The Charity Commission has launched a formal statutory inquiry into William Blake House Northants, a charity based in Towcester, Northamptonshire. This move, announced on 24 February 2026, follows serious concerns regarding financial mismanagement and the governance of the organisation. The charity provides residential care for adults with learning disabilities across four homes in the local area.
According to the regulator, the charity owes approximately £1.5 million to HMRC in unpaid staff PAYE and National Insurance contributions. This debt has led to a winding-up petition, which could result in the closure of the charity and its care homes. Records show that the charity’s available funds dropped from approximately £920,000 down to £200,000 between 2022 and 2024.
The investigation is also looking into more than £1 million in payments made by the charity to Van Kruger Consulting, a private company solely owned by the chair of its trustees, Bushra Hamid. These payments were reportedly for a “Steiner strategy” involving the development of online training courses and other consulting services. The inquiry will check if the trustees followed their legal duties and properly protected the charity’s money.
Families of the residents have expressed alarm after learning about the scale of the debt and the risk to the care homes. A group of these families has now launched a bid to take over the management of the organisation. Their goal is to secure the future of the homes and ensure that their vulnerable relatives can continue to receive support in Towcester.
