Charities are trusted by design, and that trust is exactly what makes them a target for abuse — fraud, terrorist financing, and the misuse of funds. Whether you are funding, partnering with, or banking a charity, due diligence matters just as much as it does for a company, and in some ways more. The good news: England and Wales have an excellent free resource — the Charity Commission register.
The regulator and the register
The Charity Commission for England and Wales maintains a public register of charities. For each charity you can see registration status, governing documents, trustees, financial history and filing record.
What to check
- RegistrationConfirm the charity is registered and its number is genuine — not just claimed.
- PurposeCheck its stated charitable objects and that activity matches them.
- TrusteesReview who the trustees are; screen them as you would any individuals.
- FinancesRead income, expenditure and reserves over time for consistency.
- Annual return & accountsConfirm filings are up to date; lateness is a governance signal.
- HistoryLook for regulatory action, inquiries, or removed trustees.
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Registration status | Confirms the charity legally exists and is in good standing |
| Trustees | The people responsible — screenable individuals |
| Financial history | Trends, reserves and anomalies over the years |
| Filing record | On-time vs overdue annual returns and accounts |
| Regulatory history | Inquiries, alerts or action taken by the Commission |
Red flags specific to charities
Charities have risk patterns a company check would not look for.
Tap the features that warrant a closer look for a charity, then reveal the flags.
Where Probitas fits
A Probitas check works on charities as well as companies: it screens trustees and connected individuals against sanctions, PEP and adverse media sources and surfaces the public record, anchoring each finding to its source. It supports your governance and funding decisions; the judgement stays with you.
Charity
How do I check if a UK charity is genuine?
Search the Charity Commission register (for England and Wales) using the charity's name or number. Confirm it is registered and in good standing, check its objects, trustees, finances and filing history. For Scotland use OSCR; for Northern Ireland, the CCNI.
Why do charities need due diligence at all?
Because their trusted status, cash flows and overseas activity make them attractive for fraud, terrorist financing and misuse of funds. Funders, partners and banks all need to confirm a charity is what it claims to be and is well governed.
What are the red flags when checking a charity?
Overdue annual returns or accounts, unexplained transfers to high-risk overseas areas, a single trustee with unchecked control of finances, activity that does not match the stated charitable objects, and any history of regulatory inquiry or action.
Should I screen a charity's trustees?
Yes. Trustees are the responsible individuals and should be screened against sanctions, PEP and adverse media sources just like any other person in a due-diligence check.
Are charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland on the same register?
No. The Charity Commission register covers England and Wales only. Scotland's charities are on the OSCR register and Northern Ireland's on the CCNI register.
Sources
This guide is written from primary sources. Each is linked below; claims in the text link to the specific reference they rely on.