Rules introduced by the Office of the Third Sector requiring charities to demonstrate that they provide public benefit have finally become law. The new measures require organisations, including faith groups to prove that they have a charitable purpose and exist for the public benefit. Paid fundraisers will have to tell prospective donors that they are paid and what their relationship is to the charity.

Organisations involved in poverty relief, religion and education will have to prove they are charitable – something they did not have to do before.

Charities will also face more rigorous accounting, reporting and scrutiny rules - you can read about this here.

According to Phil Hope Minister for the Third Sector, “As society has progressed, so too have charities... The new legal definition of charity, and the public benefit requirement, will give charities the platform to explain their good work and help the public see their true value.”