A search of Charity Commission guidance and regulation can bring back around 178 results. Understandably, that can feel intimidating. However, it need not be. In this edition of Guidance on Governance, I break down how to approach and digest the Charity Commission’s guidance effectively, offering practical tips for navigating the resources available.
1. Consider the Context of Your Search
Before diving into the detail, take a step back and think about your starting point:
- Are you new to the material and need help navigating this vast body of work?
- Or do you already know what you’re looking for, but not how to get to it? (If so, you may wish to skip to Section 4.)
Whichever applies, be clear about what you need and why – and focus on identifying primary sources first.
The Charity Commission’s guidance is comprehensive and often links to other authoritative materials, such as the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), relevant if your charity submits accruals accounts.
It may help to keep a list of “core references” you return to regularly (for example, CC3, CC19, and your charity’s governing document).
Before you dive in:
- For aspiring or first-time trustees, start with CC3a – Charity trustee: what’s involved.
- For a finance overview, the Trustee Finance Toolkit is a superb and accessible resource to demystify financial responsibilities.
2. The Guidance Codes
The Charity Commission uses codes to categorise its guidance. Understanding these will help you navigate efficiently:
- CC (Charity Commission) – Core guidance for trustees (e.g. CC3, CC19).
These are your go-to documents and the main focus of this article. - OG (Operational Guidance) – Internal guidance for Commission staff, but useful for deeper understanding (especially when preparing a registration application or interpreting compliance expectations).
- RS (Research/Review Studies) – Background reading that adds context, but generally not essential.
If you are responsible for governance when reviewing a topic, check both the CC and OG documents for a fuller understanding – its particularly useful for governance or compliance queries.
3. If You Need an Introduction
If you’re looking for a simple starting point, the 5-minute guides, in both written and video format are invaluable. They are short, practical, and available with videos covering:
- Charity purposes and rules
- Making decisions at a charity
- Managing charity finances
- Managing conflicts of interest in a charity
- What to send to the Charity Commission and how to get help
- Safeguarding for charities and trustees
- Political activity and campaigning by charities
Use these guides for trustee induction sessions – they’re excellent discussion starters and promote consistency across your board.
4. If You Have a Topical Theme You Are Looking For
You can also search guidance by topic, which is helpful when you already know your area of interest:
- Charity boards and governance
- Trustees, staff and volunteers
- Money, assets and property
- Your charity’s activities
- Fundraising
- Accounts, financial reporting and tax
- Setting up or closing a charity
5. Checking If Your Information Is Up to Date
Charity Commission guidance is periodically reviewed.
Each page includes a “last updated” section at both the top and bottom.
This acts as a useful change log so you can track what has changed since your last visit – particularly important when compliance or financial rules are updated.
6. Consider Other Resources for Rounded Context
Depending on your charity’s context, other sources may offer valuable insight or complementary guidance:
- Charity inquiries and decisions: Useful case studies showing guidance in practice and highlighting common pitfalls. Be selective and search by topic.
- Other UK charity regulators:
- OSCR (Scotland)
- CCNI (Northern Ireland)
- Best practice frameworks: The Charity Governance Code – an essential read alongside the Commission’s statutory guidance.
- Sectoral regulators: For example, Ofsted or the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Charity Commission often links to these in its guidance, as they form part of the wider compliance landscape.
7. If You Feel You Need More Guidance or Support
Don’t hesitate to seek help – the Charity Commission’s Contact Centre is available on 0300 066 9197 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm).
If you feel overwhelmed, consider pausing your search, bookmark pages, and return later. Breaking your learning into digestible chunks is often more effective than trying to absorb everything at once.
Consider peer learning – discussing guidance in trustee forums or informal governance circles helps clarify tricky areas and embed knowledge. If you like, leave a comment and I will help however I can.
Guidance On Governance* is a series focusing on the practicalities of non-profit governance from Sharma On Governance, Suneet Sharma’s non-profit governance hub. Its aim is to help those who engage with non-profits – and those who are part of them – gain practical and actionable governance insights.
*All scenarios and guidance are generalised to protect confidentiality and ensure sensitivity.
*All information in this article is correct as at 22 October 2025.
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