The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into Legal Action, stating the charity has failed to implement or agree to an action plan issued in response to concerns it was operating outside its objects.

The commission said today it has been engaging with Legal Action since 2010. It wrote to the charity in March setting out its findings and conclusions and issuing an action plan. The plan set out outstanding regulatory concerns, the action required to resolve them, and the timescale for completing the action.

However, the regulator said its concerns have escalated as monitoring has identified that Legal Action has failed to make a satisfactory response to its findings and conclusions, and has not implemented or agreed to implement the action plan.

Legal Action, registered charity number 1100780 and also known as Charles Henry, has objects including providing legal facilities to people who would otherwise not be able to afford them.

The commission said its investigation will deal with “the charity’s lack of co-operation and non-compliance in connection with the charity’s failure to implement the action plan”.

It will also cover the trustees’ discharge of their duties, and whether Legal Action is operating in accordance with its objects for the public benefit.

A spokesperson for Legal Action said via email that the charity would be unable to make a comment by the time of publishing.

Share Story: