Ed ThomasUK editor and
Rebecca WearnBBC News
ReutersA firm run by a man dubbed “Britain’s kindest plumber” breached multiple fundraising rules, a year-long investigation by a regulator has found.
Depher Community Plumbing and Heating CIC, founded by James Anderson, was investigated by the Fundraising Regulator following multiple complaints.
The firm posted on social media about fitting free boilers for elderly and vulnerable people in Burnley, making Mr Anderson a viral sensation at the height of the UK’s cost-of-living crisis.
The posts brought in at least £2m in donations, but a BBC News investigation last year revealed some of the stories shared online had in fact been faked.
The Fundraising Regulator has now confirmed it investigated 13 possible breaches of its code.
Gerald Oppenheim, chief executive of the regulator, told the BBC: “Our investigation into Depher CIC found the organisation had committed eight breaches of the code of fundraising practice; particularly those provisions concerning misleading information, evidencing the claims made by the organisation, and ensuring that restricted funds were used for the claimed purpose.”
The breaches included how images of vulnerable people were used to encourage donations without context, which the regulator deemed to be “misleading”.
Some of the firm’s posts also referenced how subjects had felt suicidal. The regulator said the mention of death or suicide alongside fundraising was “controversial” and not enough care had been taken over the treatment of case studies.
It found the number of fundraising appeal pages issued by Depher were “confusing for donors”, and that the firm did not have a system in place to learn from complaints.
Depher was a CIC – or Community Interest Company – which is a special type of UK limited company that exists to benefit the community rather than for private profit.
“While we took account of the fact that Depher was a small CIC that experienced rapid growth after media exposure, it is nonetheless clear that it made serious errors in its fundraising activities,” Mr Oppenheim added.
In May last year, a special report from BBC News examined hundreds of Depher CIC posts and interviewed families behind the faces on social media.
The investigation revealed a pattern of lies and allegations of exploitation, including:
- Multiple examples of Depher recycling the same photos in misleading and false posts, including several using the same image of a dead woman
- Depher posted a video and images of a vulnerable man in his 90s in fundraising posts more than 20 times, publicising information about his sexuality, despite the man denying he would have agreed to be filmed
- Depher funds were used to purchase a house and Mr Anderson also admitted to buying a car with company cash
- Former employees raised safety concerns after one staff member was pictured smoking a cigarette next to a leaking boiler
The BBC has contacted Mr Anderson for comment.
Last year, Mr Anderson denied some of the BBC’s allegations but admitted: “I’ve made mistakes.” He also claimed to have been the victim of online harassment and threats.
The daughter of an elderly woman, who featured in multiple false posts on a Depher social media account detailing how Mr Anderson prevented her from taking her on life, told the BBC she welcomed the regulator’s findings.
The BBC found the image of the woman had been used seven times in total by Depher between February 2021 and August 2023, with different ages and locations. We identified her as a woman named Joyce, who had died in February 2020, over a year before Depher began using her image.
Her daughter Andrea has now called on the police and other bodies to fully investigate the firm. “My mother loved her life and it is utterly despicable that someone could use death and suicide in such a way. It breaks my heart.”
She added: “I wish the police and other bodies would have taken it more seriously because James Anderson needs to be brought to account.”
At the time of the original BBC report, Mr Anderson admitted the posts showing the face of Joyce, Andrea’s mother, were misleading and apologised.
The plumber’s rise to fame saw him receive letters of thanks from the late Queen and the King, and a Pride of Manchester award. He has been a guest on Good Morning Britain, BBC Breakfast, The One Show, Sky News and the Russell Howard Show, and was described as “Britain’s kindest plumber” or a “hero plumber”.
Celebrities such as the singer Lily Allen, Emmerdale actress Samantha Giles and actor Hugh Grant – who gave £75,000 – were among the donors to his company.
After the BBC investigation Mr Anderson had his British Citizen Award rescinded, which he received in 2023.
Thousands of members of the public also donated money to him, many using appeals on GoFundMe, JustGiving and Crowdfunder.
A GoFundMe spokesperson said: “We welcome the Fundraising Regulator’s thorough investigation. Last year, we honoured refund requests under the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee. We always cooperate fully with regulatory inquiries and will take the strongest possible action against any misuse.”
The Office of the CIC Regulator told the BBC it noted the findings in the Fundraising Regulator’s report.
“Any complaints regarding CICs are taken seriously and if a breach in CIC legislation is identified, then appropriate regulatory action will be considered.”
Depher Community Plumbing and Heating CIC no longer trades under that name and is under new leadership as Community Elderly and Disabled Support CIC.
The BBC understands the Fundraising Regulator has made recommendations to the new business. The BBC has contacted the leadership team regarding their plans for the future.
