Our weekly round up of news and updates from across the sector

Charity Commission

Annual public meeting

The Charity Commission held its annual public meeting last Tuesday, with various presentations including:

  • A speech from Chair Orlando Fraser KC where he announced he will step down as Chair at the end of his term in April 2025. He reflected on his time as Chair, focusing on the principles of fairness, balance, and independence (which are part of the Commission’s current five-year strategy). He also focused on political campaigning, noting that casework from the latest General Election shows charities are “increasingly getting this right” and his view that “charities can and should model a better kind of discourse”. The Commission also issued a press release about Fraser’s speech and to celebrate his time as Chair.
  • A speech from Chief Executive David Holdsworth which considered current opportunities and challenges for charities. He noted challenges including new technology and social change (noting “the power of social media means that public campaigns no longer necessitate an institution to own and drive them”) and the Commission having more limited capacity to respond, given the complexity of its case work. He also praised the resilience of the sector and looked ahead to the future, considering how charities can show their impact. He said the Commission will work with charities to “evolve reporting requirements to make more visible the sheer scale, impact and outcomes charities achieve” and advised that demonstrating impact “should run like a golden thread through everything you do”.

Guidance on cyber crime and fraud

During Charity Fraud Awareness week, the Charity Commission published a press release along with new guidance on protecting your charity from cyber crime and protecting your charity from fraud, while updating its more detailed guidance on internal financial controls. The National Cyber Security Centre has supported the Commission with developing this guidance.

Notable points from the new cyber crime guidance include:

  • The National Cyber Security Centre offers tools and resources for charities of all sizes. For example, for small charities it has a Small Charity Guide with free or low cost tools and free online cyber security training for beginners.
  • Charities should ensure trustees, employees, and volunteers understand how to spot cyber crime and what actions to take. This could be outlined in a policy or action plan.
  • All cyber attacks should be reported to Action Fraud, even if they do not cause harm. Sometimes attacks may also need to be reported to the Charity Commission as serious incidents.

The new guidance on protecting your charity from fraud recommends actions including adopting an anti-fraud policy, reviewing fraud risks regularly, running checks to see that financial controls are being followed, complete pre-employment checks on staff, and having a fraud response plan.

Governance

For any organisations looking to improve how they include lived experience, on 23 April 2025 NPC is running a paid for online event “A strategic approach to centring lived experience”.

Also see below under Funders and funding.

Tax and VAT

We previously reported that NCVO and ACEVO sent a joint letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves (signed by 7,361 charities and voluntary organisations) calling for the government to reimburse voluntary organisations’ increased employer national insurance contributions. Disappointingly, Reeves has responded to that letter, confirming the government will only provide support to “departments and other public sector employers for additional employer NICs costs” and will not offer exemptions or reimbursement to voluntary organisations.

Also see below under Education, Schools. 

Banking

Civil Society Group and Charity Finance Group have launched a joint report on Charity Banking Challenges 2024, finding that 92% of respondents experienced one or more issue relating to banking in the last two years. The press release includes comments from Saskia Konynenburg, Executive Director at NCVO, that “The sheer level of charity staff and volunteers experiencing significant banking challenges, shows these issues are systemic and require immediate action.”

Fraud

BDO (partnering with the Fraud Advisory Panel) has shared results from the Charity Fraud Survey 2024. It found that 42% of charity respondents reported fraud or attempted fraud, with the average loss per fraud at around £102,000 to £197,000.

Climate change and environment

The government has launched a Tree Planting Taskforce to oversee the planting of millions of trees across the UK, with a particular priority being “how to drive forward the UK’s tree planting in order to meet our collective net zero targets.”

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The Association of Chairs has launched an equity, diversity, and inclusion guide for boards, with reflections from charity leaders with lived experience. It includes tips such as using inclusive wording in board recruitment adverts and ensuring that leaders in the charity promote EDI. 

