Gay legal support organisation ‘thrilled’ to win appeal to hold charitable status

Gay legal support organisation the Human Dignity Trust (HDT) has won its appeal against the Charity Commission at a tribunal, and will be added to the Register of Charities.

The HDT was last November forced to appeal against a decision to deny it from holding charitable status, raising concerns across the voluntary sector for groups standing up for LGBT rights.

The human rights group’s application for charitable status was rejected by the Charity Commission, which said the group’s work was too political, and that it failed its ‘public benefit’ test.

At the tribunal which began last month, the HDT argued against assertions that it should not be given charitable status because it is “fundamentally concerned” with changing laws abroad.

Jonathan Cooper, chief executive of the HDT, said he was “thrilled” with the ruling: “It is a huge weight off our shoulders – we can now get on with our job.

“This has been putting us under extraordinary pressure over the last couple of years and we are pleased to be able to get on with upholding human rights.”

The Human Dignity Trust campaigns against the criminalisation of homosexuality in foreign countries by challenging the law in court where it feels it is unconstitutional.

• Dec 01 2023

16 TV stars you grew up watching who later came out as LGBTQ+