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LEGAL UPDATE
FOR VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS
"You deserve an award for the most easily understood, accessible and quality information service I have ever come across! As a very small charity your info gives us the confidence to know what we should be knowing and doing with the minimum of effort."
Corinne Wheeler, Canvey Island Youth Project
This update provides information of a general nature for management committees/trustees and staff of voluntary organisations about legal changes over the past year, and forthcoming changes. It is in two parts:
- EMPLOYMENT, covering all aspects of employment, volunteering, equal opportunities, health and safety
- MANAGING THE ORGANISATION, covering charity law, company and related law, data protection, internet, intellectual property, human rights, finance, property, licensing etc.
Information about earlier changes is archived at www.sandy-a.co.uk/vslh.htm.
The information and commentary on this website cover the law applicable to England, and may not apply in Wales, Northern Ireland and/or Scotland. It is provided free of charge for information purposes only, and is not a full or definitive statement of the law. Reasonable efforts are made to keep the information and commentary accurate and up to date, but no responsibility for its accuracy and correctness, or for any consequences of relying on it, is assumed by Sandy Adirondack. The information and commentary do not, and are not intended to, amount to legal advice to any person or organisation on a specific case or matter and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice.
To be notified by email when the website is updated, click
to send an email, asking to receive update notifications. Please give your name, organisation, address, telephone and email address.
To avoid spamming, an email address is not given on screen. If you can't see the word 'Legalupdate' or have trouble sending an email by clicking on it, the address is sandy at sandy-a.co.uk, with the spaces and 'at' replaced by the @ symbol. Or ring 020 7232 0726 to talk to a real person, or at least a real voicemail.)
Items on this website are cross-referenced to the The Russell-Cooke Voluntary Sector Legal Handbook, published by Directory of Social Change in September 2009 (£60 for voluntary organisations, £90 others, + 10% p&p). For details see Books, and to order a copy print out the order form at Books by post or send an email order by clicking
To avoid spamming, an email address is not given on screen. If you can't see the word 'Bookorders' or have trouble sending an email by clicking on it, the address is bookorders at sandy-a.co.uk, with the spaces and 'at' replaced by the @ symbol.
You can also find legal updates for voluntary organisations on the website of the Charity Team at Russell-Cooke Solicitors at
www.russell-cooke.co.uk
and information about changes in tax and finance law on the Sayer Vincent website at
www.sayervincent.co.uk.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND HELP
Updated 10/1/09.
Helplines and information.
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations' financial management website includes briefings and guidance on financial matters, as well as model policies and procedures. It can be accessed via tinyurl.com/y8emr5p. Other NCVO briefings, for example on trustee roles, employment matters etc, are accessible from www.ncvo-vol.org.uk.
The Charity Commission and HM Revenue and Customs have a joint helpline on 08453 020203, to deal with issues relating to charity tax, charity VAT and charity law and practice. Charities can continue to use separate helplines for charities on 0845 3000 218 or HMRC on 0845 010 9000.
Charities Resource Network at www.cfdg.org.uk/crn/home.asp covers finance, IT and human resources and provides, in the documents section, practical working documents which are used by charities, as well as professional guidance and advice provided by experts. The site is run by Charity Finance Directors Group.
The Advice Services Alliance's Advicenow at www.advicenow.org.uk provides legal information about a wide range of topics. It is intended to be complementary to the Community Legal Service's Just Ask! website at www.clsdirect.org.uk.
For general (not specifically legal) updates on issues of concern to voluntary organisations, see the Voluntary Resource website at www.volresource.org.uk. A free Voluntary Resource weekly email bulletin can be requested via the website.
Professional support.
The national ProHelp network includes firms of solicitors, accountants, architects, consulting engineers and surveyors, public relations and marketing agencies, and management and information technology consultants who provide free advice and support to charities and community groups. Details are at www.prohelp.org.uk.
Professionals4free, a website to help voluntary organisations find out how to access free professional help, is run by Business Community Connections, Business in the Community, TimeBank and NCVO and is at www.professionals4free.org.uk.
A website run by the Solicitors Pro Bono Group, www.probonogroup.org.uk/, provides information for lawyers and voluntary organisations about pro bono (free) services provided under the LawWorks name by solicitors and barristers.
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