A London professional says she donated more than £38,000 to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) over five years after becoming convinced that financial sacrifice could unlock divine blessings.
The 29-year-old woman, identified as Jennifer, says the donations were driven by the teachings of the prosperity gospel, a strand of evangelical Christianity that links faith and financial giving with material or spiritual rewards.
But a recent ruling by the UK Fundraising Regulator found that the church breached fundraising rules when it accepted a £15,000 donation from her without adequately considering whether she was in a vulnerable situation. The regulator said the church was aware that Jennifer had experienced mental health difficulties but could not demonstrate that it assessed her circumstances before accepting the large donation. The watchdog recommended that the church’s trustees consider refunding the money.
A Belief That Giving Would Bring Blessings
Jennifer said the decision to give her savings was shaped by repeated messages during church services about the spiritual power of sacrifice. “Every service they showed videos of people who had given their all,” she said. “People had sold things, slept on the floor, given money — and then they received the Holy Spirit and peace.”
She eventually decided to donate everything she had saved. “I considered my ‘all’ was everything I had: my savings, my current account, the change I had collected,” she said. Jennifer said she closed her Help-to-Buy ISA, emptied her bank accounts and even included small coins she had saved. “I was not in the right state of mind,” she said. “I do believe I was financially coerced and controlled.”
According to her account, she hoped the large donation would demonstrate that she had “received the Holy Spirit” and help her advance within the church hierarchy, potentially becoming a pastor’s wife, which she believed was the highest position open to women in the church community.
Another Former Member Speaks Out
Another former member, Sarah, said she also felt the influence of prosperity gospel teachings during her time in the church.
“Sometimes you’re seeing God as a genie,” she said. “If I give Him all this money, He will bring me what I want.”
Sarah said she eventually left the church but later complained that the organisation contacted her again despite requests not to do so. The Fundraising Regulator found that the church breached fundraising rules in her case as well by failing to maintain a clear complaints procedure and failing to meet data protection requirements.
Church Rejects Allegations
The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God rejected the allegations and said the claims did not represent the experience of most members. A spokesperson said donations in the church are voluntary and based on longstanding Christian practices such as tithing. “No one is pressured to give, and members are free to make their own financial and personal decisions,” the church said in a statement.
The organisation added that it runs 14 food banks in London, supports hospitals and care homes, and has delivered humanitarian assistance to 100,000 people in Ukraine. It said it is working with the regulator to improve governance policies and strengthen compliance.
The church reported more than £15 million in income in the UK in its most recent financial year, with about £13 million coming from donations.
Growing Concerns Over “High-Control” Religious Groups
Jennifer and Sarah are now supported by Surviving Universal UK, a group that assists people who say they experienced spiritual or psychological pressure within the church.
The organisation’s founder, campaigner Rachael Reign, said her group receives about five new referrals every week from people seeking help to leave the church or deal with its aftermath. “In healthy churches, God’s love is free,” she said.
“In the UCKG, if you want to be saved, healed or successful, you have to buy your blessings.” Advocacy groups are now urging UK authorities to introduce stronger regulation of high-control religious groups, arguing that existing laws do not adequately protect vulnerable members.
Regulatory Scrutiny of Evangelical Fundraising in London
The case highlights a broader pattern of regulatory scrutiny involving evangelical churches in London and across the UK, particularly around fundraising practices and donor protection. The Charity Commission for England and Wales, the main regulator of charities, has previously investigated several churches over financial transparency, safeguarding, and governance concerns.
In 2017, the Commission opened an inquiry into the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God after allegations that church leaders encouraged members to take out loans or sell possessions to make donations. The investigation concluded with the charity agreeing to strengthen governance and financial oversight.
Regulators have also scrutinised other religious organisations over fundraising methods. Concerns have included pressure to tithe a fixed percentage of income, inadequate protection for vulnerable donors, and limited transparency about how funds are used. Under UK charity law, organisations must ensure fundraising practices do not exploit or place undue pressure on donors, particularly those experiencing financial hardship or mental health challenges.
However, critics argue that enforcement remains limited. The Fundraising Regulator, which investigates complaints about donation practices, does not have the power to impose sanctions or financial penalties. This gap has prompted campaigners to call for stronger legislation governing the conduct of religious organisations when soliciting donations.
For Jennifer, the experience has become a cautionary tale about the power of belief and the risks of financial devotion.
“I thought giving everything would prove my faith,” she said.
“But looking back now, I realise how vulnerable I really was.”
