The Introduction of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) - Exploring the Impact on Charities

Introduction

As of 1 July 2025, the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) officially came into force as part of the National Security Act 2023. This marks a significant shift for UK charities whose work transcends the UK or those that work with foreign governments or organisations.

According to the government, the introduction of the Scheme is intended to strengthen the resilience of the UK political system against covert foreign influence and provide greater assurance around the activities of certain foreign powers or entities that are a national security risk.

Charities are required to register with the government any activities undertaken by them that are deemed to be arrangements to carry out political influence activities in the UK at the direction of a foreign power (‘political influence tier activity’) or one that involves specified countries (‘enhanced tier activity’).

It is vital for professionals who advise charities to be up to date, as charities that fail to register when required to do so will be deemed to have committed a criminal offence. There are also criminal offences associated with carrying out activities which are pursuant to arrangements which have not been registered.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• What FIRS means for charities
• What types of activities may need to be registered by charities
• Differences between political influence tier and enhanced tier activities
• What constitutes 'direction' or ‘control’ by a foreign entity
• Who needs to register
• Circumstances that are exempt from registration
• The registration process and information required
• Timescales for registration
• Enforcement of the Scheme
• What charities must do to stay compliant
• Guidance for Trustees and Charity Executives

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Thursday 20th November 2025

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 1,900+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.