The Department for Education has ordered charities to halt spending on advertising and marketing in order to get the most out of grants.

Recipients of the Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) Grant have received a letter outlining restrictions on how they may use the funding, stating that “new spending on advertising and marketing should be frozen”, along with branded merchandise such as pens and mouse mats.

On events and conferences, it says they should be “considered carefully”, and must have “clear objectives and learning outcomes”, while venue and refreshment costs should be reviewed.

It also states that websites should be carefully assessed, with charities requested to ask themselves “how your site will be maintained after your funding finishes in March 2011”.

The move is in line with the government's wider plans to increase efficiency by reducing marketing and advertising spend.

Need for best value

By way of introduction, the letter states: “As charitable organisations, I am confident that you are already conscious of the need to get the best value from every £1 of public funding.

“However, various controls on spending put in place by the government mean that I now have to ask you to consider how you use our funding when it comes to your advertising, marketing and communications.”

It adds: “All activities which relate to policies that are no longer the priority of the current government should be referred immediately to your link worker.”