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Different Legal Structures for Time Banks
Many thanks to the NCVO Legal Team for the information provided in this
briefing. This briefing contains information on:
1. Introduction: What is a legal structure?
- why you need one and how to choose one
- making the right choice
- governing documents
- do you need to be a charity too?
2. Keeping it simple: unincorporated organisation
3. More formal: the trust
4. Charitable but simple: the Friendly Society
5. Protection from risk: the company limited by guarantee
6. Becoming an Industrial and Provident Society
7. Creating a Development Trust
8. Registering your Time Bank as a Charity (company limited by guarantee
model)
TOP TIP
For further information on legal structures visit:
askNCVO website: http://www.askncvo.org.uk/
askNCVO helpline: Freephone: 0800 2 798 798 or E-mail:
helpdesk@askNCVO.org.uk.
A good glossary explaining all the different types of structures and social
enterprise jargon can be found at:
http://www.sel.org.uk/glossary/glossary.asp
For further information about setting up your time bank and any questions
regarding charitable registration please contact Time Banks UK on
info@timebanks.co.uk. We will help you with advice or refer you on to
others that can assist.
1. Introduction: What is a legal structure?
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
In simple terms, a legal structure is a formal method of organising a project
which is acceptable in law.
Why you need one and how to choose one
A group is not required by law to adopt a formal legal structure. It may be
possible for your project to achieve its aims without doing so. Basing the
operation of your project on purely verbal agreements may work when
things go according to plan, but any serious disagreement between members
could lead to problems you are unable to solve. Adopting a formal legal
structure can provide the framework for getting over such difficulties and
also brings with it other advantages, such as credibility when looking for
finance. Indeed, some funders insist on formal written Constitutions.
Making the right choice
It is important to know exactly what the implications of adopting a
particular structure are, so that you can choose the one which is best suited
to helping you to achieve the aims of your project. Your choice should be
based on how you want to run the project as well as on what the project is
being set up to do.
A legal structure defines what the project aims to achieve (known as the
objects) and the means it can use to achieve them (known as the powers).
Each of the available structures allows you to do certain things and prohibits
you from doing others. It affects whether you are able to:
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raise money from charitable sources
employ staff
own buildings and other property
involve other local people
undertake trading activity
make a profit
involve workers in decision making.
As long as you adopt the structure which allows you to do what you want, it
should safeguard the project from running into legal problems, such as a
dispute between members of the project over how it should be controlled
and run.
It might be helpful to talk to people in projects similar to your own to find
out why they chose the structure they have and if it has caused them any
problems.
Model constitutions for some types of organisation are also available and can
save you from having to draw up your own, if one exists which is suitable for
your organisation to adopt.
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
The six main types of structure are:
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an unincorporated association, society or club
a trust
a friendly society
a limited company
an industrial and provident society
a development trust
The first three of these are unincorporated, which means that the
organisation has no separate legal identity distinct from that of the
individual members and that the members of its management committee
have ultimate personal legal liability.
The last three are incorporated. They have separate legal identity which
protects for the most part the liability of the individual members.
Governing documents
All organisations need a governing document – it is your rule book and you
must comply with what it says.
It may be called:
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constitution
trust deed
memorandum and articles of association
some other name.
Time Banks UK is recommending that time banks wishing to become
charities should first become companies limited by guarantee and then
register as charities. Using this system, your governing document will be
memoranda and articles of association. We have made model versions of
these documents available as approved by the Charity Commission for
England and Wales. For more info see registering as a charity. Time banks
that wish to constitute themselves differently might find it useful to look at
the NCVO website to find out more at
http://www.askncvo.org.uk/Asp/search/docBrowser.aspx?catID=27.
Alternatively, a sample constitution is available for guidance as an email
from info@timebanks.co.uk.
Do you need to be a charity too?
Every charity is a voluntary organisation but not every voluntary
organisation is a charity. While you are choosing the legal structure most
appropriate to your project, you should also consider whether or not you
want your organisation to become a charity. In appropriate circumstances,
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
an organisation can become a charity regardless of which of these structures
it adopts.
