Charity Commission For England And Wales Images

The Charity Commission for England and Wales (Welsh: Comisiwn Elusennau Cymru a Lloegr) is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales.

The Charity Commission answers directly to the UK Parliament and to Government ministers, and as a result it is often described as a Quango. It is governed by a board, which is assisted by the Chief Executive (currently Sam Younger) and an executive team. Suzi Leather, DBE was appointed Chair of the Commission's board on 1 August 2006, after being chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the School Food Trust. Geraldine Peacock, CBE was Chief Charity Commissioner (as previous chairs of the Commission have been known) from 2003 to 2006, and Chair-designate from 8 July 2004 to 2006.

It has four sites in London, Taunton, Liverpool and Newport. The commission's website lists the latest accounts submitted by charities in England and Wales.

Some bodies with charitable objects but which are not charities are not subject to registration with the Charity Commission and are known as exempt charities; these organisations are specified in Schedule 2 to the Charities Act 1993. The same Act also prevents such a body from being described as a "charity" but allows them similar financial and taxation benefits.

Registration of a charity in England and Wales does not endow that status elsewhere thus further registration has to be made before operating in Scotland or Northern Ireland.