“Family members who are snubbed in a relative’s will in favour of charities could find it easier to lay claim to the estate following a recent judgment.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 6th May 2011
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
from the Inner Temple Library
“Family members who are snubbed in a relative’s will in favour of charities could find it easier to lay claim to the estate following a recent judgment.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 6th May 2011
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“A Catholic adoption agency has been told it cannot discriminate against gay couples in the latest outcome of an ongoing legal battle that has pitted the rights of same sex parents against religious groups who want to opt-out of anti-discrimination legislation.”
The Independent, 26th April 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Melita Jackson, who died in 2004 at the age of 70, left her estate of £486,000 to animal charities, making no provision for Heather Ilott, her only child. Three of the country’s most senior judges said Mrs Ilott, 50, should receive a share of the will, in a decision which could lead to more people challenging relatives’ bequests.”
Daily Telegraph, 1st April 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Inheritance tax laws will be changed to encourage people to donate at least part of their estates to charity as part of the Coalition’s ‘Big Society’ initiative.”
Daily Telegraph, 23rd March 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The Charities Bill was published today, consolidating existing charities legislation into one Act of Parliament. The consolidation bill aims to make it easier to follow charities legislation.”
Cabinet Office, 4th March 2011
Source: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
“Children as young as 13 are being released from custody without a safe place to live, forcing them into a cycle of homelessness and reoffending, research has shown.”
The Guardian, 28th February 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Children’s charities today criticised the coalition’s plans to replace asbos with a new regime to tackle anti-social behaviour as little more than a rebranding exercise that would continue to demonise young people.”
The Guardian, 7th February 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The RSPCA has lost a court of appeal challenge against a ruling that overturned a will leaving them a £2.35m farmhouse and land in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.”
The Guardian, 30th November 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The RSPCA today launched a high court challenge to a ruling that overturned a will leaving the charity a £2.35m estate after a daughter contested her parents’ legacy.”
The Guardian, 29th November 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Independent schools have won a major victory in their campaign to lift threats to their charitable status. They have succeeded in obtaining a judicial review of the way the Charity Commission has been carrying out new ‘public benefit’ tests to determine whether their charitable status is justified.”
The Independent, 8th October 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Controversial rules forcing private schools to offer free places to poor pupils could be scrapped after doubts were raised by the Government’s top law officer.”
Daily Telegraph, 30th September 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“In our consultation we have identified some 73 obsolete Acts relating to a variety of benevolent institutions. Many of these institutions are, or were, charitable bodies such as schools, hospitals and almshouses which were established in the 18th or 19th centuries to meet the needs of the poor, sick or elderly.”
Law Commission, 16th September 2010
Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk
“Hospices that care for victims of a form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure hope to get help with treatment costs following a landmark court ruling.”
The Guardian, 29th August 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A former senior official at a charity founded by the Prince of Wales was jailed for three years today after he admitted stealing £250,000.”
The Independent,
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“An advert for an animal charity working in Afghanistan has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. It ruled the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad’s advert was ‘likely to mislead’ for suggesting donations ultimately benefited British troops.”
BBC News, 18th August 2010
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Independent legal support will be provided throughout the inquest process to the relatives of men and women who die during service. The proposal was welcomed by the families of army personnel who have died in Afghanistan and who described the resulting inquests as ‘traumatic’. Two full-time lawyers, funded by the British Legion with the help of the MoD, will guide families through the ‘complex and harrowing’ investigation that follows a military death.”
Daily Telegraph, 15th July 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The High Court has rejected a bid to allow collapsed immigration advice charity Refugee and Migrant Justice to carry on representing its clients until their cases are transferred to other firms.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 7th July 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“A Roman Catholic adoption agency was entitled to rely on reg 18 of the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 which afforded to charities generally an exemption from the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. Accordingly, it was not unlawful for the agency to refuse to provide its services to same-sex couples.”
WLR Daily, 18th March 2010
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“The RSPCA has started an appeal five months after losing a court battle over a £2m estate left to it in a will.”
BBC News, 6th March 2010
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk
“A poster on animal cruelty showing the killer of Baby Peter has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.”
BBC News, 3rd February 2010
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A wealthy aristocrat who stole £1.6m from a family charity intended to aid Bosnian orphans was given a two-year suspended sentence today.”
The Guardian, 26th November 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A former deputy coroner and solicitor has been jailed for stealing money from a charitable trust account he set up with money taken from dead clients.”