Briefly, the main advantages of charitable status are:
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exemption from most forms of direct taxation
a good public image, which helps when fund raising
eligibility for help, especially financial, from other charities.
And the main disadvantages are:
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the Charity Commissioners in England and Wales (and the Inland
Revenue in Scotland) have controlling powers
an organisation’s objects must all be legally charitable
there are restrictions on the alteration of objects and on dissolution
committee members cannot normally be paid.
The main test for being granted charitable status is that all and not just
some, of an organisation’s objects must be charitable. You need to draw up
your Constitution with this in mind since it could affect how you state the
objects of your project.
If what you are doing is charitable then you have a legal obligation to
register if your income exceeds £1000 from all sources. The Charity
Commission (Registration Division) has a list of organisations that have
produced model Governing Instruments and this includes the NCVO.
See registering as a charity.
2. Keeping it simple: unincorporated association
If you want to set up an organisation for a limited, specific and probably
local purpose, then you should consider choosing the simplest form of legal
structure - the unincorporated association. This means that the organisation
has no identity in law except as a collection of individuals. Members of the
management committee are ultimately personally liable for the
organisation’s debts.
An unincorporated association can become a charity; have full choice in
appointing officers and committee members and easily dissolve itself (at a
general meeting of members) - but
An unincorporated association cannot hold property without appointing
custodian trustees to do so on its behalf; take legal action, borrow money or
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
enter into any form of contract in its own name, but must do so in the name
of one or more individuals.
The advantages are...
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It is cheap to set up. Unlike incorporated structures there are no fees
to pay
It can be set up quickly. You do not have to involve any other
organisation (unless you are also applying for charitable status)
It is flexible. It can suit a wide variety of groups, objects and ways of
working
It is not subject to interference. Some other forms of legal structure
are answerable to a statutory authority.
The disadvantages are...
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It cannot hold property in its own name. It must have trustees to hold
it in their own names on behalf of the association
Members of the association’s management committee, or the
trustees, are ultimately personally liable for the association’s debts.
Example: An unincorporated association buys a computer on hire
purchase and then finds it cannot keep up payments. Whoever
authorised the hire purchase agreement on behalf of the group is
legally responsible for paying off the debt
The lack of control from an outside body leaves an organisation
vulnerable if there is a dispute between members. A friendly society
can refer a dispute to the Registrar of Friendly Societies
It is difficult to borrow money. Money will only be lent to members of
the management committee as individuals, who will be personally
responsible for its repayments, even though it is used exclusively to
finance the association.
So, if your group...
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is small
operates on a small budget
does not need to employ staff or acquire property or contract with
third parties and
wants participation by its membership (from which the management
committee will be drawn)
then an unincorporated association may be right for you.
3. More formal: the trust
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
A trust is a body that manages money or property for clearly defined
purposes. It establishes a relationship between three parties - the donors of
money or property, the trustees and the beneficiaries. The purpose for
which the money is to be used is specifically stated in the trust deed.
Although the trustees become the legal owners of the trust property, it can
be unlawful for them to benefit personally from it
A trust can register as a charity; hold property; raise funds - for the objects
of the organisation stated in the trust deed and trade - as long as it is not a
primary aim of the trust and is specifically authorised in the trust deed.
The advantages are...
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It can be set up quickly and fairly cheaply. Apart from seeking
approval for the trust deed from the Charity Commission there is no
need to involve any outside body. There are no registration fees to
pay, although it will usually be necessary to employ a lawyer to
advise on drawing up the trust deed
It can be cheap to run. There is no requirement to pay annual fees
for the submission of accounts to an appropriate authority. However,
the organisation is subject to the requirements of trust law so that
the trustees must keep proper accounts (which can involve expense)
The trust deed can be easily amended, if provision to allow for
changes in the deed was made when it was originally drawn up.
(However a deed which allows for the objects clause to be amended
will not be acceptable to the Charity Commission)
There is no interference from outside authorities in the
administration of a trust.
The disadvantages are...
