OpenLegislation

Charities Act 1992

1992 c. 41 · Enacted 16 March 1992 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 5 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 30 September 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
Sch. 6 para. 10repealedCharities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 sch. 4 para. 8
Sch. 6 para. 11repealedCompanies Act 2006 Sch. 16
s. 79(6)words repealedCharities Act 2006 Sch. 8 para. 94(a) Sch. 9
s. 79(7)repealedCharities Act 2006 Sch. 8 para. 94(b) Sch. 9
Sch. 7 entryrepealedCharities Act 2006 Sch. 8 para. 95 Sch. 9
An Act to amend the Charities Act 1960 and make other provision with respect to charities; to regulate fund-raising activities carried on in connection with charities and other institutions; Schedule 6to make fresh provision with respect to public charitable collections; and for connected purposes.[16th March 1992]

E1Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C1C2C3

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act transfer of functions (13.12.2006) by Transfer of Functions (Third Sector, Communities and Equality) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/2951), art. 3(2)(b)

C2

Act power to amend conferred (27.2.2007) by Charities Act 2006 (c. 50), ss. 76, 79(2); S.I. 2007/309, art. 2, Sch.

C3

Act functions transferred (9.11.2016) by The Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997), art. 10(2)(b) (with arts. 10(3), 11, 12)

Extent

E1

Act extends to England and Wales only except as provided by s. 79(3)-(7)

