Charity Commission statement in response to riots and public disorder

Charities are at the heart of communities across the country and have always been part of the solution to division and hatred. They offer hope and unity, bringing communities of place, faith, and interest together, and they build bridges. Many have been already and are responding to the violence with courage and optimism.

But despicably, charities in turn are not immune from becoming targets for, or affected by, violence and aggression. Mosques and other charitable places of worship have been targeted, and other charities have become victims of mindless vandalism. Some charity leaders now face tough choices, weighing up the importance of their day-to-day activities against the challenges of keeping beneficiaries, staff, volunteers and premises safe from harm.

As regulator, the Commission recognises that some charities are responding to unfamiliar circumstances and unclear risks. What matters is that trustees make decisions in good faith, guided by their charity's best interests and act reasonably on the information available.

The Commission provides guidance that can help trustees, who know their charities, communities, and circumstances best, make good decisions. As the regulator we stand by charities as they navigate this challenging time and stand ready to support them as they do what they do best - bring communities together, protect society's most vulnerable and work to make our country and world a better place.

David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said:

I want to thank all those trustees, staff and volunteers who over recent days have countered hate with unity and hope, whether in word or action. This is one of those times in our country when charities demonstrate the difference they make in communities and the ways in which they strengthen our society. You have my thanks, and my support.

As your regulator, we are here to guide and support all charities, and ensure that you know where to turn when you need support. I encourage trustees to use our guidance, reach out to our contact centre or use some of the sectors umbrella bodies and other sources of advice.

Commission guidance and support

Some charities will have a plan in place in the event of incidents, and their trustees should draw on that plan as appropriate including reviewing it in light of current events.

The Commission's safeguarding guidance includes a section on how to handle and report incidents and concerns, which includes advice to:

• follow your protecting people and safeguarding policies and procedures
• act quickly, ensuring you stop or minimise any further harm or damage
• report it to all relevant agencies and regulators when required
• plan what to say to those involved with your charity and the media if appropriate

Charities will wish to keep the security and safety of their staff, visitors and premises under regular review and consider whether further protective measures are necessary. Trustees know their communities and areas best and are therefore the best people to assess and respond to any increased risks.

It is also important to remember that police and other services are actively monitoring the situation across the country and regularly assessing risks and threats and responding appropriately. Monitor official social media channels of police forces and government bodies for accurate and up to date information to support your assessments and decision making. With significant disinformation circulating its important to check sources of information and rely only on official or other trusted channels of communication avoiding speculation or rumours.

However, we recognise given the moving nature of events and unique situation this may not be easy. We also recognise that not every scenario can be planned for or mitigated against and reviews and mitigations should be proportionate and will be different for each organisation and situation.

Some things to consider as you review your current operating practices and safety measures could be:

• are you operating in an area which has seen or is at risk of unrest? If so and you wish to continue to operate what changes could be made to mitigate any risk to your staff, visitors or beneficiaries?
• have you reviewed the entry points to your property for weaknesses should there be unrest? Can you restrict access/improve secure entry to the property?
• are different entrances available?
• do you have alternative exit routes from the property if required? Are these clear and communicated to staff visitors on arrival?
• should an incident occur do you have a clear procedure in place for what staff / visitors should do to stay safe? Is everyone briefed on this procedure and is it clear who will issue instructions should an incident occur?
• do you need to have first aid trained staff or volunteers onsite?
• have you contacted the local police force community liaison team to agree contact points for sharing of specific risks or to seek specific advice and guidance on operating?

Some risks may be specific or time bound such as an alert from police of a specific risk / threat based on their monitoring of social media or intelligence. You may therefore want to consider:

• who in your charity / how your charity continually reviews the latest advice, guidance or alerts from police forces or other local authorities including monitoring of social media channels
• if you are at higher risk do you need a procedure at the start of each day to assess risk and a clear channel or method to communicate with staff or beneficiaries prior to start of operations on whether or not they should attend site
• ensuring you have a clear process or nominated person responsible for acting upon any urgent alert or risk

Charities should not hesitate to call emergency services if their staff, volunteers or beneficiaries face abuse, feel threatened, or are in danger.

In response to the recent violent disorder and online rhetoric threatening mosques around the country, the Home Office is offering mosques greater protection with new emergency security that can be rapidly deployed.

In the current unique circumstances, charities may find it helpful to remind themselves of the basic principles of good decision making, set out in core guidance.

• The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do (CC3)
• It's your decision: charity trustees and decision making (CC27)

Misinformation is spreading across social media, and charities should avoid sharing any content without ensuring it is from an official or verified resource. There is further advice in our social media guidance.

Trustees can contact the Commission directly if they need support on 0300 066 9197. Some charities may consider it necessary to submit a serious incident report to the Commission, now or in the days ahead.

Further advice and support

There is further advice from the National Business Crime Centre on safeguarding your organisation during public events.

Guidance is also available from ProtectUK on how to effectively protect and prepare.

Charities can work with local emergency services, including Local Resilience Forums. Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) are multi-agency partnerships made up of representatives from local public services, including the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, the Environment Agency and others. The LRFs aim to plan and prepare for localised incidents and catastrophic emergencies. They work to identify potential risks and produce emergency plans to either prevent or mitigate the impact of any incident on their local communities.

The VCS Emergencies Partnership is a network of more than 300 voluntary, community and statutory sector organisations that come together to provide a more coordinated and person-centred response to emergencies. It aims for greater national resilience and a better experience for people who are impacted by emergencies. It gives partners access to useful information, learning opportunities, capability-building events and a way to build trusted connections and community resilience with others, before, during and after emergencies.

Your local infrastructure organisation (LIO) will be a source of information about the local situation and immediate risks, a useful point of contact for immediate support and connection to other organisations locally, and a good way to feed information back to statutory services. Find your nearest local infrastructure organisation.

The NCVO can also offer advice and guidance to charities. In Wales, contact WCVA.

Notes to editors

1. 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. 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. Find out more: About us - The Charity Commission