NORTHERN IRELAND: Charity regulation

NI Charity Commission announces progress on registrations

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has announced plans for the registration of the country's vibrant charity scene, which aims to build on the current levels of trust in NI charities...

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI), the new independent regulator of charities in Northern Ireland, has welcomed the Department for Social Development's statement on the preferred form of amendment to the Charities Act (NI) 2008.

This means the registration of charities can get underway and will include a pilot registration phase involving twenty local organisations.

While it was originally planned that charity registration would begin at the end of June 2010, the result of a public consultation and legal advice on the definition of a charity meant the Commission referred the legislation back to the Department for Social Development.

The CCNI role includes investigatory, compliance, enforcement and regulatory scrutiny of all charities currently registered with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for tax purposes and will bring charities in Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the British Isles.

The development of the CCNI will mean regulation of a large part of Northern Ireland's charitable sector which is estimated to have up to 10,000 charities and non-profits in operation. Previously the governance and practices of charities has been overseen by central government but with no formal registration.

The registration process will begin with a public consultation expected to happen as soon as the legislation is passed by the NI Assembly, likely to be in early 2013.

After almost two years of enforced delay, the Commission has expressed its delight to finally get the ball rolling on registration.

The CCNI has been busy though and recently published its One Hundred Lessons to be Learned based on its initial investigations of charities. The report outlines the Charity Commission's regulatory approach and also describes the public's priority requirements for charities in Northern Ireland. These include a focus on effective governance and financial control as well as improved transparency from charities.

The CCNI says a dynamic and well governed charities sector is its ultimate priority, and one in which the public can have the best possible confidence in the work of charities in Northern Ireland…


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