Safeguarding

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has published a national review which explores the specific challenges which feature in the identification, assessment, and response to child sexual abuse within the family environment, and sets out recommendations for national government and local safeguarding partners. Recommendations include that a national action plan should urgently be put in place, and that the government should work with professional bodies to ensure that practitioners and managers in education settings “have the necessary skills, knowledge and capabilities, including access to relevant guidance and multi‑agency training.” See press release.

Funders and funding

NPC has published an interesting blog on “4 key lessons from co-production experience in grant-making”. 

The Charity Reform Group (a group of charity CEOs) and the Sheila McKechnie Foundation have published a report and an essay series written by charity CEOs with ideas for a new and more productive partnership between charities, government, and businesses. The report raises concerns that misconceptions and constraints are limiting charities to “being merely service providers – acting almost as the UK’s ‘fourth emergency service’ – rather than being the independent, dynamic, and creative agents of transformational change that so many are, and so many more could be”.

Fundraising

Civil Society has reported on responses from the sector about the government’s plans to introduce a gambling levy. A statutory levy on gambling operators will come into effect next April and the proceeds will be dedicated to prevention and treatment of harms caused by gambling. The plan is for society lotteries to pay 1% from their gross yield. The article includes comments from the People’s Postcode Lottery that “This decision will mean that charities are in effect being forced to subsidise work to tackle gambling harms which are not caused by them”. 

Legacies

Civil Society has reported that a group of charities in the UK have established a Private Client Advisory Committee for Legacy Giving, with the aim of equipping wealth advisors to better support high-net worth individuals to leave donations to charities in their wills.

Data and privacy

The Information Commissioner’s Office has shared advice for local authorities facing financial restrictions. It acknowledges that local authorities sometimes deprioritise information requests (such as Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests) in these circumstances, but reminds local authorities that these are legal requirements and shares tips to help them comply.

AI

The Social Market Foundation (a think tank) has shared research considering how AI could reduce issues such as wait times and non-attendance for public services including GP practices, DVLA, and HMRC.

Public procurement and subsidy control

The Local Government Association has published a guide which aims to build collaboration between local authorities and the voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise sector using the flexibilities of the Procurement Act 2023 and the wider commissioning process.

Northern Ireland

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) is holding its annual public meeting on 22 January 2025.

CCNI has produced a report highlighting key issues in 2023/24 annual returns. It took a sample of 160 charities and found 52% were not fully compliant. Key issues included not including a public benefit statement, submitting accounts in the wrong format, and accidentally submitting accounts from the wrong year. It has also shared an update that over 80% of charities with a reporting deadline of 31 October 2024 submitted their annual accounts and reports on time.

Children’s services

See above under Safeguarding.

Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, has set out his priorities for Ofcom, as it prepares to implement and enforce the laws set out in the Online Safety Act next year. The Draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for online safety includes safety by design, transparency and accountability, agile regulation, inclusivity and resilience, and technology and innovation. Kyle noted that “we must keep pace with technology as it evolves to create a safer internet, especially for children.” Kyle has also launched a new research project, with the first stage examining the impact of social media on young people’s wellbeing and mental health. See press release.

Health and social care

See above under ‘AI’.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published:

  • the findings of its call for evidence on the duty of candour for health and social care providers in England. These findings have been published ahead of DHSC’s final response and proposals.
  • its response to a consultation on information standards for health and adult social care in England.  Information standards for health and adult social care relate to the processing of information and are prepared under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 Following the consultation, it appears DHSC will start work to implement mandatory information standards in 2025, laying the Regulations before Parliament in the spring.  Health and social care providers will want to start planning for the implementation of these new mandatory information standards, although DHSC has said it intends to provide sufficient notice of individual standards, including by producing a “future standards roadmap”.

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced at the government’s first Men’s Health Summit that the Department of Health and Social Care will be publishing a men’s health strategy next year, which will consider how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men of all ages. See press release.

