Exempt charity

An exempt charity is an institution established in England and Wales for charitable purposes which is exempt from registration with, and oversight by, the Charity Commission.

Exempt charities are largely institutions of further and higher education, universities, student unions, Industrial and Provident Societies, Friendly Societies, or national museums, that were established by Act of Parliament or by Royal Charter. These organisations are specified in Schedule 2 to the Charities Act 1993.

Historically, they were treated as exempt from supervision because they were considered to be adequately supervised by, or accountable to, some other body or authority, such as Parliament.

Although outside the jurisdiction of the Charity Commission, they are still subject to the usual legal rules applicable to charities in English law and to the general provisions of the Charities Acts.

The Charities Act 2006 substantially changed the law on exempt charities, introducing the requirement of a "principal regulator" to oversee the compliance of the charity with charity law. The 1993 and 2006 Acts were superseded by the Charities Act 2011, which consolidates previous charity law in the UK.

Named charities

The following institutions are specifically listed by name as exempt charities by the 1993 Act:

• University of Oxford
• University of Cambridge
• University of London
• Durham University
• Newcastle University
• the colleges and halls in the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and Newcastle, Queen Mary and Westfield College in the University of London (now Queen Mary, University of London).
• Open University
• Winchester College
• Eton College
• Victoria and Albert Museum
• Science Museum
• Royal Armouries
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
• National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside
• British Museum
• Natural History Museum
• National Gallery
• Tate Gallery
• National Portrait Gallery (London)
• Wallace Collection
• Imperial War Museum
• National Maritime Museum
• Museum of London
• British Library
• Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
• Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales
• School Examinations and Assessment Council
• Community Fund
• Church Commissioners and any institution which is administered by them
• Representative Body of the Welsh Church
• Lloyd's Register of Shipping
• Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations

External links

• Charity Commission