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The type of management structure it imposes is unitary and probably
unsuitable for a group which wants participation of a membership in
decision-making. The power lies with the trustees. Unlike a company,
where ultimately the members can remove the directors if they do
not act in accordance with their wishes, there is no such democratic
method for removing the trustees of a trust. So if, for example, the
beneficiaries do not think that its trustees are using their powers
effectively, they have no authority to compel the trustees to change
their ways. Since the removal of trustees is difficult and trustees are
not usually elected to a fixed term of office but are there until they
resign or die, such differences of opinion can be difficult to resolve.
It is possible within the framework of a trust to reduce the possibility
of this type of conflict arising by having an express provision that
trustees must stand down after a fixed period.
Trustees may be personally liable to the trust for any loss resulting
from their actions which are in breach of trust, even in cases when
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
the trustee believes he is acting in accordance with the purposes of
the trust.
Because the trust is unincorporated, a trustee is personally liable for
contracts he enters into on behalf of the trust. However, if he has acted
honestly and reasonably, he may be entitled to reimbursement from the
trust property for any loss he personally suffers in fulfilling his duties as
trustee. In practice, personal liability can be limited by writing into any
contract, with the agreement of the other party, that it is being undertaken
on behalf of a trust.
Transferring property to new trustees can be expensive. This problem can
sometimes be overcome by using the services of the Official Custodian for
Charities who can act as a holding trustee for land.
So...
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If your aim is to raise funds for a special purpose or to run a project
with limited objectives
if you want to adopt a formal structure fairly quickly and cheaply and
if your organisation does not require the active participation of a
membership
then a trust may be right for you.
4. Charitable but simple: the Friendly Society
If you are a small group that wants the benefits of charitable status, without
too many complications, then consider the friendly society. Friendly
societies are registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1974.
The friendly society is unincorporated. Traditionally, its function was to pay
insurance benefits to its members; now it can be any voluntary organisation
with a benevolent purpose. It must have a minimum of seven members and
a registered office.
A friendly society can become a charity; hold property through trustees;
convert into a company.
Once a friendly society with charitable objects has registered with the
Registrar of Friendly Societies, it is exempt from the requirement to register
with the Charity Commissioners, and does not have to submit annual
accounts to them. The Charity Commissioners have no authority to inquire
into the society’s activities.
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
The advantages...
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There is fairly cheap arbitration in the case of disputes (through the
Registrar of Friendly Societies)
Property can be transferred easily and without cost. Unlike a trust, a
friendly society does not have to pay the usual legal fees involved in
transferring property since on the death, resignation or removal of a
trustee, all property held in his or her name automatically passes to
the succeeding trustee
Achieving charitable status is often more straightforward
Friendly societies can amalgamate easily.
The disadvantages...
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The privacy enjoyed by unincorporated association disappears when
an organisation registers under the Friendly Societies Act
The Registrar will want a copy of the society’s rules, a valuation of its
assets, and a regular audit of its accounts
The freedom from interference from outside authorities also
disappears. The Registrar has the power to investigate the affairs of
the society and has the right of control over some of its activities. He
can prohibit the society from accepting new members if he thinks the
circumstances warrant this.
So...
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if yours is a small organisation that requires charitable status
if you anticipate transferring property between trustees and want to
avoid expensive legal fees and
if you wish to remain unincorporated
then the friendly society may be right for you.
5. Protection from risk: the Company Limited by
Guarantee
If your organisation seeks a democratic form of control, has a fairly
substantial turnover, employs staff, owns or occupies premises and you wish
to protect the personal assets of the management committee, then you
should consider registering as a company limited by guarantee.
The company limited by guarantee is the type of company normally chosen
by voluntary organisations and community groups because:
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
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it is designed for non-profit making organisations
its structure is essentially democratic - the members control the
company - unlike a trust
each member’s liability is limited to a nominal sum - usually not more
than £1, which he or she guarantees to pay if the company has debts
on winding up.
The other type of limited is the company limited by shares. Here, members
invest money in the company by buying shares. Their liability is limited to
the nominal value of their individual shareholdings. Shareholders participate
because they hope to make a profit. This type is not suitable for charities.
In the company limited by guarantee, the incentive to participate is not
profit, but commitment to the objects of the organisation. Members cannot
benefit from any profits made - they have to be reinvested in the company.
