National Sector News Round-Up: Charity Regulation, Pension Credit and Household Support

The latest government announcements cover charity regulation, financial support for pensioners, heating oil consumer protections and the importance of maintaining public trust in the voluntary sector.

Pensioners encouraged to check eligibility for Pension Credit

The Department for Work and Pensions is encouraging older people to check whether they are entitled to Pension Credit, with hundreds of thousands of pensioners potentially missing out on financial support.

Pension Credit provides additional income to eligible pensioners and can also help people access other forms of assistance, including support with housing costs and certain NHS expenses.

The government is encouraging pensioners, their families and community organisations to check eligibility and help ensure that people receive the financial assistance available to them.

Charities and voluntary groups working with older residents can play an important role in sharing information and supporting people who may face barriers to accessing benefits.

Read more about Pension Credit eligibility

Stronger consumer protections proposed for heating oil customers

The government has announced plans to strengthen protections for households that rely on heating oil, particularly those living in rural areas without access to mains gas.

The proposals follow concerns about pricing practices and cancelled orders during periods of increased demand or rising energy costs.

The government intends to strengthen oversight of the heating oil market and improve protections for consumers, helping ensure households are treated fairly.

These developments could be particularly relevant to rural communities across East Riding and North Lincolnshire, where some households depend on heating oil to heat their homes.

Read more about heating oil consumer protections

Charity Commission highlights the importance of public trust

The Charity Commission has highlighted the importance of protecting public confidence in charities and supporting a strong, sustainable voluntary sector.

In a speech titled A Precious Treasure: Sustaining Charities, Building Communities and Protecting Public Trust, the Commission reflected on the important role charities play in supporting communities and responding to local needs.

The speech also considers the responsibilities of charity trustees and leaders in maintaining good governance, accountability and public confidence.

For charities and voluntary organisations, the announcement provides an opportunity to reflect on organisational governance, transparency and the importance of maintaining strong relationships with the communities they serve.

Read the Charity Commission speech

Government consults on stronger powers to protect charities from extremist abuse

The government has launched a consultation on proposals to strengthen the Charity Commission’s powers to prevent extremist abuse within charitable organisations.

The proposals include extending automatic disqualification rules for charity trustees and senior managers to cover certain hate-related criminal convictions.

The consultation seeks views on how these measures could strengthen the regulatory framework, protect charities from misuse and maintain public confidence in the sector.

Charity trustees, senior managers and voluntary sector organisations may wish to review the proposals and consider their potential implications for governance and safeguarding arrangements.

Read more about the consultation