City of Sanctuary UK, a national charity that has spent the last twenty years building welcome, support and opportunity for people seeking sanctuary, has been fully cleared by the Charity Commission following a formal compliance case.
The Commission opened its case in August 2025 following a complaint alleging inappropriate political activity relating to our Schools of Sanctuary programme, specifically regarding a Valentine’s Day craft activity. The allegations, which circulated online and were reported in the media, were found by the Commission to be misleading and unsubstantiated.
What the Commission Found
Following a detailed review and a meeting with the charity’s trustees, the regulator found no evidence to support the allegations made against the charity.
The Commission found no evidence of inappropriate political activity, or activity falling outside of the charity’s purposes. It confirmed that the charity’s work in schools is within its charitable purposes and complies with the Commission’s guidance on campaigning and political activity. It also confirmed that the charity’s engagement with aspects of government policy was permissible under charity law.
The Commission expressed concern that City of Sanctuary UK was subjected to a misinformation campaign, including threats to trustees and staff, and noted that charities working in this field are increasingly subject to this kind of pressure.
Helen Earner, Director of Regulatory Services at the Charity Commission, said:
“The Commission speaks out when charities fall short of their legal responsibilities, but we also have a role in affirming the right of charities to further their purposes within the law, even where some may strongly disagree with their views.
“In this case, concerns about the charity’s work were fuelled by online misinformation, something charities are increasingly subject to and a concern for us as regulator. After examining the available evidence, we found the claims to be misleading, and that the Schools of Sanctuary programme is within the charity’s purposes and complies with our guidance on campaigning and political activity. We are satisfied the trustees understand their regulatory obligations.”
A spokesperson for City of Sanctuary UK said:
“The Charity Commission’s thorough review confirms that we have acted approproately and in line with our charitable objectives. While it is disappointing that our integrity was called into question, we welcome this clear outcome and are pleased the case is now closed.“
“The misinformation campaign we were subject to had a real impact on our team and the schools we work with, and we are grateful that the Commission recognised this as part of its review. We know we are not alone – a number of other organisations working in this field have faced similar experiences.”
We want to take this moment to thank our staff, trustees, supporters, partner organisations and the wider Sanctuary community for their solidarity and unwavering support throughout this process.
We will continue our work with focus and confidence, supporting communities across the UK to build welcome, support and opportunity for people seeking sanctuary.
Read the Charity Commission’s concluding statement. Read our original statement from August 2025
About City of Sanctuary UK
City of Sanctuary UK is a national charity working to build communities where everyone’s skills, voices and contributions are valued. We bring together local groups, organisations, and institutions to build a society where everyone, irrespective of where they are from, can participate fully, share their talents, and shape the future of our communities.
Support Our Work
Our work depends on people who believe in welcome. If that’s you, please stand with us. Donate here
Links to press pieces
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87w489p7l9o
Civil Society: https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/refugee-charity-cleared-by-regulator-after-mp-backed-misinformation-campaign.html