased that several aspects of our manifesto, from repealing the Lobbying Act, to introducing funding for charities to help during NHS crises and creating citizens’ rights have already been taken up by the government and other major political parties. Now we need to go further.”