Charity Commission opens inquiry into Blackpool anti-poverty charity
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-10)

The regulator is investigating Blackpool’s Voice over financial and governance concerns.

The charity (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5171163/governance?_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_organisationNumber=5171163), which provides clothes, food and other provisions to those in poverty, was registered in 2020.

Since that time, it has failed to submit any accounting information as required by law. Additionally, since January 2025, the charity has been operating with an insufficient number of trustees, which is a breach of its governing document.

The Commission has repeatedly contacted the charity to provide advice and guidance but despite this, the trustees have failed to take action and the charity’s accounting information remains outstanding.

As a result of these ongoing failures the regulator has now escalated its engagement to a statutory inquiry.

The inquiry, which opened on 21 October 2025, will examine the administration, governance and management of the charity, and in particular:

the trustees’ compliance with their legal obligations for the content, preparation and filing of the charity’s accounts and annual returns

whether the charity is being managed in accordance with its governing document and has a sufficient number of willing and capable trustees

whether potential conflicts of interest and connected party transactions have been properly managed and whether there has been any unauthorised personal benefit

the extent to which the trustees have complied with previously issued regulatory guidance and orders.

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 the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.

Ends

Notes to editors:
- The 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. The Commission has a wide range of regulatory powers which it can use to support charities and protect charitable assets. Further information about the Charity Commission and its work is available on The Charity Commission - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission).
- On 21 October 2025 the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 as a result of its regulatory concerns that there is or has been misconduct and / or mismanagement in the administration of the charity.
- A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation.
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