Writing charitable purposes
Your purposes (the "objects") are what the charity is set up to achieve. Each must fall within one or more of the 13 descriptions of purposes in the Charities Act 2011 and be for the public benefit. They also set the limits of what your trustees can do.
What a purpose should make clear
- What it's set up to achieve: "the relief of poverty", "the advancement of education".
- Who benefits, where it matters: an age group, people with a need, people in an area. Left out, it's read as the public in general.
- Where the benefit reaches. If you leave this out, it's read as anywhere in the world. Name an area only if you mean to limit the charity to it.
- How, where it matters: "by providing grants", "by providing facilities".
The Commission's own illustration: "For the public benefit, the relief and assistance of people in need (what) in any part of the world (where) who are the victims of war or natural disaster or catastrophe (who) by supplying them with medical aid (how)."
Start with the Commission's example objects
The Commission publishes example objects for about 30 kinds of charity, from village halls to animal rescue. It says your application will take less time if you can use one without alteration. If one fits, use it as written, filling in the bracketed parts such as your area or school, and choosing between any alternatives it offers. If none fits, don't force one: your trustees can only act within the purposes you register.
Example library: the Commission's wording
Quoted as published in 2013. Square brackets mark parts to fill in or optional wording to keep or delete. Use one only if it fits your plans: the purpose still has to be for the public benefit.
| Kind of charity | Commission example object |
|---|---|
| Foodbank, hardship fund | "The prevention or relief of poverty in [insert geographical area of operation] by providing: grants, items and services to individuals in need and/or charities, or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty." |
| Housing and support for older people in need | "To relieve elderly people resident in [insert place] who are in need, by providing specially designed or adapted housing, and items, services or facilities calculated to relieve the needs of such persons." |
| PTA or school fund | "To advance the education of the pupils at [the name of the school] by providing and assisting in the provision of facilities [not required to be provided by the local education authority] for education at the school." |
| Sports club | "the advancement of the amateur sport of [particular sports] [in location] for the public benefit by the provision of [or assistance in the provision of] facilities for participation in the sport of [sport]." |
| Animal rescue | "For the benefit of the public to relieve the suffering of animals in need of care and attention and, in particular, to provide and maintain rescue homes or other facilities for the reception, care and treatment of such animals." |
| Village hall | "The provision and maintenance of a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of [area of benefit] without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for: (a) meetings, lectures and classes, and (b) other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants." |
| Health condition support group | "to promote and protect the physical and mental health of sufferers of [insert medical condition] in [insert area of benefit] through the provision of financial assistance, support, education and practical advice" |
| Environment | "to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment [by promoting biological diversity]" |
| Carer services (benefiting elderly or disabled people) | "To relieve people who are elderly or disabled resident in [parish/place] by the provisions of carers and by the provision of support and training to such carers." |
| Museum or gallery | "to establish and maintain a museum and/or art gallery for the benefit of the public" |
The full set on GOV.UK (opens in new tab) also covers advice and counselling, community centres, community transport, refugees, social inclusion, young people and more.
For charities based in Scotland the regulator is OSCR; in Northern Ireland, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
Vague and specific, side by side
| Charity | Too vague | What specific looks like | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch club | "To promote the welfare of older people in the community." | Relieving the needs of older people living in a named town who are isolated or housebound, in particular by providing meals and transport. | "Welfare" on its own isn't charitable. Names the need, who, where and how. |
| Sports club | "To run a football club for members." | Advancing the amateur sport of football in a named district for the public benefit, by providing facilities for people of all ages to play. | A justified age group would also be possible. Members-only benefit is allowed only if a sufficient section of the public can join and membership suits the purpose. Open membership alone isn't enough. |
| Foodbank | "To help people who are struggling." | Preventing or relieving poverty among people living in a named borough, by providing emergency food parcels and referring them to debt and benefits advice. | Uses a recognised charitable purpose instead of a general wish to help. |
| PTA | "To support the school community." | Advancing the education of pupils at a named school by providing facilities and equipment not required to be provided by the local authority. | Based on the Commission's education example object. The local authority limit is an option in that example, not a rule. |
| Animal rescue | "To help animals." | Relieving the suffering of cats that are abandoned, sick or mistreated in a named county, by providing rescue, veterinary treatment and rehoming. | The Commission's example objects note that sanctuary for fit and healthy animals isn't charitable. |
| Arts group | "To promote creativity and wellbeing." | Advancing the arts by staging choral concerts open to the public in a named city, and teaching singing to people of any ability. | Art charities must meet a test of merit. Be ready to say how you judge it. |
"In particular by" or "in particular but not exclusively by"
"In particular by" limits the charity to the methods you list. "In particular but not exclusively by" lets it use others too. The Commission's advice: list the main ways, without restricting the charity unnecessarily.
What, then how
The Commission advises putting the outcome before the method. It's clearer, though the reverse doesn't stop a purpose being charitable. "Advancing education by providing a school for children aged 5 to 11" makes education the what. "Advancing health by educating the public about the risks of smoking" makes education the how.
Words the Commission says to avoid
- "to promote good causes": not every good cause is charitable
- "worthy", "deserving", "benevolent", "philanthropic", "patriotic": too wide
- "welfare" without a charitable context such as "social welfare" or "animal welfare"
- "social cohesion" or "community cohesion" as a purpose
- "to promote the advancement of": says the same thing twice
- "such of the following purposes as are charitable in law": doesn't make anything charitable
- motive words like "in order to do good works", unless they change how you'll work
Define any term that could be read two ways. The Commission's examples define "socially excluded" in a separate sentence under the purpose.
Checks before you submit
- Every purpose is charitable. A charity can't mix charitable and non-charitable purposes.
- Each purpose is normally for the public, or a sufficient section of it (poverty relief has different rules), and any personal benefit is only incidental. Not named individuals; not people defined by family or one employer, except to relieve (and in some cases prevent) poverty. Any benefit must be identifiable and not outweighed by harm. Public benefit.
- You've listed only the purposes you need now. You can apply to change them later.
- Powers (raising funds, borrowing, buying property) are listed separately from purposes. The purposes go in the governing document's objects clause.
- You can explain in the application how you'll carry the purposes out and what benefit they bring. Good wording alone doesn't make you a charity.
- The purposes in the form match the governing document word for word. If they differ, the form asks you to explain why, and it can take longer.
Sports clubs: charity or CASC
A qualifying amateur sports club can register as a charity or as a community amateur sports club (CASC) with HMRC, not both. A club registered as a CASC is treated as not charitable.
Grant-makers and wide purposes
A charity that gives grants across many causes can have the single purpose of advancing general charitable purposes. If you add a wide catch-all purpose, the Commission will want to know how trustees will identify charitable purposes and carry them out, for example your grant-making policy. If your grants have a particular focus, use a more precise object. If you use an umbrella body's approved document, get its permission before changing the objects.