The chair of the Charity Commission for England and Wales (the Charity Commission) has warned trustees that they should not refuse or return philanthropic donations without 'very good reason'.

In a lecture given on 9 November 2023, chair Orlando Fraser KC said the Charity Commission would mostly respect trustees' refusal of a gift from a high-net-worth donor but might intervene if the trustees' motivations appeared to be their own personal worldviews or preferences rather than the best interests of the charity.

The Charity Commission is currently developing updated guidance for charities on accepting or refusing donations, he said. This guidance, to be published early in 2024, ...