The Charity Commission has published its Annual Report and Accounts, which includes a performance report for 2022-23, highlighting the regulator’s work in a number of key areas.
The report showed that the Commission has made progress in a number of areas, including:
- Handling an increasing number of applications to register as a charity.
- Increasing the number of times, they have used their powers to promote compliance with charitable law.
- Concluding on an increasing number of regulatory action cases, with a clear focus on resolving long-running enquiries.
- Strengthening the Commission’s relationships with charities and other stakeholders.
However, the report also identified a number of areas where the Commission needs to continue to improve. These areas include:
- Answering more phone calls within the target time of 120 seconds.
- Increasing the number of charities that have an up-to-date annual return on the register.
- Improving on the number of Freedom of Information requests and letters from Members of Parliament within the target of 20 days.
The Charity Commission’s performance report is a valuable tool for understanding the regulator’s work and for assessing its progress. The report’s findings show that the Commission is making progress in a number of key areas but that there is still work to be done.
The following are some of the key findings from the performance report:
- The number of charities registered with the Commission remained largely consistent in 2022-23 with 168,893 charities registered (2021-22: 169,029).
- The Commission’s regulatory decisions were more likely to be upheld on appeal.
- The Commission’s regulatory processes were more efficient.
- The Commission’s relationships with charities and other stakeholders improved.
The following are some of the recommendations from the performance report:
- The Commission should continue to work with charities to reduce the number of late filings.
- The Commission should increase its use of more intrusive regulatory powers.
- The Commission should review its approach to dealing with serious incidents.
The Charity Commission’s performance report is a valuable document that provides insights into the regulator’s work and its progress. The report’s findings and recommendations will be important for the Commission as it continues to work to protect the public and to ensure that charities are able to deliver on their promises.
What does this mean for the future of the Charity Commission?
The findings of the performance report suggest that the Charity Commission is making progress in a number of key areas. However, the report also identifies a number of areas where the Commission needs to continue to improve.
The Commission’s future success will depend on its ability to address the challenges outlined in the performance report. If the Commission is able to do so, it will be well-positioned to continue to play an important role in protecting the public and ensuring that charities are able to deliver on their objectives.
If you have any questions on this article’s content, contact our specialist Charities team or call 0333 123 7171.
