In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission has published a new piece of guidance about checking that setting up a new charity is the best option in the circumstances. The International Development Committee has published its Report into the Definition and administration of Official Development Assistance. DCMS has published a report on “Place-based giving schemes: funding, engaging and creating stronger communities”.

Our Charity & Social Enterprise department are delighted to present their Autumn Update 2018.

In this week's Briefing: Charity Finance Group has published a “Cost Benefit Analysis of Brexit for Charities”. The Fundraising Regulator has announced a consultation on a revised version of the Code. The government has announced 22 projects which will be funded through a Social Impact Bond, via the Life Chances Fund. The Electoral Commission is conducting a survey on its guidance for non-party campaigners.

In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission has published two reports relating to charity accounts - the first on whether charity accounts and reports meet the reader’s needs and the second on public benefit reporting. Since 1st September a new framework is in place allowing a Community Interest Company (CIC) to convert into a CIO (charitable incorporated organisation).

In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission has published its next steps in relation to guidance for charities “connected with” non-charities. The Investment Association has published an updated guide to charity authorised investment funds (CAIFs). The House of Commons International Development Committee has published its “Report into Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Aid Sector.

Luke Fletcher, partner in our Charity and Social Enterprise team, has offered his views to Civil Society as to how, in future, assets of community value should be dealt with in the event that charitable organisations enter the administration process.

In this week's Briefing: In the ongoing case about VAT on investment fees for Cambridge University, the questions referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union have been published. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has been fined £200,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) after sending a bulk email that identified possible victims of non-recent child sexual abuse.

In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission has published its annual report and accounts for the year 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. The Charity Commission has published the latest research report abut public trust and confidence in charities. The Fundraising Regulator has published decisions relating to the Presidents Club Charitable Trust and Brain Tumour Research.

In this week's Briefing: The Government has announced the detail of planned changes to the Gift Aid donor benefit rules. NCVO is consulting on a new ‘code of ethics’ for the charity sector. ACEVO has published a new report “Leading with values, creating a safe organisational culture”. The National Audit Office has published its report “Developing new care models through NHS vanguards”.

In this week's briefing: The Information Commissioner’s Office has published the final version of its guidance on Children and the GDPR. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has begun the long awaited consultation on changes to the rules relating to society lotteries. Plans to amend the Social Value Act have been announced.

In this week's Briefing:  The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is recruiting three new board members for the Charity Commission for a term of three years. British Telecommunications plc has been fined £77,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office for sending emails promoting three charity initiatives.

In this week's Briefing: The government has launched a consultation on giving members powers to hold their pension schemes to account over how social and environmental factors impact their investments. Draft regulations for new company reporting requirements have been published. 

In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission has published information about the 2018 annual return service which will be available later in the summer. The Fundraising Regulator has published a new section of the Code of Fundraising Practice covering fundraising platforms, and accompanying guidance. DCMS has opened up its next round of funding for public service mutuals.

In this week's Briefing: The Information Commissioner’s Office has published guidance on the right to be informed and on automated decision making and profiling. The government has appointed four industry champions to expand the dormant assets scheme across insurance and pensions, banking, investment and securities. New Philanthropy Capital has published “Diversity in governance: the what, why and how.

In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission’s guidance on automatic disqualification has been amended to include two declarations, one for trustees and one for senior managers. NCVO has made available a Legal checklist for boards of charities and other voluntary organisations. The Department for Education has published its response to the recent Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) consultation.

In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission has updated some of its publications to reflect the Commission’s recent guidance on automatic disqualification and on safeguarding. The Institute of Fundraising has published updated guidance on acceptance, refusal and return of donations. NCVO has published its 2018 Almanac.

BWB's Charity & Social Enterprise team are delighted to present their 2018 Summer Update.

In this week's Briefing: The Charity Commission has launched a new trustee welcome pack. The Fundraising Regulator has published two further anonymised case studies, one about an event organised by a commercial participator and one about the Fundraising Preference Service. The Department for Education has published a data protection toolkit for schools.

In this week's Briefing: A coalition of 65 organisations from across the care sector has called for an independent review into how leaving the EU will impact on social care. The Cabinet Office and Civil Service have published a guidance note for civil servants ahead of the local elections to be held on 3 May 2018. New Philanthropy Capital has published its mergers report “Let’s talk mission and merger”.

In this weeks' Briefing: The Charity Commission has published the transcript of Baroness Stowell’s speech to the NCVO conference on Monday 16th April, her first major speech since taking up the position. The Fundraising Regulator and Charity Commission have issued guidance about the requirements under the 2016 Act for charities above the audit threshold to include certain statements about fundraising in their trustees’ annual report.