Help for Heroes paid £158,000 in employment claims

The review was launched after allegations about Tedworth House recovery centre

A report into the military charity Help For Heroes has found it paid out £158,000 to settle employment claims over the past four years.

A review was launched after allegations of bullying at Tedworth House recovery centre in Wiltshire and reports staff who raised concerns received pay-offs.

Accusations of safeguarding rules not always being followed were also made.

The Charity Commission has concluded that proper procedures were followed and funds were used correctly.

The commission said: "The trustees sufficiently demonstrated to us that the settlements were made having followed the correct procedure, taken the appropriate legal advice and in the interests of the charity."

The review, which was not a formal investigation, found safeguarding procedures to protect vulnerable adults at the centre near Salisbury were not all included in the staff manual, and therefore not always followed, but that this had since changed.

Alex Scott-Barrett, chairman of Help for Heroes' trustees, said: "The trustees started a series of governance reforms prior to our engagement with the commission and we are pleased it has recognised our work on policies and procedures."