Charity Commission for England and Wales

Overview

The Charity Commission is the independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales. It sets standards for trustees (the public benefit requirement, financial reporting), maintains the public Register of Charities, and conducts statutory inquiries into significant concerns, with powers to remove trustees, freeze assets, and refer matters to the police.

What it handles

• Charity registration applications
• Annual reports and accounts (with Charities SORP compliance)
• Trustee disputes and removals (statutory inquiry)
• Serious incidents reports (safeguarding, fraud, financial irregularities)

Official sources