The Charity Commission has written to a grantmaker accused of funding think tanks backing climate-denial and pro-Brexit causes among others instead of supporting disabled children, after finding that information presented on the online register regarding its activities was “potentially misleading”.
Last week, the Good Law Project (GLP) reported that the Street Foundation had given £749,000 to groups including “think tanks that cast doubt on the legitimacy of mental health issues, promote privatising disability benefits and call for the abolition of the Equality Act” over the past five years.
This figure would account for 42% of the foundation’s income over that time, according to figures filed with the Commission.
The foundation, described as a “disabled children’s charity” by GLP, lists its activities on the Commission website: “Make grants to individuals and organisations involved with children/young people with a disability/special needs”.
However, the charitable objects in its governing document read: “The furtherance and pursuance of charitable purposes and in such proportions and in such a manner and subject to such terms and conditions as the trustees may from time to time in their absolute discretion determine.”
The Commission told Civil Society that it had “carefully examined concerns raised” about the Street Foundation but had seen no evidence that it was acting outside of its objects.
A spokesperson added: “We do consider that information the charity presents on the online register as to its activities is potentially misleading.
“We’ve therefore written to the trustees with advice on how they can make their register information clearer.”
Disability Rights UK: ‘Shocking’ claims
Dan White, policy and campaigns officer at Disability Rights UK, said disabled people are struggling after austerity, Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis, so it is “shocking that a charity that claims to meet the needs of disabled children, has given 42% of its grants in the last five years to political think-tanks”.
“The Street Foundation says it supports ‘individuals and organisations involved with children/young people with a disability/special need’, yet it has used its funds to promote the privatisation of benefits and the abolition of the Equality Act,” he said.
“It appears that a high proportion of its funds isn’t being spent on disabled children at all.”
The GLP also raised concerns about Richard Smith, one of the Street Foundation’s four trustees, and his alleged links to think tanks.
In its accounts, the Street Foundation said it receives donated resources from the HR Smith Group of companies “in the form of provision of office space” but as the value of these resources cannot be quantified, the income and expenditure have not been recognised in its latest statement of financial activities.
HR Smith Group is owned by Smith whose family members serve as the other trustees of the Street Foundation.
His firm allegedly gave £50,000 to Reform UK during this year’s general election campaign and £10,000 to Iain Duncan Smith, former chief whip of the Conservatives in the European Parliament, in 2021.
Meanwhile, GLP said TechTest, part of the HR Smith Group, has given £890,000 to Reform, UKIP, the Tories and campaigns to leave the European Union.
Jo Maugham, GLP’s executive director, said that “diverting money away from disabled children is a new low”.
Accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 show that during the year, the Street Foundation made grants to charities and other not-for-profit organisations amounting to £379,000 compared with £540,000 in 2021-22.
The Street Foundation and HR Smith Group did not wish to comment.
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