NI charities bill takes another step forward
Howard Lake | 27 November 2012 | News
The new Charities Bill for Northern Ireland has successfully passed through the next stage of the Assembly with unanimous agreement on the proposed amendments relating to public benefit.
The progression of the Bill brings the Assembly a step closer to rectifying the legislative issue that has prevented the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland from putting together a public register of charities.
The Commission hopes to consult on the public benefit and registration ./guidance in spring 2013 which would allow it to begin registering all local charities in Northern Ireland in late 2013.
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Charity Commission Chief Executive Frances McCandless said: "The Social Development Minister and Assembly Members rightly recognise that we are keen to begin the charity registration process and we very much welcome this latest legislative step.
"In the meantime we will continue with our regulatory work using our present powers, as well as preparing for a public consultation on our public benefit and registration ./guidance”.
Meanwhile, the Assembly also endorsed the extension to Northern Ireland of the Small Charitable Donations Bill which will allow Gift Aid reclaim for cash donations under £20.
The Bill's policy objective is linked to the UK Government's Big Society agenda and its aim is to encourage charitable giving and to build a more socially conscious society. The scheme will apply only to small cash donations of £20 or less and it will be open to organisations with a good track record of claiming Gift Aid for at least three tax years.
There will be an annual limit of £5,000 per organisation on donations eligible for the top-up payment
www.charitycommissionni.org.uk
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.