The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is consulting staff on restructuring plans, which include possible redundancies.
Third Sector reported that CAF is putting 45 employees at risk of redundancy, with the proposals potentially affecting around 60 roles overall, including some that are currently vacant.
A CAF spokesperson told Civil Society that the restructuring proposals affect only the parent charity, not CAF Bank, which operates as a separate entity.
“Like many organisations, CAF has felt the pressures of the challenging financial environment,” they said.
“We’re making these changes now to simplify and strengthen CAF for the future, ensuring we’re financially sustainable and better able to serve donors and charities in the years ahead.
“We understand how difficult this is for those affected and how unsettling it can be for colleagues across CAF. We’re doing everything we can to support our people throughout this period.”
CAF’s latest annual report shows that it had 454 full-time and part-time employees in the year to 30 April 2026.
The second largest charity by income in England and Wales, it recorded total income of £110m in 2025-26, down from £113m the previous year.
Its total expenditure rose to £111m in 2025-26 from £94m as it scaled up activity and delivered its strategic plan. The charity also noted the impact of inflation and costs associated with CAF Bank’s digital modernisation programme last year.
Removing vacant roles
Third Sector reported that the 60 roles affected by the restructuring include existing vacancies, with consultations running until 12 November.
In an email to staff seen by the publication, CAF’s interim chief executive Caroline Siarkiewicz said it was looking to “simplify how we work together, focus resources on the priorities that matter most and move forward in a clear and consistent way”.
“Where possible, we’ll continue to achieve some of the headcount reductions we need through natural turnover and by removing roles that are currently vacant,” she said.
“Some job vacancies will become available in the coming weeks, and we’ll support people whose roles are at risk of redundancy to apply for those vacancies.”
The plans follow “a small number of redundancies” made since December 2024, Third Sector said, with the latest round affecting teams across the whole organisation.
A source close to CAF told Third Sector: “These are the teams who handle the charitable donations from individuals and corporates, as well as gift aid donations for multiple charities.”
