House of Good 2 - this time it's local!
Back in 2020 we started working on the social and economic value of churches with the National Churches Trust. It has been some of the most eye opening and rewarding work we have done at State of Life.
The word of GOD is ‘do the NHS out of business’
The word of GOD (Lord Gus O’Donnell) when in government was to ‘do the NHS out of business’. And the new Health Secretary’s 10 year plan for the NHS has a core principle for health to be delivered in the community - in non NHS settings.
Churches set up the first hospitals hundreds of years ago and are still at the frontline of health and social care. Churches have set up, hosted and run almost all the foodbanks in the UK (and we have more foodbanks than MacDonald’s outlets). Churches host drug and alchol support groups, childcare, mental health support groups and much, much more.
We can also see that at the core of churches - being in the weekly congregation and having faith is one of the only things we can find that reduces loneliness. A widely acknowledged cause of ill health.
Massive national value - now made local
All this caring activity means churches generate a massive social and economic value of £55bn (twice the UK social care budget). If the NHS had to provide the social care of Churches it would be over £8bn - roughly 4% of the entire NHS budget. Churches are doing the word of GOD - they are providing social care that relieves the burden on the NHS - they are doing the NHS out of business.
And now, working with the marvellous client the National Churches Trust we bring all the Treasury consistent methods, adjustments and big numbers together into a simple tool. This means that…
