Friendly Societies Act 1974

1. Introductory Text

2. The Registry of Friendly Societies

   1. 1. The Registry Office

   2. 2. Terms of office, qualifications and status of Chief and assistant registrars

   3. 3. Salaries and expenses

   4. 4. Registration areas and functions of assistant registrars in those areas

   5. 5. Particular functions of assistant registrar for Scotland

   6. 6. Report of the Chief Registrar and publication of information relating to friendly societies

3. Registration of societies and branches

   1. 7. Societies which may be registered

   2. 8. Registration of societies

   3. 9. Special provisions as to dividing societies and societies assuring annuities

   4. 10. Societies registered in one registration area carrying on business in another

   5. 11. Additional requirements for registration of societies with branches

   6. 12. Establishment of new branches

   7. 13. Registration of branches as societies

   8. 14. Name of seceding or expelled branch

   9. 15. Acknowledgment of registration

   10. 16. Appeals from refusal to register

4. Provisions as to rules

   1. 17. Acknowledgment of registration of rules

   2. 18. Registration of amendments of rules of society or branch

   3. 19. Acknowledgment of registration of amendments of rules

   4. 20. Appeals from refusal to register amendment of rule

   5. 21. Duty to supply copies of rules

   6. 22. Rules of certain registered societies to bind members at law

   7. 23. Special provisions which may be included in rules

5. Trustees and Officers

   1. 24. Trustees of registered societies and branches

   2. 25. Minors not to hold office

   3. 26. Proof of appointment of officers and trustees

   4. 27. Certain officers to give security

   5. 28. Duty of officers of registered societies and branches to account

6. Accounts, audit and auditors

   1. 29. Books of account, etc

   2. 30. General provisions as to accounts and balance sheets

   3. 31. Obligation to appoint auditors

   4. 32. Audit of exempt societies and branches

   5. 33. Reappointment and removal of auditors

   6. 34. Notice of resolutions relating to appointment and removal of auditors

   7. 35. Proceedings subsequent to receipt of notice under s. 34

   8. 36. Qualified auditors

   9. 37. Restrictions on appointment of auditors

   10. 38. Auditors' report

   11. 39. Auditors' right of access to books and to attend and be heard at meetings

   12. 40. Remuneration of qualified auditors

7. Valuations and annual returns

   1. 41. Valuations

   2. 42. Regulations and directions of Chief Registrar relating to valuations

   3. 43. Annual return

   4. 44. Copies of annual return to be supplied on demand

   5. 45. Copies of balance sheet and valuation to be displayed

8. Investment, funds and property

   1. 46. Investment of funds

   2. 47. Power to set up funds for purchase of Government securities on behalf of members

   3. 48. Loans to assured members

   4. 49. Loans out of separate loan fund

   5. 50. Loans of surplus funds to registered society or branch of different description

   6. 51. Power of friendly society to invest in housing association

   7. 52. Charitable subscriptions and contributions to other registered societies

   8. 53. Holding of land

   9. 54. Vesting of property in trustees

   10. 55. Power of the Public Trustee to hold securities of certain friendly societies and branches

   11. 56. Legal proceedings concerning property

   12. 57. Discharge of certain mortgages

   13. 58. Devolution of property on death, resignation or removal of trustee

   14. 59. Priority on death, bankruptcy, etc., of officer

9. Membership and rights of members

   1. 60. Membership of minors

   2. 61. Members' subscriptions not generally recoverable at law

   3. 62. Inspection of books by members

   4. 63. Accumulation of member's surplus contributions

10. Benefits: limitations and payment

    1. 64. Maximum benefits

    2. 65. Modification of s. 64 in relation to group insurance business

    3. 66. Power of member to nominate person to receive sums payable on his death

    4. 67. Payment on death of a nominator

    5. 68. Devolution of sums due where no nomination

    6. 69. Validity of payments

    7. 70. Certificates of death

    8. 71. Prohibition of insuring money to be paid on death of a child under ten

    9. 72. Limitations on insurance of life of parent or grandparent

    10. 73. Supplementary provisions as to insurances referred to in s. 72

    11. 74. Provisions with respect to certain insurances where person assured is resident outside United Kingdom and Isle of Man

    12. 75. Rights of owners of certain endowment policies

11. Disputes

    1. 76. Decision of disputes generally

    2. 77. Reference, by consent, of disputes to Chief or assistant registrar

    3. 78. Statement of case and discovery, etc., of documents

    4. 79. Reference of disputes to court otherwise than under rules

    5. 80. Disputes arising out of loans of surplus funds to societies of different description

12. Change of name, amalgamation and transfer of engagements and conversion of societies

    1. 81. Power to change name

    2. 82. Amalgamation and transfer of engagements

    3. 83. Objections to amalgamations and transfers of engagements of friendly societies

    4. 84. Conversion of registered societies into companies

    5. 85. Conversion of society into branch

    6. 86. Meaning and registration of special resolutions

13. Inspection, winding up and suspension of business

    1. 87. Power of Chief Registrar to inspect and apply for winding up of registered friendly societies and branches

    2. 88. Power of Chief Registrar to suspend business of registered friendly societies and branches

    3. 89. Power of Chief Registrar to require production of documents

    4. 90. Appointment of inspectors and calling of special meetings

14. Cancellation and suspension of registration and dissolution

    1. 91. Cancellation and suspension of registration

    2. 92. Appeals against cancellation and suspension of registration

    3. 93. Dissolution of societies and branches

    4. 94. Instrument of dissolution

    5. 95. Dissolution by award

    6. 96. Finality of awards for dissolution or distribution of funds

    7. 97. Notice of proceedings or order to set aside dissolution

15. Offences, penalties and legal proceedings

    1. 98. Offences

    2. 99. Punishment of fraud, etc. and recovery of property misapplied

    3. 100. Falsification of balance sheets, etc

    4. 101. Prosecution of offences, recovery of costs or expenses

    5. 102. Jurisdiction of magistrates' courts

    6. 103. Legal proceedings concerning registered societies, etc

16. Miscellaneous

    1. 104. Fees

    2. 105. Exemptions from stamp duty

    3. 106. Certificates of births and deaths for purposes of Act

    4. 107. Provision as to information supplied for purposes of national insurance and social security

    5. 108. Protection for members of registered societies joining the forces

    6. 109. Regulations

    7. 110. Evidence and deposit of documents

17. General provisions

    1. 111. Interpretation

    2. 112. Isle of Man

    3. 113. Channel Islands

    4. 114. Payments to legal representative in Channel Islands and Isle of Man

    5. 115. Reciprocal application of legislation relating to societies registered in Northern Ireland and in other parts of the British Islands

    6. 116. Amendments, transitory provisions and repeals

    7. 117. Short title, commencement and extent

18. 1. Schedule 1

       Purposes for which friendly societies may provide

    2. Schedule 2

       Matters to be provided for by the rules of societies registered under this Act

    3. Schedule 3

       Forms of bond for officers of registered societies and branches

    4. Schedule 4

       Form of receipt to be endorsed on mortgage or further charge

    5. Schedule 5

       Death certificates in connection with payments referred to in section 72

    6. Schedule 6

       Provisions applicable where person assured is resident outside the United Kingdom and Isle of Man

    7. Schedule 7

       Provisions of section 107 of this Act to have effect until coming into force of certain provisions of the Social Security Act 1973

    8. Schedule 8

       Women's auxiliary services

    9. Schedule 9

       Amendments of other enactments

    10. Schedule 10

        Transitory provisions and savings

    11. Schedule 11

        Enactments repealed