About us
We register and regulate charities in England and Wales, to ensure that the public can support charities with confidence.
Who we are
We are the regulator of charities in England and Wales and maintain the charity register.
We are an independent, non-ministerial government department accountable to Parliament.
As registrar, we are responsible for maintaining an accurate and up-to-date register of charities. This includes deciding whether organisations are charitable and should be registered. We also remove charities that are not considered to be charitable, no longer exist or do not operate.
We work across 4 sites in Liverpool, London, Newport and Taunton. Our Newport office operates bilingually in Welsh and English. We employ around 450 people.
Our ambition
To be the expert Charity Commission that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive.
Five priorities describe the Commission’s key areas of focus, as well as the steps it will take to fulfil these ambitions:
- We will be fair and proportionate in our work and clear about our role.
- We will support charities to get it right but take robust action where we see wrongdoing and harm.
- We will speak with authority and credibility, free from the influence of others.
- We will embrace technological innovation and strengthen how we use our data.
- We will be the expert Commission - where our people are empowered and enabled to deliver excellence in regulation.
Read the Charity Commission Strategy 2024 to 2029 for more information.
Find out more about our governance.
Responsibilities
Within England and Wales, our responsibilities are:
- registering eligible organisations in England and Wales which are established for only charitable purposes
- taking enforcement action where there is malpractice or misconduct. For example, freezing a charity’s bank account, or suspending or removing a trustee
- ensuring charities meet their legal requirements, including providing information on their activities each year
- making appropriate information about each registered charity widely available to the public
- providing guidance to help charities run as effectively as possible
- providing online services for charities
You can read more about the Charity Commission in our latest annual report and accounts.
Corporate information
Access our information
- Accessible documents policy
- Complaints procedure
- Equality and diversity
- Media enquiries
- Our governance
Jobs and contracts
Read about the types of information we routinely publish in our Publication scheme. Find out about our commitment to Welsh language scheme. Our Personal information charter explains how we treat your personal information. Read our policy on Social media use. Find out About our services.