Setting up a charity

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by a Tolley Trusts and Inheritance Tax expert
Trusts and Inheritance Tax
Guidance

Setting up a charity

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by a Tolley Trusts and Inheritance Tax expert
Trusts and Inheritance Tax
Guidance
imgtext

Introduction to setting up a charity

This guidance note is designed to set out the main practical and legal issues to consider before setting up a new charity in England and Wales. It also sets out the requirements for registering a charity.

For further detail on any of the subjects included in this note, see the Charity Commission website.

Factors to consider before setting up a charity

New charities are established for a number of reasons. Grant-making charities can be useful vehicles for managing charitable donations effectively and tax-efficiently. In some cases, feeding donations through a grant-making charity is the only way to obtain UK tax relief on donations that will be used to carry out charitable activities. This may be the case, for example, where the intention is to transfer funding to an overseas body.

A new operating charity, on the other hand, may be established to pursue a charitable objective which is not carried out by any existing charity, or where the founder believes that there is another,

Continue reading the full document
To gain access to additional expert tax guidance, workflow tools, generative tax AI, and tax research, register for a free trial of Tolley+™
TAKE A FREE TRIAL NOW
Powered by Tolley+™
  • 10 Sep 2026 10:05

Home/ Tolley Tax Guidance/ Trusts and Inheritance Tax / Advising on charities

Popular Articles

Owner-Managed Businesses

Definition of a close company

Definition of a close companyThe detailed definition of a close company is set out below, but in summary the rules are targeted at those companies where the owners can manipulate the activities of the company to influence their own tax position. Therefore, broadly speaking, in most cases an

14 Jul 2020 11:24 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more
Corporation Tax

What are connected companies for loan relationship purposes ― practical approach

What are connected companies for loan relationship purposes ― practical approachBrief overview of the rulesThe loan relationships legislation applies to any ‘money debt’ arising from the lending of money entered into by a company, either as a lender or borrower. The rules are contained in CTA 2009,

20 Apr 2021 16:00 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more

Foreign self-employment

Foreign self-employmentTrading in another jurisdiction involves many issues, only some of which involve taxation. Advice should be taken, not only in relation to tax but on the wider business implications. For an overview of the points to consider for certain jurisdictions see Tolley's Global

Read more Read more