Charities Act 2011

15The Commission’s general functions

(1)The Commission has the following general functions—

1.

Determining whether institutions are or are not charities.

2.

Encouraging and facilitating the better administration of charities.

3.

Identifying and investigating apparent misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of charities and taking remedial or protective action in connection with misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of charities.

4.

Determining whether public collections certificates should be issued, and remain in force, in respect of public charitable collections.

5.

Obtaining, evaluating and disseminating information in connection with the performance of any of the Commission’s functions or meeting any of its objectives.

6.

Giving information or advice, or making proposals, to any Minister of the Crown on matters relating to any of the Commission’s functions or meeting any of its objectives.

(2)The Commission may, in connection with its second general function, give such advice or guidance with respect to the administration of charities as it considers appropriate.

(3)Any advice or guidance so given may relate to—

(a)charities generally,

(b)any class of charities, or

(c)any particular charity,

and may take such form, and be given in such manner, as the Commission considers appropriate.

(4)The Commission’s fifth general function includes (among other things) the maintenance of an accurate and up-to-date register of charities under sections 29 (the register) and 34 (removal of charities from register).

(5)The Commission’s sixth general function includes (among other things) complying, so far as is reasonably practicable, with any request made by a Minister of the Crown for information or advice on any matter relating to any of its functions.

(6)In this section “public charitable collection” and “public collections certificate” have the same meaning as in Chapter 1 of Part 3 of the Charities Act 2006.