Raising a concern with the Charity: compliance actions for.

A practical deep dive on Raising a concern with the Charity Commission (CC47), covering what changed in the Charity Commission update, who is affected, and the highest-priority actions to complete in the next 30 days.

The Charity Commission updated "Raising a concern with the Charity Commission (CC47)" on 21 April 2026. This article explains what changed, which charities are most affected, and what trustees and senior teams should do in the next 30 days.

What changed in this update

This update has direct compliance implications. It should be treated as a governance input, not background reading. Trustees should confirm accountabilities, policy updates, and evidence trails for the decisions they take next.

Who should prioritise this now

Trustees and governance committees with legal oversight duties
Chief operating officers and heads of operations
Finance, safeguarding, risk, and compliance owners

30-day action plan for trustees and leaders

Circulate the update to trustees and relevant policy owners this week.
Check whether existing policies now need revision or board sign-off.
Define who is responsible for implementation and set deadlines.
Document evidence of review, decisions, and control changes.
Schedule a short assurance checkpoint within 30 days.

Questions to take to your next board discussion

Do our current controls still meet the standard set by this update?
Which risks increase if we do not act before the next board cycle?
What evidence will we keep to show reasonable trustee oversight?

Use this article as an implementation guide, then confirm details against the source publication. Keep a short decision log so trustees can evidence how the update was interpreted and applied.

The strongest response is not to react quickly. It is to respond clearly, with named owners, dated actions, and written evidence for trustee assurance.

Disclaimer

The content in this article is provided for general informational purposes and should not be treated as legal, financial, tax, fundraising, governance, or professional advice.

You should obtain advice from a qualified professional before acting on this content. Your organisation may require specific legal or regulatory guidance based on its circumstances.

Charity law and regulatory guidance can change. Trustees remain responsible for checking current requirements, including Charity Commission guidance where applicable.

For full legal terms, see our website disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

Does this Charity Commission update apply to every charity?

Not always. Start by checking the scope, legal context, and activity type in the source publication, then map those conditions against your own charity before changing policy.

Should trustees record this update in board papers?

Yes. Board papers should capture what changed, the risks considered, the actions agreed, and who is accountable for delivery. That evidence supports effective trustee oversight.

How quickly should we act after an update is published?

For governance or compliance updates, set an initial response inside 30 days. For research publications, review strategic implications in the next planning cycle and record the outcome.

Raising a concern with the Charity Commission (CC47): what charities should do next