A limited company must submit its constitution to the Registrar of
Companies. The constitution consists of two parts:
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Memorandum of Association which states the objects of the
organisation, the powers of the company has to pursue its objects
and the extent of the liability of the members on winding up.
Articles of Association which state the rules governing how the
company is to be run, including proceedings at meetings, voting
procedures, accounting procedures and the method of electing the
committee of management, usually referred to as the board of
directors.
See registering as a charity.
A company limited by guarantee can become a charity provided that all its
objects are charitable and hold property without appointing trustees to do
so on its behalf.
The advantages...
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Owning and transferring property is simplified - no trustees have to
be appointed as nominal owners.
The personal property of the members is not usually at risk if the
company is liable for debts.
A company undertakes all its activities in its own right, including
taking legal action.
It provides a democratic structure - the members elect the directors
(management committee) and have the right to remove them.
The Companies Act 1985 provides a ready-made constitution, easily
adapted to meet the needs of different groups.
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
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The company framework is suitable for any size of organisation, so a
small organisation can expand without being restricted by the
structure it has adopted.
It is usually easier for an incorporated organisation to borrow money the lender has the security of the company’s assets, rather than the
personal security of the individual who signs the contract.
Only two people are needed to form a company - a friendly society
and an industrial and provident society require a minimum of seven
members.
The disadvantages...
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A company limited by guarantee is subject to more controls than any
of the other legal structures.
There is a lack of privacy. Information on a company’s activities is
submitted to the Registrar of Companies and is available for public
scrutiny.
The initial costs can be high including:
- a registration fee of £20
- legal fees to a lawyer for assistance in establishing the company
- a recurring fee (currently £15) for submitting annual returns
- recurring administrative costs, including auditing fees, through
having to comply with the Companies Acts.
So...
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The ostensible advantages of incorporation must be set against the
inescapable initial and running expenses, so that, if you are a group
with a small budget and little or no property, becoming a company
limited by guarantee is probably not worthwhile.
If your organisation employs staff, holds property and is feeling
restricted by its unincorporated status, then you should certainly
consider becoming a company limited by guarantee - but first look at
what an industrial and provident can offer.
6. Becoming an Industrial and Provident Society
If your organisation requires the benefits of incorporation, without the
expense and complexity of a limited company, then you should consider
whether to register as an industrial and provident society (IPS).
An organisation qualifies for registration as an IPS if it is a society for
carrying on an industry, business or trade, and is either ‘a bona fide cooperative society’ or is intended to be conducted ‘for the benefit of the
community’.
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
Registration is with the Registrar of Friendly Societies - under the Industrial
and Provident Societies Act 1965.
The Act does not define what a ‘bona fide co-operative society’ is but the
Registrar of Friendly Societies has issued guidelines:
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business must be conducted for the mutual benefit of the society’s
members
all members must have an equal say in the running of the society
if the society makes a profit, the amount of interest members can be
paid on the money they have invested in the society is restricted
regardless of the level of profit. Any surplus must be ploughed back.
(A society which operates with the object of making a profit cannot
be a bona fide co-operative society)
the society must have at least seven members
membership must be open to all who work in the organisation.
An organisation ‘for the benefit of the community’ must:
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be non profit making
be prohibited by its rules from distributing its assets among members
have control vested in the members equally
pay only moderate interest on share or loan capital.
An IPS can become a charity. A charitable IPS does not have to register with
the Charity Commission but will achieve charitable status if it fulfils the
usual conditions. (Only the second type of IPS which exists for the benefit of
the community, and not just for its members as a co-op does, will be able to
qualify for charitable status). An IPS can own property in its own right, and
convert to a company limited by guarantee if required, using a simplified
procedure.
An industrial and provident society cannot operate with the object of
making a profit, nor distribute its assets amongst its members.
The advantages...
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The benefits of incorporation come with registration as an IPS. These
include limited liability; holding property and taking legal action in
its own name; control by members.
The rules and formalities are less rigid and complex than those for
companies.
An IPS can convert into a limited company should it ever want to do
so.
