The role of charities in the upcoming May 2026 elections

With upcoming elections in May 2026 in the Welsh Senedd and local elections in England, charities should feel empowered to navigate the campaigning and political activity landscape with confidence during the regulated period (which for the Senedd period began last month on 7 January). 

In a new blog published on 10 February 2026, Commission Chief Executive David Holdsworth has set out some clear expectations for charity leaders and trustees as they enter what is likely to become an intense period of public debate and scrutiny. The blog also contains a welcome reassurance that the Commission will “continue to stand by the right of charities to campaign in furtherance of their purposes and where this is in their best interests.” Holdsworth’s words also reinforce that charities play a vital role in our democracy, giving voice to their beneficiaries and highlighting the causes they serve.

The Commission’s guidance to Trustees is primarily the long-standing principle that charities may give support to political causes, including through the use of emotive messaging, and this includes policies advocated by particular parties or candidates. But charities must always retain independence from party politics, which means they must not cross the line into supporting a particular candidate or political party. In addition they must also comply with electoral law requirements during relevant electoral periods.

In December 2025, Stone King produced additional and tailored guidance on charity and election law for charities in collaboration with the Legal Educational Foundation. We explored these legal and practical requirements, along with a closer look at how to ensure charities remain within electoral regulated spending thresholds. The guide also covers risk mitigation considerations for campaigning activities, including holding hustings with political parties, which can be an important tool to bring salience to issues within a charity’s causes and purpose. These issues were also covered by myself and my colleague Tom Murdoch in our joint webinar with LEF – details of both can be found on the LEF website.

In his blog earlier this week, David Holdsworth also outlines what charities can expect from the regulator in the coming months. He reiterates its commitment to assess every concern raised by the public, whilst drawing a firm line against those motivated to “weaponise the legitimate work of charities”.

He signposts to relevant Charity Commission guidance for charities, which is key reading for those operating in this area, and available in different forms from the Commission’s website:

• 5 minute guide on Political Activity and Campaigning
• Longer in-depth guidance in (CC9) Political Activity and Campaigning for Charities; and
• Guidance during election and referendum periods.

These sit alongside specific guidance for ‘non-party campaigners’ from the Electoral Commission, including on regulated spending controls within its regulatory remit. For more details visit the The Electoral Commission website.

At Stone King we are looking forward to supporting the charity sector’s important contributions in this area, in what is expected to be a dynamic period in the national political debate.