Despatch: Who funds the charities?

Over £12 billion of taxpayer money flows to large charities every year – and 21 of them get 99% of their funding from government. So at what point does a charity stop being an independent voice for civil society and become, in effect, an arm of the state? In this piece by Benjamin Elks, published on CapX, he explores the blurry line between public service delivery and state-sponsored lobbying, what greater transparency and accountability could look like, and why getting this right matters for trust in British public life. Each week we bring you an example of the best writing from CapX, read aloud. For hosted conversations, listen to The Capitalist, every Wednesday. Get full access to The CapX Briefing at briefing.capx.co/subscribe Get full access to The CapX Briefing at briefing.capx.co/subscribe