Watering the Roots: Why Wales Must Invest in Its Third Sector
My Private Member’s British Sign Language (Wales) Bill was passed unanimously by the Senedd/Welsh Parliament on 11th March 2026. This would have been impossible without the input and campaign support provided by Charitable Third Sector Bodies and the voice of lived experience itself, the Deaf Community across Wales.
It was a privilege to Chair the Senedd Parliament Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee. It was also a privilege to Chair several purposeful Cross-Party Groups in the Senedd over many years, including those on Disability, on Autism, on Deaf Issues, on Hospices and Palliative Care, on Funerals and Bereavement, and on Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency. With one exception, the Secretariats for these were provided by Charitable Third Sector Bodies.
I continued throughout to hear from Disabled and Autistic people, and their families, still being blamed, bullied and labelled by senior Public Officials who refuse to do what is right in law and practice. Enabling people to participate fully in their communities, thrive, and have a genuine voice and control over their lives, will require a wholly different approach from future Welsh Governments in practice as well as in word.
All too often, money has washed over a community rather than watering its roots. Government must learn a better method, putting people and communities before centrally-imposed programmes. Although Voluntary and Community Bodies are key to thriving Communities, delivering essential services side by side with service professionals and service users, Welsh Government Budgets have denied them sustainability, thereby generating far higher cost pressures for our overburdened Hospitals and Social Services.
In contrast, we need a Wales where community action is not a "nice to have" but an intelligent investment in social and economic wellbeing. Sticking plasters are just not enough. Real ‘Early Intervention’, ‘Prevention’ and ‘Inclusion’ are vital if we are going to address the major challenges facing us, moving beyond rhetoric and consultation to doing things differently in practice.
During the Senedd Debate on the Welsh Government’s 2025–26 Draft Budget, I highlighted the Charitable Third Sector’s struggles—driven by rising costs and the UK Labour Government’s National Insurance increases. Speaking on the 2026-27 Draft Budget, I stated that, as predicted, the situation had deteriorated, with the Welsh Government’s failure to support Charities and Third Sector providers worsening pressures on statutory services.
Marie Curie warned that Hospices in Wales are a critical part of a complex palliative and end of life care system that is at breaking point. One Hospice announced that It would close its doors due to ‘ongoing financial difficulties and a lack of sustainable funding’, another was forced to close beds, several others announced that they were considering cuts or closures, and over 90 per cent expected reduced support to hospitals and care homes.
The outgoing Welsh Government issued a Statement announcing “national commissioning guidance” and a one-off £4.3 million stabilisation grant for children’s and adult hospice and palliative care services on 25th March 2026, however, this was the very date on which the 2021/26 Senedd met for the last time, denying essential scrutiny.
Although Wales-based Charity Tenovus Cancer Care took action to protect vital services in 2025–26 by using reserves, closing charity shops, making staff redundant and losing valued volunteers, they now face another planning cycle under growing financial pressure.
Mental health and addiction charity Adferiad has had to reduce services.
For the first time in 32 years, the Charity Cerebral Palsy Cymru is turning away babies who need their life-changing support, stating that this will “increase health inequality, pressure on statutory services, and raise long-term NHS and social care costs”.
For more than 35 years, charity Anheddau Cyf has supported people living with Autism, learning disabilities, mental health conditions and complex needs across North Wales. They are now fighting for survival.
Your Space (Marches), a Charity providing essential support for children and young people with Autism spectrum conditions and their families, were forced to close in February.
Home-Start Flintshire, a Charity providing indispensable early-stage Intervention and prevention support for families with at least one child under the age of 11, have been forced to restrict their in-home support to families with a child aged 0-2.
The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales urged greater focus on prevention, stating “by supporting healthy ageing, demand for some services can be reduced or delayed, avoiding the need for more costly interventions later”. The Welsh Government must replace false economies with wise investment, allowing Charitable Third Sector service providers to improve lives and thereby reduce the cost pressures on Statutory Services.
Mark Isherwood is a former Conservative Member of the Senedd for the North Wales region. He served in the role for 23 years and 5 terms.
