In his ninth and final annual report as Charity Commissioner, John Mills has provided a snapshot of Jersey’s charitable sector in 2025 and highlighted the work of the “many good and devoted people” he has met during his time in office.

Mr Mills has stepped down after nearly a decade in the role, with Richard Jouault subsequently designated Interim Charity Commissioner.

The transition comes at an interesting time for charitable organisations, with Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham recently delegating responsibility for improving co-ordination and engagement with the sector – and related legislation – to Assistant Chief Minister Helen Miles as part of wider efforts to help charities “flourish”.

Express took a look at the figures in the Charity Commissioner’s annual report for 2025…

The key stats at a glance:

  • There were 13 new charities registered during 2025, while there were 13 deregistrations.
  • Almost 400 annual returns were filed and validated during the year.
  • At the end of 2025 there were 453 active registered charities – the same as at the end of 2024.
  • Total cash and assets held by Jersey registered charities was also unchanged at £2.25 billion.
  • Total reported expenditure had fallen from £221 million in 2024 to £211 million in 2025. However, the report notes this was driven by a small number of “very large” restricted section charities reporting reduced expenditure since 2023.
  • Total expenditure of general section charities, which are the majority (86%) of charities, has continued to increase year on year (£136m in 2023, £161m in 2024, £170m in 2025).

Mr Mills said that: “In nine years as Commissioner I have certainly had a fine and
perhaps unusual opportunity to meet many good and devoted people working in and
for charities, in whatever capacity, persons most of whose paths I doubt I might
otherwise have much crossed, or they mine, even in such a small land as ours.”

He continued: “Jersey is fortunate to have a vibrant and pretty diverse charity base, supporting extensive public benefit delivery led by staff, governors and volunteers, and supported by donors and friends, great and small.

“This, in all, gives a strong measure of backbone to the whole community of the island, while making, too, a significant economic contribution, albeit one that is too often left unsung.”

It will be essential to work closely with all actors, both from the charity sector and, probably especially, the government, to seek to ensure that Jersey’s very small charities are meaningfully included in policy development and represented in discussions that influence funding decisions

Interim Charity Commissioner Richard Jouault

In the performance report section of the document, Mr Jouault wrote: “In 2025 charity leaders continued to describe the operating environment as challenging, citing increased demand for services, rising staffing and energy costs, and growing competition for funding.”

He noted that the majority of Jersey registered charities are small, with half reporting an annual income below £50,000.

Looking ahead, Mr Jouault added that it will be “essential to work closely with all actors” from the charity sector and government “to seek to ensure that Jersey’s very small charities are meaningfully included in policy development and represented in discussions that influence funding decisions”.