Charities

If you have any queries concerning charities, please review the information in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document.

About us

Charities play a vital role in the provision of support and relief in our communities here on the Isle of Man and further afield. A charity might be a small group set up to help a particular part of the community or be part of a large or well known charity that manage very large levels of income and budgets. His Majesty's Attorney General (HMAG) is the registrar and regulator of charities registered in the Isle of Man as provided by the Charities Registration and Regulation Act 2019.

As regulator, HMAG is responsible for ensuring that charities are properly run, which means that the charity trustees are carrying out the activities of their charity in accordance with its objects and the provisions of its governing instrument, and also that charities are complying with the legal requirements under Manx charity law.

This means that the HMAG cannot intervene in cases where, for example, the complaint concerns a difference of opinion as to the direction that a charity should be taking or a decision to make, or to refuse to make, a grant to a particular applicant, unless the approach taken by the charity trustees (whether on the occasion complained about or more generally) is contrary to the provisions of the governing instrument or is otherwise in breach of their obligation to act in the best interests of the charity at all times. HMAG and the staff in Charities Administration cannot give legal advice to members of the public.

The HMAG is supported in this role by the Charities Administration team, which is responsible for maintaining the register, processing applications and notifications, dealing with day to day queries and compliance issues and ensuring that details of registered charities, updates and guidance are available on the Guidance and forms page, together with copies of the approved forms published by HMAG.