The Health Foundation has shared its ideas about how the NHS can reach its (direct and indirect) net zero carbon emission targets and offer low-carbon health care. 

Social Enterprise

What are nature-based solutions? Finance Earth, a social enterprise that provides corporate finance advisory and fund management services, outlines for Pioneers Post the significance of nature-based solutions (a range of actions and interventions that use ecosystems and natural processes to solve environmental and social problems), how they are financed and the challenges and opportunities for growth.

What the Budget means for social enterprise. Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) has highlighted concerns from the social enterprise sector about how the Budget could affect businesses, particularly with additional costs from increased wages and employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs). SEUK notes that “it’s not yet clear whether some providers will be exempt from additional costs, or reimbursed in some way, or neither”, and is seeking clarification on this. SEUK sets out that government must recognise the essential role of social enterprises in the delivery of manifesto commitments around community services and prevention. SEUK has set up a petition calling on the UK government to review how the increase in NICs impacts not-for-profit providers of public services, and to protect such organisations from negative impacts.

Impact Europe has published the “Better Together for Youth” report, which presents the first findings from a survey circulated by Youth Alliance, a ‘community of practice’ dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by youth, with a focus on empowering disadvantaged youth and youth social entrepreneurs in Europe. The report outlines barriers and challenges to youth empowerment, how resources can be mobilised collectively to maximise impact, and strategies for assessing impact.

Social investment/social impact investment

The European Impact Investing Consortium has published The Size of Impact report, which details the main findings from its impact investing market sizing exercise. These include that the European private impact investing market, comprising both direct and indirect investments in unlisted assets, is estimated to be sized at €190 billion. The report also outlines a number of calls to action, including that mainstream, responsible and sustainable investors should integrate impact investing into their ESG strategies.   

Impact Europe has published a report which explores how international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) engage with impact investing. The report explores the motivations behind INGOs’ interest in impact investing and how they can get involved, including key considerations and common challenges.

Can Social Investment be Used to ‘Fix’ What’s Broken: Spotlight on Children in Social Care. Good Finance comments on the current state of the social care sector for children. Good Finance makes the case that there is a “role for social investors to play in terms of intentionally investing and co-investing alongside local authorities, charities and foundations and other sources of capital” to increase and improve services, referring to three organisations that have secured social investment in the social care sector.

The British Business Bank, Responsible Finance and JPMorganChase have announced two new programmes that seek to drive inclusive growth across the UK, and unlock finance for underserved small businesses through community development finance institutions (CDFIs). British Business Bank’s Community ENABLE Funding initiative will support up to £150 million of lending over the next two years, while a £4 million capacity building initiative supported by JPMorganChase will aim to strengthen CDFI’s operations and more efficiently deploy small business loans.

International development

International Development Minister, Anneliese Dodds, has announced that the UK will provide £1.98 billion over three years to the International Development Association, the World Bank’s fund for the world’s lowest income countries, to go towards projects promoting economic growth, tackling poverty and addressing the impacts of climate change.  

Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered a speech at the UN Security Council meeting on the protection of humanitarian workers where he emphasised that “humanitarian workers, including national and local actors, should never be targeted for doing their jobs” and outlined three actions that member states must take to protect and support humanitarian workers.

Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered a speech at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East Peace Process, where she emphasised that “there is no excuse for Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid” and that a “huge surge in aid” is needed, as well as “for the UN and humanitarians to be able to operate in safety.”

International Development Minister, Anneliese Dodds, is attending a humanitarian conference in Cairo today where she will announce £19 million of funding for Gaza. This will include £12 million in funding to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and World Food Programme, and £7 million for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s Flash Humanitarian Appeal for Gaza.

Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly meeting on the use of the veto by Russia in relation to Sudan.  Kariuki stated that “Russia’s veto prevented necessary Council action on the basic rights of African civilians to be protected” and that the UK will continue to work “with our United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, African partners and other actors to press for more aid, more access and more protection in Sudan.”

