Charities Trading and the Law

This is the second edition of Stephen Lloyd's groundbreaking book on charity trading published in 1995. Charities are involved in trading more now than ever before: whether it is to deliver their core services or as a means to fundraise. This book steers the reader through the myriad of legal issues to be aware of. It highlights the preliminary issues which charities carrying out trading activity must consider, and provides an outline of the tax and VAT implications of the various types of trading. It covers specific types of trading activity: primary purpose trading, charity sales including charity shops, trading aimed purely at raising funds and income from charity property. It also covers broader commercial issues as they apply to charities, including contracts, e-commerce, competition rules, intellectual property, insurance and insolvency. Each section is illustrated with examples and cases showing how the law is interpreted and applied in practice, helping the reader to relate the law to their own charity. Updated to take account not just changes in the law but changes in the ways charities trade, this edition explains the underlying legal principles, Charity Commission guidance and other good practice recommendations. Written by a team of charity lawyers from the specialist firm Bates Wells & Braithwaite, Charities, Trading and the Law is an essential reference for charity trustees and employees, and lawyers and accountants advising charities on trading issues.

Introduction; Trading and the power to trade; Fund-raising or trading; The sale of donated goods; Primary purpose trading; Ancillary and incidental trading; Problem areas with trading; Establishing a trading company; Intellectual property rights; Charities Act 1992 and Commercial Participators; Trading companies taxation and accounting; Terms of trade; Competition law & anti-competitive agreements; Insolvency.