Legal compliance checklist

This is a list of legal and compliance issues that need to be considered by the board of trustees of most voluntary organisations. The middle column suggests how the issue in question could be monitored by your board. The right-hand column sets out further resources that may be helpful. NCVO members can also download an organisational management calendar template (NCVO member only) to list key actions and dates in one document.

You may wish to use this to tailor the compliance checklist to your own organisation's needs.

This list covers the following topics:

• Board processes;
• Finance and accounting;
• Activities and operations; and
• Specific requirements for larger organisations.

A short Glossary of key terms has been included at the bottom of this document. Any words in bold and green font are found in the Glossary.

References to the Charity Commission are (unless otherwise stated) references to the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Please note that this list is designed to be an indication of the kinds of things that your trustees may need to consider. It has been produced as a guide and does not constitute legal advice. It will need to be adjusted to suit your organisation's needs and is not an exhaustive list of legal obligations or good governance expectations. Legal duties may also alter as new laws are passed.

NCVO would like to thank Withers LLP for their support in reviewing and updating this document.