Labour has called upon the government to provide a £1m research fund for charities to develop policy on the long-term mental health effects of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

An independent investigation into alleged financial irregularities at Charity Business has revealed that the company raised no fixed-fee invoices for the period May to September 2011 until October, meaning it failed to declare around £50,000 of output VAT in the correct VAT period.

The Co-operative Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to provide charity credit cards following last week's announcement by Lloyds Banking Group that it will stop providing them at the end of February.

Over £9m of an overall £20m has been awarded in the first window of the Social Action Fund to 16 projects in England.