About us

Who are we?

The Charity Commission is the independent regulator and registrar for charities in England and Wales . We work closely with charities themselves, their representatives and other bodies to increase their impact, build public trust, and ensure that charity is working at the heart of society.

Broadly, our work falls into four categories:

• Registering charities;
• Monitoring them;
• Modernising them and encouraging good practice; and
• Preventing and tackling abuse and bad practice.

Our aim is to provide the best possible regulation of charities in England and Wales , in order to increase charities’ efficiency and effectiveness, and public confidence and trust.

How are we structured?

Responsibility for strategy and future direction of the Commission rests with its Board of non-executive Commissioners.  Charity Commissioners are appointed through an open recruitment process.

Corporate decision making that affects the day-to-day operation of the Commission is delegated to the Executive Group. This group is chaired by the Chief Executive and includes the three Directors responsible for Charity and Legal Services, Policy and Effectiveness, and Corporate Services and Charity Information. The Directors’ duties include implementing the programmes and policies arising from the Board and ensuring effective service delivery.

Who are we accountable to?

As a non-ministerial government department, the Charity Commission operates at arm's length from Ministers while remaining accountable to Parliament.  In order to remain accountable, we:

• report to the Cabinet Office and Parliament each year on our work during the previous financial year;
• are audited annually by the National Audit Office (NAO) and examined periodically by Parliament’s Committee on Public Accounts (the PAC);
• publish regular reports on our website, along with the reasons for important decisions; and
• publish our Service Delivery Agreement with the Treasury showing how we will meet our targets and improve our performance.

We are accountable for our legal decisions through the High Court, which can overturn them.  Our decisions can also be challenged without going to court by asking for an internal review.   In the future, a new Charity Tribunal will deal with appeals against and reviews of Commission decisions, and referrals from the Commission or Attorney General involving the operation or application of charity law.  This will make it easier and less expensive for charities to challenge the Commission’s decisions.

We also come within the remit of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The latest edition of our annual report to Parliament can be accessed here:

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/spr/AnnualReps.asp