Should You Be a Registered Charity?
There are thousands of charities around the UK and, although we often only hear of the few high profile charities that appear in media coverage, there are also many very small charities whose main purpose is to help local causes.
Some charities are ‘excepted’ from charity registration providing their annual income is below £100,000, an example being Scout and Guide groups. There are also some organisations that have their own regulatory body and are therefore ‘exempt’ from charity registration. A full list of ‘excepted’ and ‘exempt’ charities can be found on the Charity Commission website.
If a charity is not one of the few listed as ‘excepted’ or ‘exempt’, and has an income over £5,000 per year, it is a legal requirement for it to register with the Charity Commission.
There are concerns that many charities start off with small ambitions or single projects, but soon progress with fundraising and setting new goals for future years, and often exceed the £5,000 limit without realising.
If you have any questions on whether you should be registered with the Charity Commission please contact us.
Please note: This article is a commentary on general principles and should not be interpreted as advice for your specific situation.
