We believe it is important that the public understand the current position of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the role of the regulator, and how they can raise their own concerns where appropriate.
In a recent statement issued by the Charity Commission, the Commission stated, “We expect charities to do all they can to keep those who come into contact with them safe from harm,” that it had received what it described as “concerning allegations” about Pumpkin and Friends Charity and had opened a FURTHER regulatory compliance case to assess those matters. The Commission also confirmed that, as part of the current case, it is reviewing the charity’s compliance with advice and guidance previously issued to it.
NO FINDINGS HAVE YET BEEN MADE
The Charity Commission has confirmed that it has not yet made any findings on it’s SECOND regulatory compliance case. It is therefore important to understand that the absence of findings at this stage should not be interpreted as either establishing or dismissing the concerns that have been raised. The regulatory assessment is ongoing.
The Commission has also stated that if new concerns are identified, they will be assessed in accordance with its usual process.
UPDATE: On 16th October 2026, the Charity Commission confirmed that the Regulatory Compliance case remains open.
Outcome of the First Regulatory COMPLIANCE Case
On 23rd July 2025, the Trustees of Pumpkin and Friends Charity issued a public statement claiming:
We are pleased to confirm that the Charity Commission has reviewed all their malicious complaints and found no evidence of wrongdoing. The case is now closed.
However, that statement omitted a significant detail about the outcome of the Commission’s involvement.
In correspondence sent to a third party, the Charity Commission confirmed the following:
“Following our engagement with the trustees and based on our assessment of the available information, we determined that, on this occasion, it was proportionate to issue the trustees with regulatory advice and guidance under section 15(2) of the Charities Act.”
In other words, the Charity Commission did not simply close the matter without taking any regulatory action. It engaged with the trustees and issued formal regulatory advice and guidance.
We have submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Charity Commission seeking disclosure of the findings, regulatory action taken and any guidance issued during its first regulatory case concerning Pumpkin and Friends Charity, which ran from September 2024 to July 2025.
RAISING CONCERNS WITH THE CHARITY COMMISSION
If you believe the information you hold raises concerns that fall within the Charity Commission’s regulatory remit, you can raise those concerns directly with the Charity Commission.
Before contacting the Commission, we strongly recommend reading its official guidance:
This explains what the Commission can and cannot consider and how concerns should be submitted.