WIREDGOV

Commission rolls out online registration application service

CHARITY COMMISSION News Release (PR 05/08) issued by The Government News Network on 26 February 2008

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has begun a new online registration application service.

The new service is available initially for organisations applying with an approved governing document. It allows organisations to submit their charity application form electronically and, should they wish, also submit their governing document at the same time. The online service will be more flexible and easier to use than a manual form, guiding organisations through the application process with helpful information on hand at each stage.

Applicants will also be able to save and return to their form, giving them the option to complete it over a period of time. Once submitted, the application will be considered for registration in the usual way.

The new service is initially only for applicant charities using an approved (also called standard) governing document, which the Commission has approved and agreed with an umbrella body for use by its members. The Commission has 80 approved governing documents from wide-ranging organisations such as Age Concern, Citizens Advice, Neighbourhood Watch and Pre-school playgroups. The Commission intends in due course for the service to be extended to all organisations.

Overall, the time taken to register a charity over the last four years has more than halved from an average of 69 days to 32 days. For charities using an approved governing document the average registration time is even faster, and at the end of December 2007 the average registration took just 15 days. A key aim for the new service is to continue to reduce the time to register: the Commission is aiming for an average registration time of five working days or less by the end of 2008 for those organisations applying online.

David Locke, Executive Director, Charity Services, said:

"The Charity Commission is committed to making life easier for charities wherever we can. This is a really exciting time for us, and for the charity sector, as we launch a new service which aims to make the registration process easier and quicker for the many organisations that apply each year using an approved governing document. I would encourage those organisations which are considering applying to visit our website and see if online application is suitable for them."

Ends.

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator for charitable activity in England and Wales. See http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk for further information or call our contact centre on 0845 300 0218.

2. A governing document contains the charity's objectives and all the relevant powers to operate the charity. If charities choose not to submit their governing document electronically they can send this in as a hard-copy, together with their trustee declaration form.

3. There are currently 80 organisations which have approved governing documents with the Charity Commission. A full list of approved governing documents, along with contact details for the relevant organisations, can be found on the Commission's website at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk.  Potential applicants should contact their umbrella organisation for more details.

4. From 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007, the Commission received a total of 7,259 applications to register.

5. The average time for registration for charities using an approved governing document reduced from 23 days at the end of the financial year 06/07 to 15 days at the end of December 2007.

6. The registration application form will still be available in paper format for those unable to access the internet, or who do not wish to use an electronic form.

For further information on this story please contact Sarah Whalley on 020 7674 2333.