Guidance

NHS charities guidance

Guidance for managing NHS charities in England and Wales.

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Model A for use for a general purposes charity where a corporate trustee is acting

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Model B for use for a general purposes charity where individual trustees are acting (it is anticipated that no NHS charities with individual charities will exist from 1st April 2018)

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Model C for use for a special purposes charity where a corporate trustee is acting

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Model D for use for a special purposes charity where individual trustees are acting (it is anticipated that no NHS charities with individual charities will exist from 1st April 2018)

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email usability@charitycommission.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This guidance is for those who have a formal or informal role in the management of NHS charities in England and Wales. This includes:

  • members of trust boards of NHS bodies (including NHS foundation trusts)
  • employees of trusts responsible for day-to-day management of NHS charities or who are given the status of fund advisers/holders
  • employees of NHS charities

The Model trust deeds are not intended to be used to create a charity for narrowly defined purposes from the unrestricted funds held by the corporate trustee.

If the trustee wishes to set aside or ‘earmark’ unrestricted funds for narrowly defined purposes it should establish a ‘designated’ fund within the general purpose charity instead.

See also the Department of Health’s guidance How NHS charities can convert to independent status on the issues and processes NHS charities need to consider when becoming independent.

Updates to this page

Published 1 February 2012
Last updated 31 October 2022 + show all updates
  1. Guidance updated to reflect changes (introduced by the Charities Act 2022) that simplify the current rules on failed appeals and what trustees need to do in these situations.

  2. First published.

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