Regulator launches statutory inquiries into four charities linked to Barnabas Fund
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-09)

The Charity Commission has launched statutory inquiries into TBF Trust, Oxford Centre for Religion in Public Life, Reconciliation Trust and Servants Fellowship International (SFI).

The charity regulator for England and Wales is investigating four charities after identifying possible risks due to their shared premises, trustees and/or founders, and the flow of funds with Barnabas Fund, another charity under inquiry.

The charities are part of the ‘Barnabas Family’. TBF Trust (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/271602), Reconciliation Trust (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/3966595#:~:text=Providing%20grants%20to%20organisations%20and,hardship%20or%20other%20disadvantage%3B%20to) and Servants Fellowship International (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/280859/charity-overview) are grant giving charities which share the same purposes – to maintain, advance and promote the Christian faith. Oxford Centre for Religion in Public Life (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5010458) was established for the advancement of education, to conduct and promote research for the purpose of promoting religious harmony for the benefit of the public.

In October last year, the Commission announced it was investigating Barnabas Fund over serious concerns regarding its compliance with charity law and the use of charitable funds. As part of this, the regulator used its statutory powers to temporarily restrict any transactions the charity intends to make which are over £4,000. The regulator is now again using these powers to freeze the bank accounts of Reconciliation Trust and restrict any transactions above £2,500 made by the other three charities. Trustees will be required to gain written consent from the Commission for such transactions. This follows concerns that charitable funds could be at risk.

The Commission will seek to determine if the charities hold a relationship with US-based subsidiary Nexcus and if they have a structure similar to that of Barnabas Fund. The regulator will assess if this is in the charities’ best interests. The inquiry will also investigate to determine if charitable assets are at risk.

The scope of all four inquiries will examine:

the trustees’ compliance with their legal duties and responsibilities in respect of their administration and governance of the charity

if there is a risk to charity property

if there has been any misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees in the administration of the charity

The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge. It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were.

Notes to editors:

The Charity Commission (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission) is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.

On 6 December 2024, the Commission opened statutory inquiries into TBF Trust, Oxford Centre for Religion in Public Life, Reconciliation Trust and Servants Fellowship International (SFI) under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011.

On 17 September the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into Barnabas Fund. More information can be found in our press release on gov.uk. (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charity-commission-restricts-international-aid-charitys-spending-amidst-a-statutory-inquiry#:~:text=The%20charity%20regulator%20for%20England,the%20use%20of%20charitable%20funds.)

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