New NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless took to Twitter yesterday to distance the charity from a branch chair who had given convicted paedophile Stuart Hall a character reference during his court case.

Some 117 UK voluntary groups have been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2013.

The Charity Commission has suggested to the Treasury that it takes a slice of gift aid or places a direct levy on charities, as it warns it cannot sustain a further 10 per cent funding cut expected in the government’s upcoming spending review.

The Information Tribunal has ruled that the Department for Work and Pensions must publish the names of the businesses and charities which are involved in its unpaid work experience schemes.