Overview

This bill proposes to amend the Charities Act 2011 in England and Wales, designating all religious institutions as charities, regardless of whether they meet the existing public benefit requirement.

Description

The core change introduced by the Charities Act 2011 (Amendment) Bill is the automatic classification of all religious institutions as charities. Currently, organizations must demonstrate a "public benefit" to be considered a charity under the 2011 Act. This bill overrides that requirement specifically for religious institutions. Section 1 of the bill explicitly states that section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 (the public benefit requirement) does not apply to religious institutions. Section 2 provides the short title of the act and confirms its applicability to England and Wales only.

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is not directly addressed in the provided text. The potential effects are indirect and would depend on factors such as changes in charitable donations, tax implications for religious institutions, and potential alterations to government funding schemes for charities. Therefore, no figures can be provided.

Groups Affected

Groups potentially affected include:

• Religious Institutions: These would directly benefit from automatic charity status, potentially leading to tax advantages and increased access to funding.
• Charities Commission for England and Wales: This body would see a shift in its workload and responsibilities related to the registration and oversight of religious organizations.
• Secular Organizations and other Non-Religious Charities: There may be indirect effects, potentially concerning competition for funding or public perception of what constitutes a charity.
• Taxpayers: Potential impacts on taxation of religious institutions and charitable donations might indirectly affect taxpayers.

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