Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there is a requirement for veterans’ charities set up as community interest companies to prove that the funds raised through donations to them are then spent on veterans.

Charities are independent from Government and are regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Scottish Charity Regulator or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland depending on location. Community Interest Companies are regulated by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies. Specific services provided by charities are subject to other regulators as appropriate, such as the Care Quality Commission or the Fundraising Regulator.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs works closely with many Armed Forces charities and organisations who play a vital part of the wider support system for veterans, and I am also actively exploring ways of simplifying and cohering access to Government support, working in partnership with the charity sector.

We advise anyone who wishes to support our veterans through charitable donations, to check the legitimacy of organisations and charities claiming to raise money for veterans. We are grateful for the generosity of the public and urge supporters to seek out official Service charities.

Any Community Interest Company must adhere to a Code of Practice and is regulated by the Fundraising Regulator.