The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into a Merseyside transport charity over concerns that it has not been spending its money appropriately.
Merseycare Transport Services, registered in 2009, is being investigated by the regulator on various grounds, including that its spending does not appear to match its charitable objects.
The commission also took issue with the charity appearing to have too few trustees and reportedly being in breach of its governing document.
Merseycare describes itself as a community transport charity which helps people with specialist mobility needs in the Wirral.
The charity was set up with the support of Wirral Borough Council and said on its website that it invests all its funding into service improvements and prioritising customers.
It also operates a contracted minibus service for borough councils, NHS trusts, as well as the voluntary sector and private sector more widely.
Merseycare, which lists two trustees on its Charity Commission page, is also being assessed for reportedly failing to comply with its statutory accounting requirements.
The commission will look into whether the trustees have complied with their legal duties.
In particular, it will assess the adequacy of the charity’s financial controls and governance arrangements, and whether inaccurate information has been submitted to the commission.
It will assess whether there has been any misconduct, mismanagement or misappropriation of funds.
“The scope of the inquiry can be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge,” the regulator added.
According to its accounts, £1.77m of Merseycare’s overall £1.98m expenditure in the year to March 2025 went on charitable activities.
In 2024-25, it had a gross income of £1.92m, which has grown steadily in the last five years.
It reported receiving £309,000 in government grants in 2024-25, falling from £1.04m in 2023-24.
Civil Society has approached Merseycare Transport Services for comment.
