How Should Charities Engage with Reform UK?

As Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party continues to surge in the polls and capture local political ground, many in the charity sector are confronting an uncomfortable question: how — if at all — should charities engage with a movement whose values often seem at odds with their own?

The answer lies not in partisan instinct but in law, duty, and strategic purpose. Charities operate within a strict legal framework governing political activity, reputational risk, and trustee responsibility. Reform UK’s rise forces charity leaders to revisit these principles and decide where — and how — engagement can serve charitable aims without compromising integrity or compliance.

The Political Landscape: Reform’s Rapid Rise

Once a protest movement, Reform UK is now a formidable electoral force. Led by Nigel Farage, the party has gained councils and mayoralties across England and — according to recent national polling — regularly competes with Labour and the Conservatives for first place.

Reform’s rhetoric is unapologetically nationalist and populist. Farage and several candidates have courted controversy over immigration, multiculturalism, and “woke” politics. In 2024, some of its representatives were linked to conspiracy theories about Muslims “supplanting the native population”.

Since then, Farage claims the party has “professionalised” its ranks, introducing stricter vetting. Yet new controversies continue to emerge — such as Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s remark that seeing adverts with Black and Asian people “drives her mad.”

Critics argue that Reform’s success has emboldened far-right sentiment, though the party denies any association with extremist groups. Regardless, its growing base is shifting political discourse — and that inevitably impacts the environment in which UK charities operate.

Why Charities Are Feeling the Pressure

In October, sector leaders wrote to prime minister Keir Starmer warning that charities supporting migrants and minority communities were “experiencing increasing racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and antisemitism on the streets and in workplaces,” including direct abuse toward staff and volunteers.

The Charity Commission has even taken the unusual step of removing trustees’ names from refugee-support charities on its public register to reduce the risk of targeted harassment.

For many trustees, this climate creates a dilemma: how can their organisation continue advocating for vulnerable groups if the political tide is increasingly hostile? And what happens if Reform UK gains further ground in Parliament or local government — becoming, in effect, the gatekeeper for funding, influence, or regulation?

The instinct for many charities is to disengage. Yet disengagement can itself create risk: alienating donors, service-users, or entire communities who now identify with the movement.

What Reform UK Actually Stands For

Reform UK is not a traditional conservative party. Analysts often describe it as culturally right-wing but economically interventionist.

While known for its anti-immigration stance, the party has also proposed curbs on second-home ownership in tourist hotspots — a policy more commonly associated with left-leaning localism. It has supported wildlife initiatives such as installing “swift bricks” in new-build homes, a measure originally introduced in Labour’s 2024 manifesto and backed by the RSPB.

Reform also recently welcomed former Conservative MP Danny Kruger — author of the 2020 government review of civil society — who brings an understanding of the voluntary sector. His defection suggests Reform may seek legitimacy through closer links with charities and social enterprises.

At the same time, several of Reform’s flagship policies are anathema to many NGOs: scrapping net-zero targets, halving international aid, reducing refugee support, and cutting disability benefits.

According to research by nfpResearch, only 49% of Reform voters say they trust charities, though that figure rises significantly for charities supporting military veterans — one of the few areas where Reform’s rhetoric and the sector’s work overlap.

The Legal Position: Political Activity vs. Party Politics

Under UK law, charities are strictly prohibited from supporting or opposing any political party or candidate.

However, they may engage in political activity if — and only if — it supports their charitable purpose. This distinction is central to compliance under both the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity Commission’s guidance (CC9).

The Commission defines political activity as “activity aimed at securing or opposing a change in the law, policy, or decisions of central government, local authorities, or other public bodies.”

Therefore:

• A refugee charity may lobby Reform UK (or any party) to maintain asylum protections — because that advances its charitable objects.
   
• But it must not campaign against Reform UK as a party or call on the public not to vote for it.
   
• Communications must remain evidence-based, balanced, and demonstrably linked to charitable aims.
   

The same principles apply to attendance at party conferences. A charity may attend a Reform UK event to engage policymakers or explain its work. But speeches, social media, or press releases must avoid implying party endorsement or opposition.

Failure to uphold neutrality could trigger a Charity Commission investigation and even jeopardise charitable status.

Why Engagement Still Matters

Some major organisations — including Cancer Research UK and Social Enterprise UK — have already attended Reform’s conferences, despite discomfort over its rhetoric.

Peter Holbrook, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said he found many attendees “frustrated and wanting change,” even if he disagreed with their views. His takeaway was simple: “We need to go in and have proper conversations.”

This approach reflects the sector’s pragmatic reality. Charities do not choose who governs — but they must work with whoever does.

Engagement ensures:

• Continued dialogue on funding, regulation, and policy development.
   
• Opportunities to challenge misinformation directly.
   
• A voice for service-users who may now align with Reform’s politics.
   

Refusing to engage risks marginalising those voices and allowing extremist narratives to fill the vacuum. In the long term, that could erode public trust in charities as neutral agents of social good.

