Samaritans has confirmed reports that it plans to close more than 100 of its over 200 branches across the UK and Ireland over the next decade.
The mental health charity said its current model was “not sustainable” and that it aimed to increase its number of volunteers answering calls from fewer but bigger sites.
Samaritans has recorded three successive operating deficits, including an income of £24.6m and expenditure of £25.9m in the year to March 2024, but the charity has said it is not aiming to save money or reduce its more than 300 paid staff through the branch closures.
Nevertheless, volunteers have shared concerns about the changes, according to reports in the Guardian, that they would be unable to travel large distances to branches in large towns and cities and that they would feel uncomfortable answering calls from home if asked to do so.
The charity’s chief executive Julie Bentley said: “Samaritans provides a life-saving service, day and night, 365 days a year but the changing needs of our callers and volunteers means thinking differently about the way our services need to work.
“We are engaging with our volunteers on proposed improvements that will mean we are able to answer more calls, have more volunteers on duty, and be there for more people in their darkest moments.
“Samaritans volunteers are hugely dedicated to being there for our callers and they remain at the heart of our service, but it has become increasingly clear that having over 200 branches, varying in size from 10 to 300 volunteers, is not sustainable and hinders us providing the best possible service to people who need us.”
The charity currently employs 23,000 volunteers and has a property maintenance fund of £28,000, down from £282,000 in April 2022, according to its 2023-24 accounts.
Related articles
