The Fundraising Regulator has found that two community interest companies (CICs) breached its code of practice over licensing issues and “inappropriate fundraiser behaviour”.
It concluded that Atoma Union CIC and Youth Works Union CIC, which shared a registered office address, were fundraising without the correct licences and placing undue pressure on members of the public to donate.
The regulator first heard concerns about the CICs from a West Midlands local authority before receiving similar information from two local authorities in London.
It also heard complaints from members of the public about the behaviour of fundraisers representing the two CICs, some of which described verbal and physical altercations.
The regulator attempted to contact the director of both CICs on several occasions, but received no response.
Charity Commission also alerted
In May 2025, the regulator also received reports from the Charity Commission, which had heard concerns from a local authority about fundraisers collecting cash and card payments in Leamington Spa town centre, despite the council not having issued a street collection permit.
Further complaints were raised again about unlicensed street fundraising taking place in London.
The Fundraising Regulator’s attempts to contact the two CICs again went unanswered, which it said led to a reasonable conclusion that both CICs were engaged in fundraising without the correct licences.
The regulator added: “We based this on stakeholder intelligence, complaints, enquiries about donations, and reports of money being exchanged for nothing in return.
“We received information from three local authorities indicating that both CICs had been actively soliciting funds. Two local authorities issued warnings instructing them not to fundraise without the correct licences.”
The regulator also considered concerns about fundraiser behaviour, and concluded that the fundraisers representing the CICs were in some instances “acting in a way that could reasonably be perceived as placing undue pressure on members of the public to donate.”
Both CICs dissolved
Both CICs dissolved earlier this year, with Youth Works Union CIC having shut in January and Atoma Union CIC in April, according to their respective Companies House entries.
The Fundraising Regulator said it would be sharing its investigation findings with the CIC regulator and the Metropolitan Police.
The regulator had previously investigated a number of other CICs for similar code breaches over the last year, prompting calls for stronger regulation of CICs following the growing number of complaints.
Neither Atoma Union CIC nor Youth Works Union CIC could be reached for comment.
