Proposed new commission powers

The anticipated 2026 consultation on new Charity Commission powers signals a move toward strengthened regulatory oversight. Among the proposed changes are expansions to trustee disqualification rules and enhanced enforcement mechanisms designed to address misconduct or mismanagement more swiftly. These proposals reflect concerns about safeguarding the integrity of the charity sector, particularly surrounding financial governance, safeguarding breaches, and deliberate misuse of charitable structures.

For charities, this evolving regulatory landscape underscores the importance of robust trustee recruitment and training processes. Enhanced due diligence, improved induction pathways, and regular governance reviews will become increasingly important. Organisations operating in complex or high‑risk environments may need to invest further in compliance frameworks and specialist legal advice. While strengthened powers may introduce new challenges, they also aim to protect the reputation of the wider sector by ensuring that wrongdoing is addressed efficiently and transparently. Changes are currently being implemented by the Charity Commission in England & Wales only ‑ however, there is scope for these powers to be expanded to Scotland and Northern Ireland in future.

Find out more about consultation on charity commission’s expanded trustee barring powers planned.

If you have any questions, then please feel free to get in touch with Michaela Johns on 023 8046 1256 or email Michaela Johns.