In a letter this week addressed to sector partners, Starmer said that he was “proud of the way we have worked in partnership with civil society over the last six months, and everything you have helped us to achieve”.

The prime minister outlined several initiatives on which the government and civil society have worked together since July 2024 in addition to the covenant, including the new Child Poverty Taskforce: The Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and the National Youth Strategy.

He ended his letter by thanking the sector for responding to the Civil Society Covenant consultation, which closed at the end of 2024, saying: “I am greatly encouraged by your responses, and we will work quickly on the next steps.”

Sarah Elliott, chief executive of NCVO, said in response to Starmer’s letter: “The charity and voluntary sector are at the front line of tackling some of the country’s biggest issues our society faces today. “We welcome the prime minister’s recognition of civil society’s vital role in addressing the complex challenges our communities face, and to be able to continue to do that, our sector needs partnership, engagement and support.