Charities face first test
22 Sep 06
Regulator announces programme of checks under new powers
The Scottish charities regulator OSCR is to begin a programme of reviewing bodies claiming charitable status, under new legislation that redefines who qualifies as a charity.
As widely predicted, independent schools will come under scrutiny, but OSCR intends to cast its net considerably wider, looking also at the higher education sector, NHS endowment trusts, the Royal British Legion, miners' welfare societies and student unions.
Under the first phase of the programme, expected to run from the middle of next year through to 2009, the organisations selected will have to show that any fees charged do not fail the "unduly restrictive" criterion - under which they would be regarded as so exclusive as not to qualify as a charity - and that commercial activities such as bars do not conflict with their stated charitable purpose.
OSCR will also be ensuring that churches become "designated religious charities" within the next year.
Once the first phase of the review is completed, the regulator will turn its attention to smaller charities.