City & Guilds privatisation triggers fee hikes, multimillion-pound bonuses, and Charity Commission inquiry

In October 2025, the charity City & Guilds sold its training business to private firm PeopleCert for £166m, leading to fee increases, executive payouts, and a regulatory probe.

• Training provider Charlie Butler said City & Guilds raised annual fees from £2,000 to £5,000 and per-person fees from £18 to £60 after the sale.
• PeopleCert awarded bonuses of £1.7m to chief executive Kirstie Donnelly and £1.2m to finance director Abid Ismail, along with salary increases.
• A presentation for PeopleCert investors outlined plans to cut £22m in costs, including £13m from replacing departing UK staff with cheaper overseas hires.
• The Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry in January 2026 into the sale and the executive bonuses.