Reputational and Ethical Considerations

Nonetheless, engaging with Reform UK carries reputational risk.

Farage remains a polarising figure. Association with the party could alienate donors, staff, and service-users from minority backgrounds. Trustees must therefore assess each engagement through the lens of charity law’s duty of prudence and care.

Before attending a Reform event, trustees should ask:

1. Is this directly relevant to our charitable purpose?
    
2. Could the engagement reasonably be perceived as party endorsement?
    
3. What are the potential consequences for staff, beneficiaries, and public confidence?
    
4. How will we communicate this activity transparently to stakeholders?
    

Where engagement is justified, documentation is key: record the rationale, expected outcomes, and risk-mitigation steps in meeting minutes. This demonstrates compliance with the Commission’s guidance and ensures accountability if questioned.

Safeguarding and Staff Safety

The increase in targeted abuse against charity workers — particularly those supporting refugees or ethnic minorities — adds a further legal dimension: the duty of care owed by trustees and employers.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, trustees must take reasonable steps to protect staff and volunteers from foreseeable harm. Where engagement with controversial groups might expose personnel to hostility, charities must implement risk assessments, security guidance, and, if necessary, anonymity protections similar to those recently adopted by the Charity Commission.

Practical steps include:

• Conducting pre-event security briefings.
   
• Allowing staff to opt out of high-risk engagements.
   
• Monitoring social media threats and coordinating with law enforcement if needed.
   
• Offering counselling or debriefing after hostile incidents.

Strategic Engagement: Finding the Common Ground

For charities choosing to engage, the challenge is to identify shared interests without diluting values.

Even within Reform UK, there are policy areas where constructive dialogue is possible — for instance:

• Veterans’ welfare – widely supported by Reform voters and compatible with many existing charities’ objectives.
   
• Local economic development – Reform’s focus on small-town regeneration aligns with community-enterprise agendas.
   
• Environmental conservation (minus net-zero rhetoric) – the party’s support for specific wildlife measures shows limited but genuine scope for collaboration.
   

Engagement should be framed around outcomes, not ideology. Charities should seek opportunities to present evidence-based solutions that appeal to Reform’s populist focus on fairness, sovereignty, and value for money — themes that transcend partisan identity.

Communication and Messaging

Effective engagement also depends on careful communication.

Charities must:

• Reaffirm their non-partisan status in every public statement.
   
• Focus on issues (e.g., housing, poverty, mental health) rather than political actors.
   
• Use neutral, fact-driven language rather than moral condemnation.
   
• Prepare spokespersons for challenging interviews or misrepresentation risks.
   

In today’s social-media climate, perception spreads faster than nuance. A single tweet can create an impression of bias. Trustees should therefore approve social-media protocols and provide staff training on political neutrality.

The NCVO and the Broader Sector View

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) advises that charities must consider engaging across the political spectrum — not only with the main parties.

“Parties such as Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have gained influence across local, regional and national levels,” an NCVO spokesperson said. “Influencing their priorities could be vital.”

The NCVO emphasises that clarity of purpose should guide any engagement:

“For any civil-society organisation, the starting point should be understanding what you are trying to achieve and which stakeholders — political or otherwise — are key to success.”

It also highlights that the sector’s greatest strength lies in mobilising people, not politicians. Engaging communities and supporters — including those sympathetic to Reform — can often achieve more than lobbying itself.

Looking Ahead: Preparing for Political Volatility

While Reform UK currently tops national polls, Britain’s next general election is not due until 2029 — a long time in politics. The party’s loss in the Caerphilly by-election to Plaid Cymru suggests its momentum may be uneven across regions.

Still, Reform’s sustained visibility ensures it will remain a force in policy debates, media framing, and local governance. Charities cannot simply wait it out; they must plan for multi-party engagement as the new normal.

Prudent steps for trustees include:

• Mapping political stakeholders beyond Labour and the Conservatives.
   
• Reviewing campaigning policies to ensure alignment with CC9 guidance.
   
• Training staff on lawful political activity and reputation management.
   
• Scenario-planning for how different election outcomes could affect funding, regulation, or public perception.
   

By anticipating change rather than reacting to it, charities can safeguard both their missions and their legal compliance.

Conclusion: Principle, Pragmatism and the Path Forward

Engaging with Reform UK will test the sector’s resilience, diplomacy, and legal literacy. Yet the principles remain unchanged: charities must act exclusively to further their charitable purposes, remain independent of party politics, and maintain public confidence.

That does not mean silence. It means engaging intelligently — grounded in evidence, respectful in tone, and strategic in purpose.

As Peter Holbrook put it: “We need to deploy our diplomats.” For charities, that diplomacy involves understanding Reform’s supporters, challenging misinformation without contempt, and ensuring that vulnerable communities are not left voiceless in an era of division.

The Charity Commission’s role is to uphold trust in the sector; trustees’ role is to ensure their organisations live up to it. Reform UK’s ascent is not a reason for retreat, but a call to reaffirm what charity stands for: impartiality, compassion, and service — to all members of society, regardless of politics.

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