Tag: Charity Commission

Charities face increasingly complex attacks, warns regulator

Stuart Mitchell

Charities face attacks from bad actors using increasingly complex methods, and sometimes exploiting overlaps between different regulators, according to an official report. The Charity Commission’s second annual Charity Sector Risk Assessment highlights a sustained increase in concerns raised about charitable status being abused for private benefit, with a 29% increase in 2025-26 (374 cases) following a 38% increase in 2024-25 (291 cases, up from 211 in 2023-24). The Commission reports an increase in “particularly complex case work”, often involving charities operating in fields where there are multiple regulators, or where the…

Read More

Setting up a general or emergency fundraising appeal: new advice for the public

Stuart Mitchell

Advice from the Fundraising Regulator and the Charity Commission for England and Wales for members of the public who are thinking about fundraising for charity, including for an emergency. Anyone can set up an appeal to raise money for a cause that matters to them. You might have been planning to launch your appeal for some time or you might want to set one up in response to an emergency, such as a natural disaster or major accident. The ability to raise money online means it is possible to set…

Read More

Regulator publishes new guidelines on grant-making as charity sector continues to feel financial squeeze

Stuart Mitchell

The Charity Commission has published new guidance to help charity trustees make confident, responsible grant-making decisions at a time when many charities are facing sustained financial pressure. Thousands of charities carry out their purposes by making grants to other organisations. This guidance explores the fundamentals of effective grant-making, from setting funding priorities and carrying out due diligence, to monitoring grants and reporting impact.    In March, the charity regulator revealed that grant-making charities awarded £17.84 billion in grants during 2024, up from £16.97 billion in 2023, which included £12 billion to other charities. However, for a third…

Read More

Charity mergers up 90% as organisations look for economies of scale

Stuart Mitchell

Consolidation in the charity sector has seen an annual jump of 90% – reaching a record high, according to analysis of Charity Commission data by RSM UK. The number of charities recording mergers increased from 174 in 2023 to 331 in 2024, as growing cost pressures led charities to consolidate to deliver economies of scale. With over 180,000 charities in England and Wales, mergers can offer several benefits to the sector including reducing the duplication of efforts and resource where multiple charities might have the same objectives. Nick Sladden, partner…

Read More

Charity trustees highly recommend their role to others, new PBE research shows

Stuart Mitchell

At a time when many charities carry trustee vacancies on their boards, trustees are overwhelmingly likely to recommend trusteeship to others.  These early findings emerge from in-depth research into trusteeship, conducted as part of a collaborative project between the Charity Commission and PBE, which aims to better understand who trustees are and what skills they bring to the role. These findings coincide with Trustees’ Week, an annual celebration of the achievements of almost 1 million trustees across the UK, recognising the time, commitment and effort they bring to lead and…

Read More