Who regulates charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
In Scotland it is OSCR, the Scottish Charity Regulator, under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. Based in Dundee, it is a non-ministerial office independent of the Scottish Government and reports to the Scottish Parliament. It keeps the Scottish Charity Register, which every charity in Scotland must join.
In Northern Ireland it is the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, under the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. Every charity there must register once called forward, and must have one or more of the 12 charitable purposes set out in law. Registered charities file an annual return within 10 months of their year end.
Since 9 March 2026 OSCR has published trustee names and full accounts on its register under the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Act 2023. A charity working in more than one part of the UK may appear on more than one register.
Related questions
- What does the Charity Commission do?
- Do all charities have to register?
- How many charities are there in the UK?
This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about charities and volunteering: all Charities and volunteering questions.