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If you want to register and set up a UK charity or CIC, I provide a friendly and very successful registration service. I'm a charity sector expert, not a salesperson and my free how to register guides give you step-by-step guidance on setting up a charity, or CIC at no cost, if you prefer. My guides also cover a wide range of other help, such as how to register a charity with HMRC and setting up a free charity bank account and I've also produced a number of free videos as well.
For more information and a free advice call, e mail me at ian@charityexcellence.co.uk.
“Ian’s guidance and support throughout the application process has been phenomenal. He has gone above and beyond his line of duty and is there to hold your hand and explain what the Charity Commissioners are looking for in setting up a charity. His experience is second to none, and his calm and helpful manner keeps you motivated and engaged. He made the process so simple and it wasn’t long before we received our registration".
Sirwa Sabir, Founder, Hommie
I've been a charity volunteer for 40+ years and worked at senior management level for 25+, including various chair and CEO roles and setting up charities of my own. I'm the founder of Charity Excellence and have now registered large numbers since I set up my online company in 2019 to help fund Charity Excellence.
I've successfully appealed a significant number of charity registration refusals and have taken the Charity Commission to tribunal on 3 occasions, on each they were forced to concede and register the charity.
For those who value them, I hold an MSc (Corporate Management), and ACCA finance and accounting, and CIoF fundraising qualifications.
Full details of my experience, endorsements and recommendations are in my LinkedIn profile.
"Ian is supportive, innovative and always there for any help needed for the charity sector! I am grateful for his support and guidance."
Lenna Lou, Mentee
These are the step-by-step toolkits I've created that give you everything you need in registering and setting up your charity or CIC.
If you're not sure what type of charity or CIC might be best for you, this guide enables you to do that. Alternatively, this short video (3 mins) explains the most common options and I also have an infographic.
Once you've decided, I have a series of free online DIY guides for setting up charities, CICs and registering with HMRC. I also have a guide to CIC and charity conversions and another on governing documents (constitutions, articles), which helps you to choose and download the right one.
Securing registration can be difficult, so I've a guide to challenging Charity Commission decisions.
I also have guides to setting up an unincorporate association (unregistered charity), opening a free charity bank account, dealing with bank account problems, insurance, the various types of charity tax relief, how to claim the different kinds of Gift Aid and free fundraising training courses.
Each guide contains all the links to online portals, documents and guidance you need for setting up a charity yourself, at no cost.
If you need some help, see the next section.
‘Ian very kindly responded with extremely useful information on setting up a charity. Ian’s help and guidance has made me even more enthused and I cannot thank him enough for his time and assistance. His breadth of knowledge is extensive and to share this with others is proof of his generosity’ Emmerson Wood, Founder
My free guides enable you to set up and register your charity or CIC yourself, but I can also provide support if you need it.
Full Charity Registration - I complete the full application for you, including drafting responses to the inevitable queries and, if necessary, an appeal (Decision Review).
Charity Registration Support - I can set up your account and provide everything you need to write your application yourself, review an application you've written, draft responses to Commission registration queries or draft a Decision Review application. I charge for my time, not any policies etc provided. It normally takes me 2 hours, but can be quicker for simple pieces of work, or longer for more complex ones.
Other Registrations & Support - I also register CICs, register charities with HMRC to claim Gift Aid, carry out company conversions to CICs and charities, charity conversions, and draft responses to Charity Commission queries and appeals.
On average 40% of charity registrations are unsuccessful (Charity Commission Annual Report 20/21). I have never failed to register a charity, where I've been provided with the information needed, although I've had to go to Decision Review several times and on three occasions taken the Commission to the 1st Tier Charity Tribunal.
Contact me for advice, without any sales pressure - ian@charityexcellence.co.uk
Please note that I'm neither a lawyer, nor an accountant, so not able to offer professional advice in these areas. If you need such advice, you need to seek this from a relevant professional.
"The service you provide is beyond any cost. You are helping people to make their vision a reality". Priyesh Katariya, Founder
I charge for my time, but not for on-call advice, policies or any other resources and do not charge VAT. I offer either a fixed price registration service or an hourly rate of £99 for other work.
Full Charity Registration Service - fee £899, with a £499 non-refundable deposit. You may be able to find someone cheaper, but this service includes drafting responses to the almost inevitable Charity Commission queries and, if necessary, submitting an appeal.
Charitable Company Registration - to register a charitable company with Companies House, as well as the Charity Commission, it's an additional £50, plus the £34 filing fee.
Company Conversion - it depends on what you're doing, but it usually takes 2 hours.
CIC Registration - £159, plus the £65 filing fee. I do everything myself, so it should be cheaper to use an online company; about £100, once they add VAT.
HMRC Charity Registration - £199, or £149 for charity registration clients.
'Thank you Ian: we really couldn't have done it without you!' Phoebe Jervis, Founder, Suicide & Co
The service I provide not only includes submitting your application but also advice on any aspect of setting up or running a charity, creating all the policies you will need, drafting responses to the almost inevitable queries and submitting a Decision Review appeal, if necessary. I don’t charge VAT.
I've kept my prices as low as I realistically can and have created free guides on everything you might need to do it yourself, so am not able to reduce these. However, there are numerous other organisations that support people in setting up a charity. Being Scottish, I never take the first price someone offers, so here are some I found on the Internet, to save you some time.
There are others. Legal partnerships and some accountants may offer a registration service and some CVSs provide free advice (use the Charity Excellence Help Finder search for Support Bodies).
Always shop around and ask for the company to disclose all costs, including things like VAT and any additional fees, such as providing policies. Also check what the service includes. The Commission almost always come back with additional questions and you may also need to submit a Decision Review to appeal, if your initial application to set up your charity is not accepted.
I have never failed to set up a charity or CIC where a client has given me the information asked for but I am neither a lawyer nor an accountant. If you need professional advice you'll need to seek this from one. You can find pro bono support by using my Help Finder directory, within Charity Excellence. Everything is free.
