A new annual confirmation requirement is coming for around 20,000 charitable trust boards. From April 2027, affected boards will need to complete a free annual Acknowledgement of Registration with the Companies Office, reviewing their details, updating anything that has changed and confirming the information is correct (MBIE Media Release)
For trustees, this is a useful prompt to check the board’s registration details and decide who will handle correspondence and filing. A little preparation now should help prevent a routine administrative task becoming an overlooked obligation.
Does your trust board need to file?
The requirement applies to charitable trust boards incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 and registered with the Companies Office. However, boards registered with Charities Services under the Charities Act 2005 are exempt from the new acknowledgement requirement and will continue their existing Charities Services reporting.
The distinction matters because incorporation as a charitable trust board and registration with Charities Services are separate processes. Information held on the two registers must also be maintained separately, so exemption from the annual acknowledgement does not remove the need to keep Companies Office details up to date (Companies Office guidance).
What will the acknowledgement involve?
Affected boards will receive an assigned filing month, with reminders before and during that period. Completing the acknowledgement will involve checking the board’s information, making any necessary updates and confirming it is correct; there is no filing fee.
Boards that do not complete the annual acknowledgement may be removed from the register. The Companies Office says it will provide reminders, guidance and support to help boards comply.
A practical checklist for trustees
Image source: Scoop News
We suggest adding these checks to a board agenda before April 2027:
- Confirm your position: Check whether the board is registered with Charities Services and therefore exempt.
- Review contact details: Check the email, postal and physical addresses held by the Companies Office, particularly following changes in trustees or administrators.
- Check online access: Make sure the person responsible can access the appropriate account and has authority to update the board’s information.
- Allocate responsibility: Nominate someone to monitor correspondence and handle filing, with a backup person identified.
- Update the compliance calendar: Once the filing month is confirmed, record it and schedule an advance reminder.
Email is the Companies Office’s primary communication channel, so a regularly monitored address is especially important. Consider using a role-based organisational address where practical, rather than relying solely on one volunteer’s personal inbox.
Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Before acting, check the Companies Office Charitable Trusts website for current guidance and seek advice if your board’s position is unclear.
This information was compiled and edited from the MBIE Media Release with the assistance of AI.