It can be quick and relatively cheap to register if you are using model
rules submitted through a ‘promoting society’ such as the National
Federation of Housing Associations. There are several ‘promoting
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF

societies’, which, for a fee, provide model rules, advice and help
with registration for groups which fit their particular model.
Registering through one of these can be fairly quick and not too
expensive since there is probably no need to use a lawyer. The
current fee charged by the Registrar for registering through one of
the promoting societies is £650.
Internal disputes can be referred to the Registry of Friendly Societies
for arbitration.
The disadvantages...
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Expensive. The registration fee is currently around £650.
Loss of privacy - as with friendly societies, an IPS loses the privacy
enjoyed by unincorporated associations. The Society’s rules and
accounts are public.
Time and expense if model rules are not applied. The fee for
registration without model rules is higher. It can take up to a year for
draft rules to be approved.
No charity number.
Returns must be filed with the Registrar.
So...
If yours is a voluntary organisation or community group you may find the IPS
a more suitable form of incorporation than a company limited by guarantee.
if your organisation is a housing association or a social or recreational club,
or a consumer or producer co-op, providing anything from building repairs to
information and advice services then the industrial and provident society
could well be the legal structure you choose.
TOP TIP
For full details on how to register as an Industrial & Provident Society and
more information on the pros and cons of this structure versus a company
limited by guarantee see
http://www.ovtv.org.uk/Online%20Docs/Factfiles/Becoming%20an%20IPS.pd
f
7. Creating a Development Trust
Development trusts are different from most small businesses: they are not
owned by any set of individuals, and do not distribute any profits. They do,
however, have to find ways of constantly raising funds and earning money,
because unlike public bodies they have no direct access to taxes. And while
grants may be available, few funding regimes stretch for more than a few
years.
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
Development trusts are:
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engaged in the economic, environmental & social regeneration of a
defined area or community
independent and aiming for self-sufficiency
not for private profit
community-based and owned
actively involved in partnerships between the community, voluntary,
private and public sectors.
TOP TIP
For more information on Development Trusts and how to go about creating
one visit the Development Trust Association website:
http://www.dta.org.uk/content/devtrusts/creating.html
8. Registering your Time Bank as a Charity
Time Banks UK has put together the following information on the steps that
you need to follow in order to register your time bank as a charity. If you
require any further advice please contact Time Banks UK at
kika@timebanks.co.uk.
Thanks to our partnership with the Solicitors Pro Bono Group we can offer
active and developing time banks in England and Wales the opportunity to
receive professional legal advice at no financial cost. In the spirit of
reciprocity the solicitor working on the case will ‘charge’ their time in time
credits and thus will be ‘paid back’ by the time bank through exchanges and
time credits generated by the community for the community. The Solicitors
Pro Bono Group is a charity providing free legal advice to individuals and not
for profit organisations by working with law firms who in turn provide the
services of their lawyers free of charge. We recommend that you make use
of this valuable service, please contact kika@timebanks.co.uk if you would
like to register your interest and be put in touch.
Step by step guide to registering your time bank as a charity
(England & Wales only)
STEP ONE: Registering as a charitable company limited by guarantee
(England & Wales)
Background
Time Banks UK now has generic legal documents which time banks can use
as model governing documents to set up your time bank as a company
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
limited by guarantee with charitable objectives. These have been approved
by the Charity Commission for England & Wales.
Using these model documents (Memorandum of Association and Articles of
Association) will create a company limited by guarantee. Your charity
trustees are called either a Board, council of management or directors. Visit
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/cc22.asp#22 for full
details about this structure from the Charity Commission.
Who can use these documents?
These documents have been drafted by a legal professional through the
Solicitors Pro Bono Group working in consultation with Time Banks UK and
the Charity Commission. They are recommended for use by time banks in
England and Wales.
1. Download the model time bank documents:
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Memorandum of Association (company limited by guarantee) (493kb
Word document)
Articles of Association (company limited by guarantee) (741kb Word
document)
2. Save these documents to your computer’s hard disk.
3. The documents will need to be edited as directed in the brackets in the
document text. Once completed and signed by your directors (trustees), you
will then need to use these documents to register your time bank as a
company limited by guarantee with the Registrar of Companies at
Companies House. They will then issue a certificate of incorporation which
you will need for Step Two - registering as a charity.
