The Regulator for Charities in England and Wales
Guidance on the legal requirement that all charities must have charitable aims that are for the public benefit
See our guidance and new example reports on public benefit reporting for:-
• Parochial Church Councils (PCCs)
• Grant-giving trusts
• Fee-charging schools
This is the Charity Commission's statutory guidance on public benefit. It is guidance from the Charity Commission about public benefit and what charity trustees should consider in order to show that their charity's aims are for the public benefit.
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Our guidance and example trustee annual reports show how trustees can approach the duty to report on public benefit.
The Charity Commission is starting a programme of public benefit assessments. This information sheet provides further details about this work, and what it means for your charity.
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A summary of the key principles of the Charity Commission's general guidance to charities about public benefit.
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This guidance explains the legal underpinning for the principles of public benefit set out in Charities and Public Benefit.
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Following the publication of our general guidance on public benefit, Charities and Public Benefit, we have now issued the following draft supplementary guidance for public consultation. Our consultations will run for four months and anyone is welcome to respond to open consultations by following the instructions on how to respond. The consultation material is available online and can be accessed via the links below.
Current Consultations
Public Benefit and the Advancement of Moral or Ethical Belief Systems - Consultation ends 05 January 2009
Introduction and how to respond (HTML) | Draft supplementary guidance (PDF) | Analysis of the law underpinning Public Benefit and the Advancement of Moral or Ethical Belief Systems (PDF)
The Prevention or Relief of Poverty for the Public Benefit
Supplementary guidance HTML | PDF
Analysis of the law underpinning The Prevention or Relief of Poverty for the Public Benefit (PDF)
Summary of responses (PDF)
The Advancement of Religion for the Public Benefit
Supplementary guidance HTML | PDF
Analysis of the law underpinning The Advancement of Religion for the Public Benefit (PDF)
Summary of responses (PDF)
The Advancement of Education for the Public Benefit
Supplementary guidance HTML | PDF
Analysis of the law underpinning The Advancement of Education for the Public Benefit (PDF)
Summary of responses (PDF)
Public Benefit and Fee-Charging
Supplementary guidance HTML | PDF
Analysis of the law underpinning Public Benefit and Fee-charging (PDF)
Summary of responses (PDF)
We have spoken to trustees at a number of events, exploring what the public benefit reporting requirement might mean for them. This section also includes a selection of key speeches given which explain public benefit against different charitiable purposes
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