Charities and social enterprises

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Services

• Claim Gift Aid online

  Submit a claim for Gift Aid, the Gift Aid small donation scheme (GASDS) and other income; schedule spreadsheets; registering and enrolling for a Charities Online account; activation codes

• Set up a charity

  To start a charity you need trustees, to choose a business structure, decide suitable charitable purposes and you may have to register with the Charity Commission.

• CIC36: application to form a community interest company

  The Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies (CIC Regulator)'s form for applying to form a community interest company.

• Set up a charity: step by step

  How to set up a charity: find trustees, choose a name and structure, create a governing document, meet the public benefit requirement, register your charity.

• Claiming Gift Aid as a charity or CASC

  What Gift Aid is, who can claim, what donations are eligible for Gift Aid, Gift Aid declarations for your charity or community amateur sports club (CASC), how to claim

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Guidance and regulation

• Charity Commission online services: sign in or set up an account
  • Detailed guide
  • 14 September 2023
  • The Charity Commission
• Prepare a charity annual return
  • Detailed guide
  • 5 October 2023
  • The Charity Commission
• Find government grants
  • Detailed guide
  • 28 June 2023
  • Cabinet Office
• Charity Commission guidance
  • Detailed guide
  • 27 September 2023
  • The Charity Commission
• Schedule spreadsheet to claim back tax on Gift Aid donations
  • Detailed guide
  • 20 August 2024
  • HM Revenue & Customs

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News and communications

• Regulator highly critical of charity that shared video supporting Hamas
  • 11 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Press release
• Charity Inquiry: Al-Manar Centre Trust
  • 11 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Decision
• New data points to growing social and economic impact of charity sector amidst challenging financial environment.
  • 10 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Press release
• Charities supporting three times as many people with essential aid, research finds, as sector faces increased financial pressure
  • 8 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Press release
• Investigation opened into parish church after concerns raised over its financial controls
  • 7 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Press release

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Research and statistics

• Evaluation of the Impact Investing Institute grant 2022-2025
  • 11 July 2025
  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport
  • Research
• Rapid evidence assessment of valuation methods for civil society
  • 11 July 2025
  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport
  • Research
• Evaluation of the Contract Readiness Programme
  • 11 July 2025
  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport
  • Research
• Local Civil Society Infrastructure (LCSI) R&D Programme: Final reports
  • 11 July 2025
  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport
  • Research
• Annual Return 2023 analysis report
  • 10 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Research

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Policy papers and consultations

• Understanding the risks non-profit organisations face from terrorist financing schemes
  • 26 June 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 31 January 2025
• Consultation on the VAT treatment of business donations of goods to charity
  • 2 May 2025
  • HM Treasury
  • Open consultation
  • Closing date 21 July 2025
• Evaluation of the Social Enterprise Boost Fund
  • 11 July 2025
  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport
  • Policy paper
• Customer Engagement Policy
  • 10 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Policy paper
• When and how the Charity Commission appoints Interim Managers
  • 17 June 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Policy paper

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

• The Official Custodian for Charities annual accounts 2024 to 2025
  • 9 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Corporate report
• Register of merged charities
  • 8 July 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Transparency
• National Citizen Service Trust - Minutes of the June 2025 Board Meeting and Joint Statement
  • 8 July 2025
  • Closed organisation: National Citizen Service
  • Corporate report
• Charity Commission monthly workforce management information: 2025 to 2026
  • 17 June 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Transparency
• Charity Commission spending over £25,000: April 2025 to March 2026
  • 13 June 2025
  • The Charity Commission
  • Transparency

See more transparency and freedom of information releases in this topic

Organisations

• Cabinet Office
• HM Revenue & Customs
• Department for Culture, Media & Sport
• Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
• HM Treasury

Show more organisations

• Companies House
• Department of Health & Social Care
• Department for Education
• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
• Prime Minister's Office 10 Downing Street
• Department for Business & Trade
• Department for Work & Pensions
• Home Office
• Office for Product Safety & Standards
• Office for Veterans' Affairs

• The Charity Commission
• Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies
• Sellafield Ltd
• Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
• Security Industry Authority
• Environment Agency
• Export Control Joint Unit
• Nuclear Restoration Services
• Nuclear Waste Services
• Office for Life Sciences

Explore sub-topics

• Charity money, tax and accounts
• Community interest companies
• Fundraising
• Trustee role and board