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  • Open consultation Consultation on a Bill to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008

    Topics:
    • Regulation of charities

    Consultation closes 24 April 2026, 11.59 pm

    Summary

    The Department for Communities is inviting views on the proposed Charities (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to modernise and strengthen the regulatory framework governing charities in Northern Ireland.

    Documents

    • A Bill to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Public consultation Adobe PDF (284 KB)
    • A Bill to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Proposed amendment Adobe PDF (184 KB)
    • A Bill to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Explanatory and financial memorandum Adobe PDF (195 KB)
    • A Bill to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Rural needs impact assessment Adobe PDF (182 KB)
    • A Bill to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Regulatory impact assessment Adobe PDF (130 KB)
    • A Bill to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Privacy notice Adobe PDF (142 KB)

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    Consultation description

    The Bill reflects recommendations from the Independent Review of Charity Regulation (the Review) and aims to ensure that the sector remains well‑supported, transparent, and proportionately regulated. These reforms also respond to operational challenges that have emerged since the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (the 2008 Act) came into effect. 

    This consultation invites your views on the potential amendments to the 2008 Act. Your feedback will help shape legislation that will directly influence how charities operate and are governed in the future.

    We would encourage anyone who is interested in responding to this consultation to utilise Citizen Space as the method of their response.

    If this is not possible, you can however, respond to this consultation via email or you can respond in writing to the postal address.

    The Department has also published its Equality Impact Screening document.

    Ways to respond

    Respond online
    Email:
    CharitiesBranch@communities-ni.gov.uk
    Write to:
    Charities (Amendment) Bill Consultation,
    Charities Policy & Legislation Team,
    Voluntary and Community Division,
    Department for Communities,
    Causeway Exchange,
    1-7 Bedford St,
    Belfast,
    BT2 7EG
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