Charities and unincorporated associations

All charities must operate within the constraints of charity law. To register as a charity, an organisation must have “charitable purposes” as set out in the Charities Act 2006 and demonstrate that these are for the public benefit.

All charities require a governing document as part of their application for registration with the Charity Commissioners, which will set out how income will be spent, how trustees are appointed and how the charity will operate.

Charities must also decide on the most appropriate legal structure, which can be:

• a company limited by guarantee
• an unincorporated association (such as some types of clubs), or
• a trust.

We are experienced in working with charities and unincorporated associations and can advise on adoption of the correct structure and formation and registration with the Charities Commission. We can also provide general advice on statutory and contractual issues to new and existing charities and unincorporated associations.

To find out more about how we can help you, please contact us on 01702 339222 or at commercial@btmk.co.uk