The Royal Opera House Covent Garden has volunteered to have its public benefit assessed by the Charity Commission.

It’s the second round of the Commission’s ongoing examination on public benefit.

Earlier this year the Commission assessed 12 religious charities, fee-charging schools and care homes. If found that one care home and two schools were not providing sufficient public benefit.

This round will see the Commission look at the public benefit of four fee-charging art charities – the Royal Opera House, the Young Concert Artists Trust, the Castle Players and Gwent Ballet Theatre.

The Royal Opera House, having been previously involved in providing assistance to the Charity Commission in developing the guidance around public benefit and how it applies to fee-charging charities, volunteered to be included in the group of assessments.

The Commission will assess the public benefit of charities for the advancement of health and those working in sports and recreation next year.

Charity Commission research has found that three-quarters of charity trustees know about public benefit.

The Commission surveyed 1,483 charity trustees on public benefit awareness. It found 98 per cent of those who knew about public benefit were confident that their charity could demonstrate it.