Numbers contacting watchdog over conduct of charities trebled last year

The number of people reporting concerns about the conduct of charities to the sector’s watchdog more than trebled last year.

A total of 317 individuals contacted the Charities Regulator in 2016 to voice concern that charities were not complying with legislation governing charitable organisations. The concerns related to 223 charities.

The annual report of the regulator reveals that almost 40% of all reports it received last year related to concerns about financial mismanagement by a charity. Just under a quarter of the total questioned whether an organisation was a bona fide charity.