Christians are being urged to respond to the Charity Commission's general consultation on public benefit. The Christian Institute has published its response outlining concerns that the new guidelines may eventually deprive some Christian groups of charitable status. The new rules will apply to England and Wales.
If you go to church then these plans are important for your future because charity law is the framework in which all churches will have to operate.
Institute's response to the consultation:
The Charity Commission's consultation closes on 6 June 2007 and we would urge Christians to respond to it.
The Charities Act 2006 removed the presumption that churches and religious organisations are for the 'public benefit'. From early 2008 onwards such groups, including existing charities, must prove their 'public benefit' to obtain or maintain their charitable status.
The Charity Commission guidance will be crucial in administering this new law. We are very concerned about how 'public benefit' will be interpreted - particularly where a charity is concerned with promoting contentious moral beliefs or cross-cultural evangelism.
The draft guidance sets out 17 questions for consultation. Our response focuses on five of them which have particular relevance to religious charities.
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Responding to the consultation
The deadline for responses is 6 June 2007.
Please entitle your response 'Consultation on Draft Public Benefit Guidance' and send it by post to:
Charity Commission Direct
PO Box 1227
LIVERPOOL
L69 3UG
Or email to: enquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk
