The Leprosy Mission has hit out at suggestions that the Treasury take a share of Gift Aid or impose a levy on charities.

The call came from the Charity Commission, which has warned that it will not be able to cope with the Treasury's request to make a further saving of 10 per cent in the year 2015/16.

The Leprosy Mission said, however, that it was "unfair" to take a slice of gift aid to plug the Government's spending cuts.

Peter Walker, national director of The Leprosy Mission said a levy could put people off giving while penalising recipients of the money.

"If the Government wants a Big Society, it is responsible for providing the framework for the charitable sector to operate effectively, which includes rigorous investigation where necessary," he said.

"The charitable sector is paramount to the delivery of the Big Society and it is, therefore, unreasonable for the government to expect charities to pay to regulate the sector."