Charities & not-for-profit

Currently, charity trustees are able to use a ‘public display name’ on the charity register instead of their legal name.   However, from 1 September 2019 the Charity...

In my last blog post , I wrote generally about the pitfalls to be avoided when disposing of charity land.   This time I look at the special rules that apply where a charity...

It is all too easy to get it wrong.  Unless exempt by law (exemption applies to, for example, most housing associations, various higher education institutions and Academy...

“No platforming” stories at UK universities have become a familiar feature of the news. For example, back in 2016, Cardiff University attempted to ‘no platform’ Germaine...

Charities often take payments for memberships and merchandise in order to raise funds.  In common with many commercial businesses, they have often sought to pass on to the...

A community interest company (CIC) is a limited liability company, designed for social enterprises. A CIC has the specific aim of providing a benefit to a community and must use...

It all started with a …..divorce.   In 2013, hedge fund billionaire, Sir Christopher Hohn and his then wife, Ms Jamie Cooper were the subject of a high profile divorce...

In the digital era in which we live,  evolving with the marketplace and changing modes of communication is essential.  While some charities may prefer to avoid the digital realm...

A  case report published this month by the Charity Commission has highlighted the legal and reputational risks which arise where a charity employs and pays a salary to one of its...

As we finally move into warmer months, there will be a noticeable increase in the number of  charities running events, especially outdoor physical ones.   “Health and...

Sleep-in shift workers should not be entitled to the national minimum wage for time spent asleep at work, according to the UK charity Mencap.   Mencap recently argued its case...

Charity X is a fictional dog charity and is running a campaign to promote healthy lifestyles for pet dogs based on exercise, diet and mental stimulation.   Charity Y is also a...

…can be expensive, especially if the owner of a former school site has not taken into account  the risk of reverter under the School Sites Act 1841.   That 1841 Act was...

In February this year the National Cyber Security Centre (‘NCSC’), which is part of GCHQ, published the results of the first assessment of cyber threat to UK charities...

  The Government’s response to the Law Commission’s proposals for simplifying charity law is due.  Perhaps BREXIT is higher on their list of priorities but it would be...

Under the Charities Act 2011 persons are disqualified from acting as a trustee of a charity if they have an unspent conviction for dishonesty or deception offences, have been...

When the Charity Commission updated and republished their safeguarding policy on 6 December 2017, I wonder whether they realised how timely that advice would be?   Since the...

Historically there have been two main types of legal structure available to charities and not-for profit organisations -  a charitable trust or a charitable company limited by...

In our last blog post, we looked at the Charity Commission’s new safeguarding strategy. This blog post looks specifically at allegations of sexual harassment and best practice...

Sadly, it seems that charities are not immune to the recent sexual harassment scandals that have rocked Hollywood and then Westminster. An investigation by the Times recently...