大象传媒

Matthew Taylor continues his series asking what charities are for, in this episode examining service delivery and charities' relationships with government.

In recent years, governments of all political stripes have looked to charities to deliver many of their services, including to some of the hardest-to-reach individuals and communities in the UK and around the world. But what happens when charities get almost all their money from government? How free are they to speak out on behalf of the people they are supposed to help? And what else happens when charities start behaving like contractors, competing with each other for business?

Visiting Bradford and Leeds, Matthew speaks to charities, to service users, and to commissioners about the relationship with government. He hears some real concerns about where it is going wrong, and how it can be improved.

Producer: Giles Edwards.