Ambassador Neil Holland, Head of UK Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, delivered a statement on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine where he stated that “relief organisations face significant challenges in reaching those in desperate need due to ongoing violence” and that  “safe and unimpeded access must be granted to humanitarian organisations to deliver aid.”

Bond’s Ethical Storytelling Group has shared an updated edition of its Ethical Storytelling Guidelines. These guidelines are for NGOs producing content (such as videos and interviews), with a focus on putting contributors first and offering responsible portrayals which avoid damaging stereotypes.

Bond has shared an article about combating global malnutrition, with comments on what the UK government could do ahead of the next Nutrition for Growth Summit.

Bond has shared a post with thoughts on the new climate finance goal agreed at COP29 and the impact on developing countries. This includes calls for actions the government could take when the UK’s International Climate Finance commitment is replaced in March 2025. 

Culture and creative

Baroness Shriti Vadera has been appointed by the Culture Secretary as the new co-chair of the Creative Industries Council, and will succeed current co-chair Sir Peter Bazalgette next summer. Between now and next spring, Baroness Vadera and Sir Peter will lead a new taskforce set up to inform the government’s strategy to unlock growth in the UK’s highly valued creative industries.

Education

See above under Tax and VAT, Safeguarding and Children’s services.

Schools

In a debate in the House of Commons on the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, stated “that the provisions in the Bill mean that private schools that are charities that wholly or mainly provide education for pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) will remain eligible for charitable rate relief.” Murray noted that “the test of “wholly or mainly concerned” is 50% of pupils, or more, having an EHCP specifying that their educational needs can be met only in a private school.” Overall, the provisions are intended so that “most private special educational needs schools will not be affected by the removal of charitable rate relief.” Chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, Julie Robinson, has responded to this by  urging “the government to reconsider its approach to taxing special education needs and disabilities (SEND) families and schools.”

Applications have opened for schools to become an “early adopter” in the government’s free breakfast club roll out. See press release and blogpost. The Department for Education (DfE) has also published guidance on the early adopters scheme which outlines how to apply, eligibility, school responsibilities and funding.

Ofsted has postponed the start to its next initial teacher education (ITE) inspection cycle until the 2025/26 academic year, ahead of more substantive changes to the ITE inspection framework, including the introduction of report cards. A consultation on changes to inspections will take place in January 2025.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) published its Triennial Review for 2024 – 27, which assesses the effectiveness of the Ombudsman’s service alongside the delivery of services in the local government and social care systems and suggests ways these could be improved.  Recommendations included that LGSCO should be given the “ability to investigate the implementation of EHCPs, support for children with additional needs, admissions and exclusions in schools”.

Further Education

The DfE has announced the creation of 32 Homebuilding Skills Hubs, which will offer apprenticeships and training for key construction traders, with the aim of delivering “fast-track training to local areas that need more housing, while giving apprentices vital skills to boost housebuilding in the UK.”

The Get Britain Working White Paper has been published by the government, which details proposals to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle economic inactivity and support people into work. Proposals include the establishment of a Youth Guarantee, where “every young person aged 18 to 21 has access to future learning, help to get a job or an apprenticeship”. The government would fund “the training and assessment cost of an apprenticeship for those aged up to 21 for non-levy paying employers.”

Higher Education

The Office for Students (OfS) has opened applications for members to join its new Student Interest Board, which will replace the current OfS Student Panel. The Board aims to provide a new way for students to be directly involved in OfS’s work, and is seeking applications from students, staff and officers from students’ unions, staff from universities and colleges who work on student issues, and others who can share on students’ interests.

Disclaimer – The information contained in this update is not intended to be a comprehensive update – it is our selection of the website announcements made in the week up to last Friday which we think will be of interest to charities and social enterprises. The content is necessarily of a general nature – specific advice should always be sought for specific situations.