BBC News, 26th October 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Charities will now have up to five years to meet a public benefit test that entitles them to charitable status.”
The Guardian, 7th October 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“New government rules forcing private schools to open up their services, including the provision of more bursaries, are unlawful, according to a leading QC who has accused the charities watchdog of ‘attacking’ fee-charging schools.”
The Guardian, 14th September 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Charity Commission considers whether to launch inquiry after allegations prince has undue influence over direction of Foundation for the Built Environment.”
The Guardian, 20th August 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The head of the organisation that represents the country’s top independent schools today issued a threat to the government’s charities watchdog that it may consider legal action against moves to force private schools to open up their facilities to pupils from low-income homes.”
The Guardian, 11th August 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Catholic charities who discriminate against homosexual couples who want to adopt children are breaking the law, the Charity Tribunal has ruled.”
Daily Telegraph, 3rd June 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Hundreds of children fleeing war and persecution will be wrongly denied education and given no more help than adult asylum seekers in the UK under controversial changes introduced by the government, a leading charity warned yesterday.”
The Guardian, 1st June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The Prince of Wales’ youth charity broke the law by running a joint fundraising event with an offshoot of the Conservative party, watchdog the Charity Commission ruled today.”
The Guardian, 16th April 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Persche v Finanzamt Lüdenscheid
Court of Justice of the European Communities
“Article 56 EC on the free movement of capital enabled eligible tax deductions on gifts made to charitable bodies in the taxpayer’s state also to be claimed on gifts made to charities within the European Union outside the taxpayer’s state.”
The Times, 3rd February 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Persche v Finanzamt Lüdenscheid (Case C-318/07); [2009] WLR (D) 27
“It was contrary to Community law to refuse income tax deductibility for a donation to a charity established in another member state where it was allowed in the case of charities established in the taxpayer’s state and the taxpayer had no opportunity to show that the donation satisfied the legislative requirements for the grant of deductibility.”
WLR Daily, 28th January 2009
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“Immigration minister Phil Woolas faced a scathing attack from leading lawyers after suggesting those representing asylum seekers were ‘playing the system’.”
Daily Telegraph, 18th November 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“An education charity has been found to have breached charity laws by donating £7,500 of its funds to the Labour party.”
The Guardian, 8th September 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Government guidance on cohesion is thought to have spurred some councils to stop funding black and minority ethnic charities. But now a high court victory could force a serious rethink. Saba Salman reports.”
The Guardian, 30th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A thinktank with close links to Gordon Brown was today found to have breached charity laws by getting involved in party politics.”
The Guardian, 18th July 2008
Souce: www.guardian.co.uk
“Human rights and freedom of information legislation should be extended to cover charities and social enterprises that deliver public services, such as care homes, a report said today.”
The Guardian, 9th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Charity watchdogs are to crack down on fundraisers who send out unsolicited gifts to make potential donors feel guilty enough to give money.”
The Guardian, 22nd May 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Independent schools are threatening legal action over new rules that would force them to offer more free places to children from poor backgrounds.”
Daily Telegraph, 12th March 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Faith charities encouraging or promoting violence or hatred risk losing their charitable status as part of a radical overhaul proposed by the Charity Commission.”
The Guardian, 29th February 2008
source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Independent schools should not operate as exclusive clubs for children of the well-off but must show that they exist for the wider public benefit if they are to retain charitable tax breaks worth about £100 million a year.”
The Times, 16th January 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Britain’s leading public schools have rejected as unworkable regulations that would force them to open their doors to pupils from poor families.”
The Times, 14th January 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Britain’s high street banks have raised billions of pounds in funds through complex financial deals that use supposedly charitable trusts which are not donating a penny to good causes, the Guardian has learned.”
The Guardian, 5th December 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Northern Rock is facing a Charity Commission investigation after it emerged that the bank exploited the name of a charity for disabled children while creating an elaborate financial arrangement for maximising profits from home loans.”
The Guardian, 28th November 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Camelot, the National Lottery operator, will be questioned by the Charity Commission this week over the running of its charitable arm.”
The Observer, 21st October 2007
Source: http://observer.guardian.co.uk
“This consultation document seeks views on the draft Charity Tribunal Rules 2007. The Rules are expected to come into force to coincide with the commencement date of the Tribunal which it is anticipated will be in early 2008. The Act and the Rules apply to England and Wales.”
Ministry of Justice, 16th August 2007
Source: www.justice.gov.uk