More than 50 late reporting charities dealt with by Charity Commission last year

The Charity Commission has dealt with more than 50 charities over the last year as part of its double defaulter class action against those that have failed to file their accounts for at least two years.

Four of these charities are now subject to a further probe after the regulator uncovered other concerns about how they are being run, according to Charity Commission figures for the 12 months to March this year.

These are New Wineskins Charitable Trust and U-Turn Move On Homes, which are being linked together under the same inquiry as they share premises, some trustees and staff.

“Wider administration and governance issues” have resulted in action being escalated after failing to submit their accounts on time.

Another is Queen Alexandra Cottage Homes, which is also being looked at due to wider administration and governance issues to emerge after failures in submitting its accounts, over a four year period.

Meanwhile, an investigation into late filing Devon Freewheelers, which transports blood and medical equipment by motorbike to NHS sites, was opened in September last year.

This probe has launched after its overdue accounts were submitted and the Commission found “a number of related party transactions and potential irregularities in the charity’s accounts when compared to information drawn from the charity’s bank statements”.

Removed from the register

Meanwhile, nine double defaulters were found to have stopped operating and have been removed from the register.

The remaining 38 charities submitted their outstanding accounts and are not being investigated further. Their late submitted accounts amount to £251.2m of income in total.

“Failure to submit the annual documents to the Commission may be a criminal offence,” said the regulator.

“The Commission also regards it as mismanagement and/or misconduct in the administration of the charity.

“Providing timely, accurate and informative financial information that will help funders, donors, beneficiaries, and others to understand the charity and its work, will encourage trust and confidence in it.”