Charities gain new powers as more legislative changes come into force

The Charities Act 2022 has introduced several changes to charity law, aiming to simplify regulation and facilitate various aspects of charitable work.

Let us delve into the key changes that have already taken effect: 

• Power to amend Royal Charters 
• Orders under section 73 of the Charities Act 2011 
• Cy-près powers 
• Power of the court and the Commission to make schemes. 
• Remuneration of charity trustees etc. providing goods or services to charity 
• Trustee of charitable trust: status as trust corporation 
• Costs incurred in relation to Tribunal proceedings etc. 
• Public notice as regards Commission orders etc. 
• Minor and consequential amendments 

The second tranche came in effect on 14 June 2023, which included updates to the following guidance: 

• Selling, leasing or otherwise disposing of charity land 
• Using permanent endowment 
• Charity names

Recent changes to the Charities Act 2022

The next stage of most recent changes came into force on 7 March 2024 and included updates to the following guidance: 

 Making changes to governing documents 

• Selling, leasing or otherwise disposing of charity land – additional provisions 
• Charity mergers 
• Other provisions that have enabled the Commission to authorise a trustee to receive payment for work completed for a charity where it decides it would be inequitable for a trustee not to be paid and for the Commission to confirm defective or potentially defective trustee appointments. 

Further details of these amendments can be found Charities Act 2022. The remainder of the provisions of The Act are expected to come into force later in 2024.