Articles

An end to the Furlough scheme – what now?

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the ‘furlough scheme’) ended on 30 September 2021. What happens next? The furlough scheme supported many organisations through the Coronavirus pandemic. Now that it has finished, employers need to make the difficult decision on whether they can bring back workers onto their full hours, or if redundancies need to be … Read more …

marriage registration

Marriage registration moves online

Please note this article covers legislation changes relevant only to England and Wales. This does not affect marriage registration in either Scotland or Northern Ireland, where a schedule system is already in place for marriages and civil partnerships. Marriage registration moves online The way that marriages are registered in England and Wales has changed. Until … Read more …

Edward Connor Solicitors Gemma Adam

Working for the gospel at Edward Connor Solicitors

If you are a Christian lawyer reading this, I wonder why you chose to go into the legal profession? Was it for the status? The salary? Because you wanted a career that would stretch you but also give you a comfortable lifestyle? Or was it because you want to use your gifts and abilities for … Read more …

nature and mental health

Nature and mental health

The pandemic has taught us lots about our mental health, and our surroundings. What’s more, it’s taught us the two are very much linked. For instance, working from home has had its perks, for sure, but the isolation, the confinement, and the monotony have been real too, and made their presence felt.   This year’s theme That nature is the theme for 2021’s Mental Health Awareness Week therefore comes as no surprise. Out from over a year of such isolation, confinement and monotony, so … Read more …

members meetings voting

Virtual members’ meetings and voting

Please note the flexibilities on how members’ meetings are held came to an end on 30th March 2021. While the flexibilities have now expired, you will still find useful information in our article below and our adjoining advice note if you are thinking about holding a virtual members meeting.  Download advice note ‘Remote members’ meetings … Read more …

Uber

Uber Decision: Protecting the Powerless

For many years, when considering the question of someone’s employment status, judges would give the example that a chauffeur was an employee and a taxi driver was self-employed. These days, things are no longer that simple. Many of us have followed the recent discussions in the newspapers about Uber drivers and their battle in the … Read more …

Are you ready to register with the Charity Commission?

Many smaller churches which are affiliated to the FIEC or another umbrella body are currently excepted from the requirement to register with the Charity Commission. This excepted status for churches is due to come to an end in March 2031 and it is possible that the Commission will enable or invite registrations from excepted churches … Read more …

excepting regulations

Update on end of Excepting Regulations

In December the government made public their intention to extend the Excepting Regulations for smaller charities by 10 years. The relevant legislation has now come into effect, so the deadline for registration is now 31 March 2031. The Excepting Regulations mean that many smaller churches which are affiliated to the FIEC or another umbrella body … Read more …

Should you consider becoming a CIO?

Many Christian charities (whether churches or other organisations) operate as either a charitable trust or a charitable unincorporated association (CUA). Historically, the only realistic alternative to these structures (other than incorporating the body of trustees, which is relatively uncommon) was for a charity to incorporate as a company limited by guarantee, but this brought with … Read more …