UK Charity Registration Services
Starting a charity means satisfying the Charity Commission for England and Wales before you can accept a single donation in the charity’s name. LEBS guides trustees through the entire process — structure, governing documents and the application itself — so your charity is set up correctly from the outset.
What’s Included
- Initial eligibility assessment — including whether you need to register at all
- Advice on the right legal structure: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), charitable trust, unincorporated association or charitable company
- Preparation of governing documents (constitution or trust deed)
- Drafting charitable objects that meet Charity Commission guidance
- Completing and submitting your Charity Commission application
- Trustee eligibility checks and governance structure guidance
- Handling Charity Commission queries raised during the application
- Post-registration support with annual returns and accounts once you’re live
Why Businesses Choose LEBS for Charity Registration
As a Chartered Accounting firm, we bring financial expertise alongside charity law and regulatory knowledge — not just a template application. That combination matters once you’re registered too, when annual returns, trustee reporting and charity accounts become ongoing obligations rather than a one-off task.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do we actually need to register with the Charity Commission?
- Registration is generally required once your charity’s annual income exceeds £5,000 — below that threshold it’s usually optional, with one exception: a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) must register regardless of income. We confirm which route applies to you.
- What structure should our charity use?
- A CIO gives trustees limited liability and is regulated only by the Charity Commission, which is simpler than a charitable company (which is also regulated by Companies House). A charitable trust or unincorporated association can suit very small, low-risk charities. We talk through the trade-offs before you commit to a structure.
- How long does registration take, and who can be a trustee?
- Timelines vary with the Charity Commission’s workload and how complete your application is — a well-prepared application avoids the back-and-forth that causes most delays. Trustees must generally be 18 or over and not disqualified (for example, by certain unspent convictions or bankruptcy); we check eligibility as part of onboarding.
Register Your Charity the Right Way
Talk to LEBS about charity registration, governing documents and trustee compliance.