Charity Update - 3 February 2022
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Welcome to our latest charities newsletter. This issue has a wider range of news, extending beyond updated COVID-19 related guidance, than many of our 2021 updates. Please click through the hyper-links provided to read more on any item.
Best wishes
Neil Palmer
24 January 2022
Volunteering guidance updated in England following changes in Government restrictions
Guidance no longer asks that people work or volunteer from home if they can. Other information on the lifting of Plan B measures is also included.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
27 January 2022
Charities Bill completes Public Bill Committee stage in the House of Commons
Consideration of the Bill was completed on 25 January. The Bill will now enter report stage and third reading in the House of Commons.
UK Parliament
27 January 2022
Charity Commission release their Gender Pay Gap report
The findings show the Charity Commission's pay gap data as of 31 March 2021. The mean gender pay gap of 2.8% (3.2% in 2020) means that on average, men working for the Commission are paid 2.8% more than women.
The Charity Commission
21 January 2022
High Court decides against applying the National Fund's £600 million for general charitable purposes
Established in 1928, the National Fund's main charitable object is to pay off the entire UK national debt. The Fund is too small to achieve this object and so the High Court was asked to decide between either a cy-près scheme that reduces the national debt or one that applies the Fund for general charitable purposes. Reducing the national debt was held more appropriate, in particular, because the spirit of the gift was to benefit the Nation as a whole.
M Attorney General v Zedra Fiduciary Services (UK) Ltd [2022]
20 January 2022
Social Investment Business partner with Camden Council to deliver the Future Camden Fund
The Future Camden Fund will help local start-ups and social enterprises under five years old, to grow.
Social Investment Business
20 January 2022
Scottish Government launches Workplace Equality Fund
Charities and third sector organisations can apply. Projects can apply for a maximum of £75,000 per year. Read more.
OSCR
20 January 2022
Independent Review of Charity Regulation in Northern Ireland released
The comprehensive and informative review led by an independent panel assesses the delivery of the charity regulatory framework to date in Northern Ireland including the Charities Act (NI) 2008 and the roles of the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities . Read more.
Department For Communities
19 January 2022
Gift Aid not used by a quarter of eligible donors
Charities Aid Foundation finds that 23% of eligible donors do not utilise gift aid when they donate to charity. Charities are missing out on hundreds of millions of pounds as a result.
Charities Aid Foundation
19 January 2022
Guidance issued on applying for the Youth Investment Fund
Phase one of the Youth Investment Fund is launching, applications can be submitted from 31 January 2022. Find out details of the Fund and eligibility.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
18 January 2022
London Borough of Brent loses appeal on holding land on "charitable trusts"
The Court of Appeal rules that "no charitable trust was created on Brent's acquisition of the property."
London Borough of Brent v Johnson [2022]
18 January 2022
NCVO release their Road Ahead 2022 report
The report considers 'culture wars', 'levelling up', climate change, legal reforms, economic and social impacts, amongst other topics. Read the report in full.
NCVO