Notice of UKCGE’s Intention to Change Charitable Status

UKCGE is currently constituted as an unincorporated charitable association. We are writing to let our members and supporters know that the Board of Trustees intends to change this, converting the charity into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

We reported to members during the AGM the work that we had been undertaking as part of our governance review. The change we are proposing forms part of that broader piece of work and is a core aspect of our strategic plan, which will be published in October 2026.

An unincorporated association has no separate legal identity from its members and trustees. This means, among other things, that trustees can be personally liable for the charity’s debts and obligations, and entering into leases or employment agreements has to be done in individual trustees’ names rather than the charity’s own.

A CIO is a corporate structure created specifically for charities. It gives the organisation its own legal personality, so it can hold property, enter contracts, and employ staff in its own name. It also provides limited liability protection for trustees and members, while remaining subject to charity law and regulated solely by the Charity Commission, without the additional company law and Companies House filing requirements that come with becoming a charitable company.

In short: this is a governance and administrative change intended to reduce risk to our trustees and make the charity more robust for the future, not a change in what we do or why we exist. We hope that this will encourage more colleagues to seek to be involved in the work of the Council and to stand as Trustees.

Our charitable objectives are not changing in any substantial way. The purpose for which UKCGE was established, and the work we carry out to further it, will continue as before. The new CIO’s constitution will carry forward our existing objects, adapted only as needed to meet the legal requirements of the CIO structure.

To make this transition properly, the Board needs to finalise a new constitution, resolve outstanding governance questions, and prepare the necessary resolutions and registration documents for the Charity Commission. This work takes time, and we do not want to rush it.

As a result, we will not be holding elections to the Board of Trustees this year. We recognise this is a departure from our usual practice for the second year in a row, and we do not take that lightly. It reflects the practical reality of running the conversion process properly rather than any change in our commitment to member involvement in governance. The next round of elections will be due to take place in late 2027, and we will be seeking to make further co-options to the board of Trustees after the change to the new charitable status has been established.

We aim to bring a formal resolution on the conversion to a CIO to a vote at our Annual General Meeting in March 2027. Ahead of that meeting, we will share the proposed new constitution and further detail on the process, and there will be an opportunity for members to ask questions and raise concerns.

We are grateful for your patience and continued support as we work through this change, which we believe will leave UKCGE on a stronger footing for the years ahead.

Board of Trustees, UKCGE
September 2026