The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into the Big Help Project after it found a “significant increase” in its income.

The probe into the Liverpool charity, which provides accommodation to vulnerable people, has also been launched after the regulator found concerns “around trustee decision making, potential unauthorised trustee benefit and unmanaged conflicts of interest”.

According to the charities register its total income swelled from £439,840 in the year to March 2018 to £15.8m over the same period four years later.

The most prominent increase in its income was between March 2019 to March 2021 when its income increased from £451,710 to £9.49m.

Between March 2018 and March 2022 its spending increased from £357,220 to £13.4m.

We’ve opened an inquiry into Big Help Project after identifying concerns, including potential unauthorised trustee benefit and unmanaged conflicts of interest.

Read more: https://t.co/WMSV2NjVNR pic.twitter.com/rIIkQj1hRw

— Charity Commission (@ChtyCommission) February 5, 2024

“We are very disappointed to note the decision of the Charity Commission,” said the charity.

“We have cooperated fully and will continue to cooperate fully with the Charity Commission. None of our service delivery will be affected in any way and we will continue to provide the same lifechanging support that we have for the past 12 years.

“We look forward to clearing up any issues raised during this process and are now exploring various legal channels through which we can do so.”

It adds that the inquiry should not be seen as a “determination by the regulator of wrong-doing” and “the hundreds of clients we help each week can rest assured they remain our
priority”.

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