Contents

  1. Part I
  2. Preliminary Repealed
  3. 1Interpretation of Part I, etc. Repealed
  4. Registration of charities Repealed
  5. 2The register of charities. Repealed
  6. 3Status of registered charity (other than small charity) to appear on official publications etc. Repealed
  7. Charity names Repealed
  8. 4Power of Commissioners to require charity’s name to be changed. Repealed
  9. 5Effect of direction under s. 4 where charity is a company. Repealed
  10. Supervision and control by Commissioners Repealed
  11. 6General power to institute inquiries. Repealed
  12. 7Power of Commissioners to obtain information and documents. Repealed
  13. 8Power to act for protection of charities. Repealed
  14. 9Supplementary provisions relating to receiver and manager appointed for a charity. Repealed
  15. 10Additional powers exercisable by Commissioners in relation to charitable companies. Repealed
  16. 11Report of inquiry held by Commissioners to be evidence in certain proceedings. Repealed
  17. 12Supervision by Commissioners of certain Scottish charities. Repealed
  18. Powers with respect to administration of charities Repealed
  19. 13Commissioners’ concurrent jurisdiction with High Court for certain purposes. Repealed
  20. 14Trust corporations appointed by Commissioners under 1960 Act. Repealed
  21. 15Application of property cy-pres. Repealed
  22. 16Common deposit funds. Repealed
  23. 17Power of Commissioners to authorise certain ex gratia payments etc. by charities. Repealed
  24. 18Dormant bank accounts of charities. Repealed
  25. Charity accounts Repealed
  26. 19Duty to keep accounting records. Repealed
  27. 20Annual statements of accounts. Repealed
  28. 21Annual audit or examination of charity accounts. Repealed
  29. 22Supplementary provisions relating to audits etc. Repealed
  30. 23Annual reports. Repealed
  31. 24Special provision as respects accounts and annual reports of exempt and other excepted charities. Repealed
  32. 25Public inspection of annual reports etc. Repealed
  33. 26Annual returns by registered charities. Repealed
  34. 27Offences. Repealed
  35. Charity proceedings Repealed
  36. 28Power of Commissioners to bring proceedings with respect to charities. Repealed
  37. Charity property Repealed
  38. 29Divestment of charity property held by official custodian for charities. Repealed
  39. 30Provisions supplementary to s. 29. Repealed
  40. 31Divestment in the case of land subject to Reverter of Sites Act 1987. Repealed
  41. 32Restrictions on dispositions of charity land. Repealed
  42. 33Supplementary provisions relating to dispositions of charity land. Repealed
  43. 34Restrictions on mortgaging charity land. Repealed
  44. 35Supplementary provisions relating to mortgaging of charity land. Repealed
  45. 36Removal of requirements under statutory provisions for consent to dealings with charity land. Repealed
  46. 37Release of charity rentcharges. Repealed
  47. Powers of investment Repealed
  48. 38Relaxation of restrictions on wider-range investments. Repealed
  49. 39Extension of powers of investment. Repealed
  50. Charitable companies Repealed
  51. 40Charitable companies: alteration of objects clause etc. Repealed
  52. 41Charitable companies: requirement of consent of Commissioners to certain acts. Repealed
  53. 42Charitable companies: name to appear on correspondence etc. Repealed
  54. Small charities Repealed
  55. 43Small charities: power to transfer all property, modify objects etc. Repealed
  56. 44Small charities: power to spend capital. Repealed
  57. Disqualification for acting as charity trustee Repealed
  58. 45Persons disqualified for being trustees of a charity. Repealed
  59. 46Person acting as charity trustee while disqualified. Repealed
  60. Miscellaneous and supplementary Repealed
  61. 47Minor and consequential amendments of 1960 Act. Repealed
  62. 48Amendment of Charitable Trustees Incorporation Act 1872. Repealed
  63. 49Amendment of Redundant Churches and Other Religious Buildings Act 1969. Repealed
  64. 50Contributions towards maintenance etc. of almshouses. Repealed
  65. 51Fees and other amounts payable to Commissioners. Repealed
  66. 52Disclosure of information to and by Commissioners. Repealed
  67. 53Data protection. Repealed
  68. 54Supply of false or misleading information to Commissioners, etc. Repealed
  69. 55Restriction on institution of proceedings for certain offences. Repealed
  70. 56Enforcement of requirements by order of Commissioners, and other provisions as to orders made by them. Repealed
  71. 57Directions of the Commissioners. Repealed
  72. Part II: CONTROL OF FUND-RAISING FOR CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS
  73. Preliminary
  74. 58Interpretation of Part II.
  75. Control of fund-raising
  76. 59Prohibition on professional fund-raiser etc. raising funds for charitable institution without an agreement in prescribed form.
  77. 60Professional fund-raisers etc. required to indicate institutions benefiting and arrangements for remuneration.
  78. 60AOther persons making appeals required to indicate institutions benefiting and arrangements for remuneration
  79. 60BExclusion of lower-paid collectors from provisions of section 60A
  80. 61Cancellation of payments and agreements made in response to appeals.
  81. 62Right of charitable institution to prevent unauthorised fund-raising.
  82. 63False statements relating to institutions which are not registered charities.
  83. Supplementary
  84. 64Regulations about fund-raising.
  85. 64AReserve power to control fund-raising by charitable institutions
  86. 64BReserve power in relation to fund-raising regulators
  87. 64CReserve power to confer additional powers on Charity Commission
  88. Part III: PUBLIC CHARITABLE COLLECTIONS
  89. Preliminary Not yet in force
  90. 65Interpretation of Part III. Not yet in force
  91. Prohibition on conducting unauthorised collections Not yet in force
  92. 66Prohibition on conducting public charitable collections without authorisation. Not yet in force
  93. Permits Not yet in force
  94. 67Applications for permits to conduct public charitable collections. Not yet in force
  95. 68Determination of applications and issue of permits. Not yet in force
  96. 69Refusal of permits. Not yet in force
  97. 70Withdrawal etc. of permits. Not yet in force
  98. 71Appeals. Not yet in force
  99. Orders made by Charity Commissioners
  100. 72Orders made by Charity Commissioners. Repealed
  101. Supplementary
  102. 73Regulations. Not yet in force
  103. 74Offences. Repealed
  104. Part IV: GENERAL
  105. 75Offences by bodies corporate.
  106. 76Service of documents.
  107. 77Regulations and orders.
  108. 78Minor and consequential amendments and repeals.
  109. 79Short title, commencement and extent.
  110. Schedule 1
  111. Section 4
  112. 4The register of charities.
  113. Section 20
  114. 20Power to act for protection of charities.
  115. Schedule 2
  116. 1Paragraph 1
  117. 2Paragraph 2
  118. 3Paragraph 3
  119. 4Paragraph 4
  120. Schedule 3
  121. 1Paragraph 1
  122. 2Paragraph 2
  123. 3Paragraph 3
  124. 4Paragraph 4
  125. 5Paragraph 5
  126. 6Paragraph 6
  127. 7Paragraph 7
  128. 8Paragraph 8
  129. 9Paragraph 9
  130. 10Paragraph 10
  131. 11Paragraph 11
  132. 12Paragraph 12
  133. 13Paragraph 13
  134. 14Paragraph 14
  135. 15Paragraph 15
  136. 16Paragraph 16
  137. 17Paragraph 17
  138. 18Paragraph 18
  139. 19Paragraph 19
  140. 20Paragraph 20
  141. 21Paragraph 21
  142. 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  143. Schedule 4
  144. 1Paragraph 1
  145. 2Paragraph 2
  146. 3Paragraph 3
  147. 4Paragraph 4
  148. 5Paragraph 5
  149. 6Paragraph 6
  150. 7Paragraph 7
  151. 8Paragraph 8
  152. 9Paragraph 9
  153. 10Paragraph 10
  154. 11Paragraph 11
  155. Schedule 5: AMENDMENTS OF REDUNDANT CHURCHES AND OTHER RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS ACT 1969
  156. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  157. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  158. Schedule 6: MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
  159. 1CLERGY PENSIONS MEASURE 1961 (No.3) Repealed
  160. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  161. 3CATHEDRALS MEASURE 1963 (No.2) Repealed
  162. 4LEASEHOLD REFORM ACT 1967 (c.88) Repealed
  163. 5SHARING OF CHURCH BUILDINGS ACT 1969 (c.38) Repealed
  164. 6LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 (c.70) Repealed
  165. 7FIRE PRECAUTIONS (LOANS) ACT 1973 (c.11) Repealed
  166. 8THEATRES TRUST ACT 1976 (c.27) Repealed
  167. 9LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1982 (c.30) Not yet in force
  168. 10CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982 (c. 45)
  169. 11COMPANIES ACT 1985 (c.6)
  170. 12HOUSING ACT 1985 (c.68)
  171. 13HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS ACT 1985 (c.69)
  172. 14FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT 1986 (c.60) Repealed
  173. 15COAL INDUSTRY ACT 1987 (c.3) Repealed
  174. 16REVERTER OF SITES ACT 1987 (c.15) Repealed
  175. 17INCOME AND CORPORATION TAXES ACT 1988 (c.1) Repealed
  176. Schedule 7: Repeals