Will ruling opens way for family claims – Law Society’s Gazette

“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.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 6th May 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Catholic adoption charity appeal dismissed – The Independent

“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.”

Full story

The Independent, 26th April 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Daughter cut out of mother’s will for naming her child badly – Daily Telegraph

“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.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st April 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Change in Inheritance Tax laws encourages charitable giving – Daily Telegraph

“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.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Consolidation of charity law – Cabinet Office

“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.”

Full story

Cabinet Office, 4th March 2011

Source: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Young offenders leaving custody for life of homelessness and reoffending – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Asbo replacement orders condemned by children’s charities – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

RSPCA loses court appeal against £2.35m will ruling – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

RSPCA challenges decision to overturn will – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court victory for independent schools – The Independent

“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.”

Full story

The Independent, 8th October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Attorney General orders review of private school charity rules – Daily Telegraph

“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.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 30th September 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Benevolent Institutions: Repeals Consultation – Law Commission

“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.”

Full consultation

Law Commission, 16th September 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Mesothelioma: Hospice wins landmark victory in asbestos cancer case – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th August 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-boss jailed for stealing £250,000 from charity – The Independent

“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.”

Full story

The Independent,

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Advertising Standards Authority bans animal charity ad – BBC News

“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.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th August 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

R (Rickets) v Basildon Magistrates’ Court – WLR Daily

R (Rickets) v Basildon Magistrates’ Court [2010] WLR (D) 186

“If goods were left outside a charity shop it could be inferred that it was the owner’s intention to donate them as a gift to the shop, and they were not abandoned but remained the property of the person who deposited them until taken into the control or possession of the charity; and if some other person removed the goods in the meantime he might be found to have committed an offence of theft.”

WLR Daily, 15th July 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.

British Legion to provide free legal advice for families of soldiers killed on active service – Daily Telegraph

“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.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Refugee and Migrant Justice clients lose High Court bid – Law Society’s Gazette

“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.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) v Charity Commission for England and Wales (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) – WLR Daily

Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) v Charity Commission for England and Wales (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) [2010] EWHC 520 (Ch); [2010] WLR (D)

“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.

RSPCA appeal against Northallerton will judgement – BBC News

“The RSPCA has started an appeal five months after losing a court battle over a £2m estate left to it in a will.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th March 2010

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Peta poster showing Baby P killer Steven Barker banned – BBC News

“A poster on animal cruelty showing the killer of Baby Peter has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Aristocrat sentenced for £1.6m theft from family charity – The Guardian

“A wealthy aristocrat who stole £1.6m from a family charity intended to aid Bosnian orphans was given a two-year suspended sentence today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th November 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyer jailed for theft from dead – BBC News

“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.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Charity Commission relaxes rules for private schools – The Guardian

“Charities will now have up to five years to meet a public benefit test that entitles them to charitable status.”

Full  story

The Guardian, 7th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

QC challenges private school law – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th September 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prince Charles’s architecture foundation could face investigation – The Guardian

“Charity Commission considers whether to launch inquiry after allegations prince has undue influence over direction of Foundation for the Built Environment.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th August 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Private schools threaten legal action to keep charity millions – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th August 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Catholic charities breaking law on homosexual adoption – Daily Telegraph

“Catholic charities who discriminate against homosexual couples who want to adopt children are breaking the law, the Charity Tribunal has ruled.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd June 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Charity loses funding to help child refugees wrongly classified as adults – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st June 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prince’s Trust Thatcher lunch broke charity laws – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th April 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Persche v Finanzamt Lüdenscheid – Times Law Reports

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 – WLR Daily

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.

Lawyers hit out at Phil Woolas over claims asylum seeker charities are playing the system – Daily Telegraph

“Immigration minister Phil Woolas faced a scathing attack from leading lawyers after suggesting those representing asylum seekers were ‘playing the system’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th November 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Schools charity donation broke law – The Guardian

“An education charity has been found to have breached charity laws by donating £7,500 of its funds to the Labour party.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Single-minded pursuit – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th July 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thinktank linked to Gordon Brown breached charity laws – The Guardian

“A thinktank with close links to Gordon Brown was today found to have breached charity laws by getting involved in party politics.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th July 2008

Souce: www.guardian.co.uk

Charities ‘should be subject to human rights’ – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th July 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Charities face crackdown on fundraising through ‘guilt’ gifts – The Guardian

“Charity watchdogs are to crack down on fundraisers who send out unsolicited gifts to make potential donors feel guilty enough to give money.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Charity rules illegal, say independent schools – Daily Telegraph

“Independent schools are threatening legal action over new rules that would force them to offer more free places to children from poor backgrounds.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

New warning to faith charities – The Guardian

“Faith charities encouraging or promoting violence or hatred risk losing their charitable status as part of a radical overhaul proposed by the Charity Commission.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th February 2008

source: www.guardian.co.uk

Private schools told, you can’t be an exclusive club – and a charity – The Times

“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.”

Full story

The Times, 16th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Public schools reject charity rules – The Times

“Britain’s leading public schools have rejected as unworkable regulations that would force them to open their doors to pupils from poor families.”

Full story

The Times, 14th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Revealed: how UK banks exploit charity tax laws – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A twisty trail: from Northern Rock to Jersey to a tiny charity – The Guardian

“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.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Camelot faces probe into axed charity funding – The Observer

“Camelot, the National Lottery operator, will be questioned by the Charity Commission this week over the running of its charitable arm.”

Full story

The Observer, 21st October 2007

Source: http://observer.guardian.co.uk

Draft Charity Tribunal Rules 2007 CP19/07 – Ministry of Justice

“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.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 16th August 2007

Source: www.justice.gov.uk