Charities

Introduction

HM Attorney General is the registrar and regulator of charities registered in the Isle of Man, as provided by the Charities Registration and Regulation Act 2019.

The Charities Register is administered by the Charities Administration team in the Attorney General’s Chambers.

If you have any queries concerning charities, please review the information available on the following pages and in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document which is available on the Publications page.

  • Index of charities registered in the Isle of Man – includes a link to the searchable index as well as a table of recent changes to the register of charities (i.e. those charities added or removed within the last three months) and a link to the register of charity mergers.
  • Establishing and registering a charity in the Isle of Man – includes information and guidance on establishing a charity on the Island, including model governing instruments, guidance as to the role of a charity trustee, information for foreign charities seeking to register here (including eligibility) and guidance as to the registration process, including the registration application form.
  • Running a charity – ongoing requirements – includes details of the statutory requirements applicable to registered charities, together with guidance as to the notification of certain changes (e.g. changes of trustees and their details) including the notification form and information about how to make changes to charity names and governing instruments.
  • Annual accounts and reports – includes information concerning compliance with the requirement to prepare and file annual accounts and reports and links to the published templates for receipts and payments accounts and annual reports.
  • Winding up/dissolving a charity and the removal of a charity from the register – includes information concerning winding up or dissolving a charity, including charity mergers, and the removal of a charity from the register.
  • Charities legislation – includes a description of, and links to, all the Manx legislation regarding charities which is currently in force, as well as to recently repealed legislation.
  • Publications – includes copies of all forms, templates, guidance, model governing instruments, Charities Bulletins, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and other documents published by the Attorney General or the Charities Administration Team.

If you cannot find the information you require, please contact Charities Administration using the contact details below.

Announcements

Information on the Ukraine crisis and potential implications for Isle of Man registered charities

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the ongoing conflict has shocked the world.  The Charities Administration Team has received enquiries regarding charitable support for those impacted by the conflict, and charities registered on the Island.

The Isle of Man Government is donating half a million pounds to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) for their Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.  The donated funds are to be given to those already operating in Ukraine, and neighbouring countries who are providing immediate support for those escaping the conflict brought on by the Russian invasion.

Should you wish to support humanitarian efforts, the Isle of Man Government has recommended that donations are made to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, further details can be found on the Isle of Man response to Ukraine webpage here: www.gov.im/ukraine.

As charities regulator on the Isle of Man, we remind the public that donations should be to registered charities which are established for the purpose of providing humanitarian aid in challenging environments.  Charities in the Isle of Man are subject to regulation in terms of monies that they collect and donate, and guidance is set out on our webpage at www.gov.im/charities. Charities, like any other sector, may be at risk of breaching financial sanctions, particularly if engaged in international activities. 

It is the charitable organisation’s responsibility to ensure compliance with international sanctions. Attention is drawn to an open letter published by the Isle of Man Financial services Authority regarding sanctions. We are not aware of any charities in the Island who operate in Russia, however we urge trustees of charities to consider all aspects of their operations to identify if any partners, contractors or financial institutions appear on the sanctions list, or are owned or controlled by any listed persons.  All charities should be aware of the source of donations and are urged to carefully consider whether or not to accept donations in the context of the ongoing conflict.

The Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance  can be contacted for advice in relation to potential cyber security risks related to links to Russia. 

There may well be other implications for charities due to the current conflict, and we will continue to monitor events as they unfold elsewhere in the world for consequences that we are not yet able to predict.

We encourage all charities to visit our webpage regularly at www.gov.im/charities for any updates.

Please note that due to a high volume of enquiries and filings, with effect from 1 February 2022 the Charities Administration Team will operate an appointment system between the hours of 9.30am and 1pm.  Anyone wishing to briefly discuss a charity matter should e-mail charities@gov.im with the following information:-

  • Your name and role in the charity or proposed charity
  • Charity number and name (if applicable)
  • Preferred availability
  • Details of the matter you wish to discuss

Deliveries may be accepted by Reception without an appointment during our usual opening hours of Monday to Thursday: 9am to 5pm and Friday: 9am to 4.30pm, however, a member of the Charities Administration Team will be unavailable to assist you.

Contact details

Charities Administration

Attorney General’s Chambers

Belgravia House

Circular Road

Douglas

Isle of Man

IM1 1AE

Telephone:+44 1624 687318

Email:Send Email

Opening Hours 

Monday to Thursday: 9am to 5pm
Friday: 9am to 4.30 pm

Deliveries can only be accepted during the above opening hours

Date of publication: January 2022