# Swansea University becomes second largest Welsh charity

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/10/18/swansea-university-becomes-second-largest-welsh-charity/
- Published: 2010-10-18T13:24:14+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Swansea University has just successfully registered as a charity, and instantly 
became the second largest registered charity in Wales. With an income of £150 million
in 2009, the university is second only to Cardiff University which was registered
in July 2010 with an income of over £400m.

Established in 1920, the university is one of several Welsh educational institutions
who have chosen to be registered by the Charity Commission following the implementation
of the Charities Act 2006.

Universities have always been charities but previously did not have to register 
with the Commission as they were accountable to their funder, HEFCW (Higher Education
Funding Council for Wales). However, the Charities Act 2006 changed the way in which
these charities are regulated with the aim of improving accountability across the
sector.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

 [⌊London and Wales 2010⌉](http://www.flickr.com/photos/ampersandyslexia/4664439787)

_Photo: [Swansea University Campus](http://www.flickr.com/photos/ampersandyslexia/4664439787)
by ampersandyslexia on Flickr.com_

Harry Iles, Head of the Charity Commission’s Wales office said: “Following registration,
the public will be able to access information about the Universities’ governance
and accounts on our website in the same way as for all other registered charities
and this is invaluable for promoting a better understanding of the work they do.

He explained that adding Welsh universities to the Commission’s register will have
a significant affect on the scale of the Welsh charity sector that the Commission
regulates.

“At present”, he said, “the income for the 9,000 plus registered charities in Wales
is approximately £1 billion. Once all the Welsh universities are registered with
the Commission, this figure will rise to £2.2 billion – more than double the current
income.”

As well as the universities in Wales, all the student unions with an income over
£100,000 are now required to register with the Commission and, shortly, work will
begin to register the Further Education Institutions.

However, apart from a few, universities in England will not register with the Charity
Commission and will continue to be regulated by HEFCE, the Higher Education Funding
Council for England.

www.charitycommission.gov.uk

 * **[Welshpool BHF Cymru team wins Shop of the Year](https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/11/04/welshpool-bhf-cymru-team-wins-shop-year/)**(
   4 November 2010)
 * **[New £10 million local anti-crime funding in England and Wales](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/09/08/new-10-million-local-anticrime-funding-england-and-wales/)**(
   8 September 2011)
 * **[People’s Postcode Lottery opens new funding round for organisations in Wales](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/01/30/peoples-postcode-lottery-opens-new-funding-round-organisations-wales/)**(
   30 January 2012)