27 May 2016 Matt Sisson, Projects and Membership Manager
From HEFCE: The Cabinet Office has published its proposed timetable for the commencement orders to enact the provisions of the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016.
The commencement orders are scheduled to be introduced in three tranches, with those granting many of the Charity Commission’s additional powers expected in July 2016. The order relating to the disclosure of information about fundraising in charities’ annual reports (financial statements) is expected in October 2016. Until the draft commencement order is published, however, it is likely to remain unclear as to whether this will require all financial statements published after this date to include the new disclosures or whether there will be a transition period. This means that it is not yet clear whether higher education institutions (HEIs) will be required under charities law to make fundraising disclosures in their financial statements for 2015-16.
The timetable will be of interest to HEFCE-funded HEIs that are registered charities or exempt charities, plus any other registered charities within the higher education sector. The Charity Commission will consult on its guidance on some of its new powers that take effect with the orders, particularly in respect of the power to disqualify from being a trustee, and the power to issue official warnings. Charities may wish to consider responding to these consultations.
The timetable can be found on the gov.uk website, while the The Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 can be found here. Click here for the section of the 2016 Act that relates to the fundraising disclosures, and here for the The Charity Commission’s blog on the main changes arising from the 2016 Act.