The Charity Commission is assessing concerns against a prominent anti-racist charity after Nigel Farage complained that it has been influencing a key local election.
Farage wrote to the commission on Tuesday to complain about Hope Unlimited Charitable Trust (HUCT) funding private company Hope Not Hate Limited’s “political activities”.
A Charity Commission spokesperson subsequently said: “We are currently assessing concerns relating to Hope Unlimited Charitable Trust to determine if there is any role for the commission as charity regulator.”
In his letter posted to X, Farage accused the charity of sending leaflets to Makerfield homes endorsing Labour candidate Andy Burnham at next month’s by-election and rejecting his party Reform UK.
Farage said: “HUCT funding Hope Not Hate Limited’s political activities represents a clear conflict of interest on the part of the trustees.”
The Reform UK leader went on to claim that Hope Not Hate Limited has been and continues to be funded “almost entirely” by HUCT grants, which he said amounted to a “clear breach of the Charity Commission’s regulations”.
In response, Hope Not Hate chief executive Nick Lowles said on social media that Reform UK’s complaint was “a transparent attempt to distract from legitimate scrutiny of its candidate in Makerfield”.
“It’s a shame that Nigel Farage has not put as much effort into vetting his own candidates as he has done making spurious complaints to the Charity Commission,” he wrote, and vowed to continue campaigning in Makerfield.
In a statement to Civil Society, a Hope Not Hate spokesperson added: "HOPE not hate exists to challenge hate and extremism, and to expose those who promote racism, intolerance and division in our politics. Voters have a right to know what candidates seeking their support have said and done.
"Reform dismissed their candidate’s comments as ‘locker room banter’ and fully backed him. Voters can judge that for themselves."
Hope Not Hate Limited is supporter-funded and registered with the Electoral Commission as a third-party campaigner, the spokesperson added.
‘A charity must stress its independence’
The commission closed a compliance case into HUCT, formerly Hope Not Hate Charitable Trust, after “repeated complaints” about its relationship with a similarly named private company.
The case was opened in July 2025 and closed in January this year after the charity changed its name to distinguish itself from the firm Hope Not Hate Limited.
As part of its guidance on political activity, drawn from legal principles, the commission said that charities must ensure that political involvement is balanced.
It stated that charities can campaign and engage in political activity when it helps them to achieve their founding objectives, but they must not pick sides.
The regulator told HUCT that it must apply its policies “fairly and consistently when considering recipients” for grants after its prior compliance case.
HUCT’s Charity Commission listing shows that the vast majority of its total expenditure in the last recorded financial year to 31 December 2024 was on “charitable activities”.
Some £893,700 was spent this way, while £37,606 went towards fundraising.
A spokesperson for Hope Unlimited Charitable Trust said: “The accusation made by Nigel Farage has absolutely no basis in fact.
“Hope Unlimited Charitable Trust does not campaign for or against candidates in any elections and our charitable funds are not used to support the political campaigning of Hope Not Hate, either in Makerfield or elsewhere.
“We are a fundraising and grant-giving charity supporting the work of organisations which challenge hate, promote mutual understanding and strengthen community relationships.
“Hope Unlimited Charitable Trust is rightly subject to regular reporting from our grantees to ensure all funds are ring-fenced for charitable activities only.”
