The Charity Commission for England and Wales is appointed under the Charities Act 2011 as the regulator for charities in England and Wales. Charities in Scotland and Ireland are separately regulated.
All Almshouse charities in England and Wales are registered with the Charity Commission. Trustees must comply with charity law, the Commissionâs policies and procedures and the rules set out in the charityâs governing document(s).
The Charity Commission provides information, advice and guidance through its website: www.charitycommission.gov.uk
The Almshouse Association works in partnership with the Charity Commission and maintains a close working relationship with their staff which enables us to assist member charities with queries or concerns that may need Commission approval. Together, we have produced the official definition of an almshouse which can be found on the Charity Commission website (click here and scroll down to âalmshousesâ in their Alphabetical Index to Operational Guidance).
Many almshouse charities find that their Governing Documents are no longer appropriate for modern times. Administrative arrangements can be amended by trustees though it is important to note that some changes do need approval from The Charity Commission. The Association is able to assist and advise member charities in the process of seeking Charity Commission permission for amendments to their governing document.
If a charity needs to widen their beneficiary group (criteria) there is a process that has to be followed and Commission approval is always required. The charity must make a cy pres case showing that they are unable to find applicants in the current beneficiary group and indicate how they would like to widen this. The application is much more likely to be successful if the original âSpirit of the Giftâ is always included as a preference. The Association can guide members through this process and recommend the most likely wording for a new beneficiary clause.
The Association is involved in consultation with the Commission on many issues affecting almshouse charities and the CEO of the Association meet regularly with the Charity Commission.
We are able to assist our member charities in complying with the required submission of annual returns and financial information. These must be completed online and received no later than 10 months after the end of the charityâs financial year.
Useful links on the Charity Commission website