The latest round of changes to the Charities Act 2022 went live on 14th June 2023. Our Charities and Social Enterprise experts have put together a summary of the changes which include changes to the way charities deal with the disposal of land, changes to how permanent endowment funds can be used and changes to the rules around what a charity can be called.

A charity’s brand is what enables the charity to be recognised by the public and is closely linked to its reputation – its ability to attract fundraising and achieve its charitable aims.

Charity trustees are the people who share ultimate responsibility for governing a charity. Trustees ensure the charity is managed and run correctly. They may also be known as trustee volunteers, board members, management committee, governors, directors.

The Charity Commission’s statutory inquiry into Human Appeal has found failures, highlighting how important it is for charities to have good and robust governance.

Following the lapse of the emergency measures introduced by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020, the Charity Commission has issued updated guidance explaining their approach to charities who are experiencing difficulties holding face to face meetings as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus restrictions.

The Charity Commission recently concluded the National Trust did not breach charity law as a result of its regulatory compliance case involving the charity, and found there were no grounds for regulatory action.

The recent decision of the High Court not to uphold director disqualification proceedings brought by the Official Receiver against the former trustees and CEO of the Kids Company charity has reopened much debate within the charity sector.

The role of trustees within a charity, or not for profit organisation, and the essential need for good governance.

Tozers’ charities team has been fortunate to have co-hosted or attended several roundtable discussions among charity trustees and senior managers in recent weeks, where they have shared their experiences of what has been a hugely challenging last 12 months for the charity sector.

Considering the potential benefits of increased collaboration with other organisations, and reviewing the effectiveness of existing collaborations, should be a top priority for the charity trustee roles and senior management.

Long-term, the forecasts are that charitable gifts will continue to grow, from £2.9 billion in 2019 to around £3.5 billion in 2024.

Many charities are in desperate need of alternative sources of funding to maintain vital services to beneficiaries whilst the coronavirus crisis continues.