The Charities (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order gives the trustees of certain charities additional powers, amends the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 and makes other changes in the law relating to charities in Northern Ireland.

Article 3 enables the trustees of a local charity for the relief of poverty which is at least fifty years old to alter the objects of the charity by resolution approved by the Department of Finance and Personnel if the trustees believe that the objects have become obsolete, lacking in usefulness or impossible of achievement. Article 4 enables the trustees of charities whose income is £200 or less to transfer the property of the charities to charities with similar objects and Article 5 frees the trustees of certain very small charities from restrictions on the expenditure of capital.

Article 6 increases certain financial limits under the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 and provides for their future variation by subordinate legislation. Article 7 simplifies the calculation of the value of land, etc., for the purposes of that Act and Article 8 applies to this Order certain supplementary provisions of that Act including section 34 which requires the Department of Finance and Personnel to produce an annual report. Article 9 places a restriction on the power of a charity which is a body corporate to alter its instruments and Article 10 transfers to the Department of Finance and Personnel the functions of the Department of Health and Social Services under the House to House Charitable Collections Act (Northern Ireland) 1952.