NCVO report warns of rising hostility and fear facing charities
Howard Lake | 11 December 2025 | News
Charities across the UK are facing increasing levels of hostility, intimidation and fear that are affecting staff, volunteers and service users, according to a new report from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).
The report, based on five listening sessions with representatives from 46 voluntary organisations, reveals that growing political and social divisions are creating a “pervasive climate of fear” that is disrupting charity operations and compromising safety.
Four major areas of concern emerged:
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- Fear and anxiety: Staff and volunteers, particularly those from global majority backgrounds, report feeling unsafe in their daily work.
- Operational disruption: Charities have cancelled community events, reduced their online presence or limited public activity due to threats and security risks.
- Direct targeting and abuse: Organisations have faced intimidating messages and harassment, prompting some to remove personal information such as trustee names from websites.
- Internal tensions: Disagreements within teams, boards, and volunteer groups are increasing, often fuelled by wider societal divisions.
Participants also cited misinformation campaigns and false narratives as key drivers of public hostility, contributing to racist or abusive behaviour from some service users.
Kate Lee OBE, NCVO’s chief executive, urged solidarity and coordinated support across the sector:
“We need to stand together to support organisations simply trying to deliver their vital work and protect the space civil society occupies.”
Mark Simms OBE, Chair of the Charity Commission, described the findings as “deeply alarming” but commended the sector’s “remarkable resilience.”
In response, NCVO plans to:
- Produce new guidance on safety, risk management and online hate in partnership with specialist agencies.
- Create confidential peer-support spaces for charity leaders and frontline staff.
- Strengthen collective advocacy through the Civil Society Covenant to challenge divisive narratives.
Jenny Walton, Chief Executive of Refugee Employment Network, said smaller charities are particularly exposed:
“When small charities are targeted or pressured into silence, solidarity across the sector matters… Together, we are far stronger than the challenges we face.”
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.