Trading
Charities may want to generate income from activities that don’t directly advance their charitable purposes.
Sometimes it is permissible for the charity to do this itself but often it is better to have a trading subsidiary to do it, particularly where the activity may pose a risk to the charity. We can help you navigate all of these complexities, ensuring compliance with charity law and regulation and minimising tax risks.
Ensuring your charity's trading arrangements are structured correctly will enable you to remain compliant with charity law, meet the expectations of the Charity Commission, minimise operational risk and reduce tax burden.
We support charities of all sizes in reviewing their activities, identifying risks and opportunities and advising on practical trading structures and procedures to maximise opportunity and minimise risk in a way that is straightforward and easy to manage.
For charities operating internationally, we advise on managing relationships with overseas partners and protecting assets across borders. This helps safeguard your charity’s resources while ensuring all operations align with regulatory requirements.
With a pragmatic, insight-led approach, we help charities stay compliant without adding unnecessary complexity - giving you the confidence to run your organisation effectively and focus on making a difference.
Our expertise
With extensive experience advising on charity law requirements for both charitable and non-charitable activities, we provide clear, solutions-focused guidance tailored to your needs. Our advice is always practical, accessible, and designed to support effective decision-making - so you can focus on maximising your charity’s impact.
Our team advises on the following areas:
The team draws on the strengths and knowledge of their lawyers to ensure that solutions are approached from a 360-degree angle. Responses from VWV are not only speedy but also accurate and detailed.
Our work highlights
Supporting an educational charity in acquiring a recreation ground by establishing a wholly owned non-charitable subsidiary to manage its operation. This included advising on governance arrangements, leasing structures, and a management agreement to ensure compliance and efficiency.
Assisting a charity in streamlining its operations by transferring its subsidiary’s trading activities back into the charity and overseeing the subsidiary’s dissolution, ensuring a smooth and compliant transition.
Advising a charity on funding its subsidiary through a strategic share subscription and capital reduction. This involved securing Charity Commission approval to proceed, ensuring the transaction aligned with regulatory requirements and the charity’s objectives.