4. For full information on how to obtain your certificate of incorporation
visit http://ws4.companieshouse.gov.uk/frame.cgi?OPT=notesfaq
You will need to fill in two more forms:
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Form 10 gives details of the first director(s), secretary and the
intended address of the registered office;
Form 12 is a statutory declaration of compliance with all the legal
requirements relating to the incorporation of a company. It must be
signed in the presence of a commissioner for oaths, a notary public, a
justice of the peace or a solicitor.
Both these forms and full information can be downloaded from the
Companies House website at
http://ws4.companieshouse.gov.uk/frame.cgi?OPT=notesfaq.
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
There is a fee of £20 for registering companies with the Registrar of
Companies.
England & Wales: You can contact Companies House at Cardiff CF14 3UZ,
telephone 0870 333 3636 or on their website at
www.companieshouse.gov.uk and they will assist you through this process of
incorporation.
STEP TWO: Registering as a charity (England & Wales)
We recommend that you make use of the partnership between Time Banks
UK and The Solicitors Pro Bono Group who will help you through this
process. See here for more information.
1. Read the Charity Commission publication CC21 "Registering as a Charity"
(http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/cc21.asp) which will
give you the background information to registration.
2. Apply for a Charity Commission Registration pack which contains all the
forms you need to fill in and full guidelines on how to apply. It is very
important that you read all the information in the Registration Pack before
applying for registration as it sets out what you need to do.
You can download the pack from http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registration/regpack.asp or contact the Charity
Commission on 0870 333 0123 for a pack available in English and Welsh. The
number for hearing and speech impaired callers using a minicom is: 0870
333 0125.
3. Complete all forms and documents as directed in the Registration pack
and send back to the Charity Commission. You will normally be contacted
within 15 days from receipt of application to either approve the application
or ask you for further material.
For full details of useful websites and contacts visit http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/publications/cc21.asp and scroll to the bottom of the
page.
If you have any queries related to registering your time bank as a charity
please contact Time Banks UK at info@timebanks.co.uk. If you would like to
be put in touch with The Solicitors Pro Bono Group please contact
kika@timebanks.co.uk.
Step by step guide to registering your time bank as a charity
(Scotland only)
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
STEP ONE: Registering as a company limited by guarantee & charity
(Scotland)
Time Banks UK is in contact with the Scottish Charities Office with the aim
of obtaining an approved version of the Memoranda & Articles of association
for use in Scotland.
We hope then to post a reference number here that Scottish time banks can
use in their dealings with the Scottish Charities Office which should help the
registration process.
Scotland: You can contact Companies House at 37 Castle Street, Edinburgh
EH1 2EB, telephone 0870 333 3636 or on their website at
www.companieshouse.gov.uk and they will assist you through the process of
incorporation.
However, we recommend that you wait until we have a version of the
Memoranda and Articles of association approved by the Scottish Charities
Office.
The process would then be as follows:
1. Read the Scottish Charities Office publication on how to register as a
Scottish charity. You can find this information at
http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/pdfs/ir2004.htm#a.
2. To apply for recognition as a Scottish charity you will need to send the
following documents to the Scottish Charity Office:



a copy of the generic Memorandum and Articles of Association (we
hope to have the England & Wales version approved by the Scottish
Charities Office in the near future);
details of your proposed activities and copies of any literature of
business plan that explains what the work of your time bank will be;
you should also supply a name and address for future contact with
your time bank.
3. For further information contact:
Scottish Charities Office
Meldrum House
15 Drumsheugh Gardens
Edinburgh EH3 7UL
Tel: 0131 777 4040
Visit their website: http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/pdfs/ir2004.htm#a
If you have any queries related to registering your time bank as a charity
please contact Time Banks UK at kika@timebanks.co.uk.
Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
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Contact:
info@timebanks.co.uk
Tel 01452 541439
Time Banks UK, City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester. GL1 4DF
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