Charities Act 2022: implementation plan
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-17)

This plan explains how the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will implement the Charities Act 2022.

This page sets out an indicative timetable for implementation of the Charities Act 2022 (“the Act”), and the fulfilment of other commitments made by the government in response to the Law Commission’s Technical Issues in Charity Law report (https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/charity-law-technical-issues-in-charity-law/).

Our aim is to activate the new provisions as quickly as possible whilst giving charities (and others that will be affected by the Act) time to properly prepare for any changes that will affect them.

The legislation received Royal Assent on 24 February 2022. The Act, and its accompanying explanatory notes are available on the Charities Act 2022 legislation page (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/6/contents/enacted).

Implementation is being led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), working closely with colleagues in the Charity Commission and other government departments. Some provisions will require existing guidance to be updated, whilst other provisions may require new guidance to be prepared.

Different provisions are expected to come into force at different points until the end of 2024. The current intention is for the provisions to come into force in four groups - stated below. If intentions change, this web page will be updated accordingly.

As different provisions come into force, links to any new and updated guidance will be provided on the Charity Commission’s Charities Act 2022 information page (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charities-act-2022-guidance-for-charities).

Provisions of the Act that came into force on 31 October 2022

The commencement regulations are available to view at legislation.gov.uk. (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/1109/pdfs/uksi_20221109_en.pdf)

Section 4: Power to amend Royal Charters

Section 5: Orders under section 73 of the Charities Act 2011

Sections 6 and 7: Cy-près powers

Section 8: Power of the court and the Commission to make schemes

Section 30: Remuneration of charity trustees etc providing goods or services to charity

Section 32: Trustee of charitable trust: status as trust corporation

Section 36: Costs incurred in relation to Tribunal proceedings etc

Part of Section 37: Public notice as regards Commission orders etc.

Part of Section 40 and Schedule 2: Minor and consequential amendments

Provisions of the Act that came into force on 14 June 2023

The commencement regulations are available to view at legislation.gov.uk (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/643/pdfs/uksi_20230643_en.pdf)

Sections 9-14 and 35(a): Permanent endowment

Sections 17, 19-22: Charity land

Sections 25-28: Charity names

Section 38 and 39: Connected persons

Part of Section 40 and Schedule 2: Minor and consequential amendments

Provisions of the Act that came into force on 7 March 2024

The commencement regulations are available to view at legislation.gov.uk (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/265/contents/made)

Section 1-3: Charity constitutions

Sections 18(*) and 23: Charity land

Section 24 and Sch 1: Amendments of the Universities and College Estates Act 1925(**)

Section 29: Powers relating to appointments of trustees

Section 31: Remuneration etc of charity trustees etc

Sections 33, 34 and 35(b): Charity mergers

Section 37: For remaining purposes

Section 40 and Schedule 2: For remaining purposes

(*) Section 18(1) (in part), (2)(a), (2)(c) and (3)(a) will come into force on 7 March 2024. Due to the provisions being linked to section 24 and Schedule 1, section 18(1) (for remaining purposes), (2)(b) and (3)(b) will come into force on 19 May 2025.

(**) Section 24 and Schedule 1 will come into force on 19 May 2025.

Provisions of the Act that come into force on 27 November 2025

The commencement regulations are available to view at legislation.gov.uk (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1191/made)
- These sections are being commenced with the exception of certain statutory institutions, including relevant museums and galleries, which have existing legislation that prevents them from disposing of items from their collections except in very limited circumstances.
- The full list of the relevant statutory institutions can be found in the Schedule to the commencement regulations.
- The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has contacted those charities falling within scope of this exclusion.
Reviews

DCMS will complete a review of the Act within the statutory review period of 3-5 years following Royal Assent.

DCMS also committed to reviewing the financial thresholds set out in the Charities Act 2011 to consider whether they should be increased in line with inflation. This review has now been completed. The government response to the public consultation (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-financial-thresholds-in-charity-law/outcome/consultation-on-financial-thresholds-in-charity-law-government-response) and next steps was published on 31 October 2025.

We are also working to implement those non-legislative changes that were recommended in the Law Commission’s report, which were accepted by the government but did not form part of the Charities Act 2022. These changes include updating existing guidance to provide more clarity to the sector. We aim to carry out this work concurrently with the implementation of the legislative provisions detailed above.