Shadow minister for civil society Lisa Nandy has asked Nick Hurd minister for civil society if the government’s new £40m fund to help struggling charities is “too little, too late?”

Speaking this week in Parliament, Nandy asked Nick Hurd, minister for civil society: “Will the Minister explain why the newly announced £40 million fund to help struggling charities will only come into force in 2015? Many charities are saying that they will not survive another six months because of this government’s policies. Is this not a case of too little, too late?”

Hurd told Nandy she has ignored all the help government has given so far: “No, I do not accept that… the government has already provided almost £200m in transition funding for front-line charities and infrastructure organisations to help them through difficult times.

“We have managed to secure some additional money in the 2015-16 Budget to support more transition work, particularly for middle-sized charities, which we think is needed. She is ignoring all the help we have given so far.”