What are charity trustees and what do they do?
Charity trustees are the group of people with overall responsibility for a charity: they’re where the buck stops. They are often called the board or governing body. They make key decisions about the direction the charity will take and how its purposes will be carried out. They also make sure that the charity has the resources and policies it needs to do this well and to comply with legal requirements. Charity trustees might also be called company directors, management committee members, managing trustees, or something similar. Trustees are individually responsible for their contribution to the charity’s governance – whether it complies with the law and its policies, fulfils its objectives, and stays accountable to its service users and others – and the organisation’s overall effectiveness, and their opinions all have equal weight. But decisions are made collectively as a group. ●Trustees are usually unpaid volunteers, although reasonable expenses are reimbursed ●Charity boards often have 5 to 12 trustees ●Trustees are usually appointed for a term of 2 to 4 years, which might be extended ●Many charities have staff and/or volunteers who help to run the charity on a day-to-day basis, so the trustees’ role is more strategic In smaller charities, trustees: ●Might be more hands-on than in larger charities ●May be involved in running the organisation behind the scenes ●May volunteer to help deliver the charity’s services alongside guiding the charity’s long-term ambitions (and providing strategic oversight) and ensuring the charity is governed well.
What are trustees responsibilities?
Charity trustees have six legal duties:
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Ensuring a charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
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Complying with the charity’s governing document and the law
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Acting in the charity’s best interests
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Managing the charity’s resources responsibly
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Acting with reasonable care and skill
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Ensuring the charity is accountable
These are explained in the Charity Commission’s guidance CC3 – The Essential Trustee: What you need to know, what you need to do. This is, well, essential reading for all charity trustees.
What about time comittment?
Because charities are all so different, the time commitment can vary hugely – from around five hours per week to 30 hours per year. So, it’s vital you find a role that fits the time you can give. Every trustee needs to: ●Make time to prepare for and attend meetings – sometimes once a month, but often 4 to 6 times a year; meetings vary from 1 to 2 hours to a full day each, depending on the charity and how often meetings are held. ●Be ready to support the charity between meetings or with other activities; for example: ●Considering issues over email or discussing matters over the phone with staff, other trustees, or the charity’s external advisers ●Helping organise a fundraising event or developing a fundraising strategy ●Doing the bookkeeping for the charity ●Acting as an ambassador for the charity ●Sitting on a committee that looks in more detail at a specific aspect of the charity’s work, such as finance, HR or safeguarding.
What are the benefits in becoming a trustee?
There’s a lot you can gain from becoming a trustee. For example:
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Learning new skills such as decision making, negotiation and influencing, thinking strategically, managing relationships and partnerships
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The benefits of an experiential learning environment – by learning on the job, you get access to a unique training experience while giving something back
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Opportunities to go beyond what you do in your day job and home life
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Building your understanding of the challenges and experiences that others face
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It is good for your wellbeing – volunteering can boost your health, help you manage stress, combat depression and grow your confidence[i]
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It can be a great springboard to a non-executive directorship (other kinds of board positions) if that’s something you want to explore further down the line.
Here are some useful stats ..

About the Charity Sector
There are over 169,000 registered charities in England and Wales alone. But the total number of charities in the UK is closer to 400,000 if you include charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and those that aren’t required to register. These include charities of different sizes that support a wide range of causes: from museums to foodbanks; air ambulances to community choirs; cancer research charities to faith groups; international aid agencies to conservation projects; youth clubs to care homes. Whatever your passion, there will be a charity to match it. Each charity out there has been set up to meet a need, to make the world a better place, to preserve something beautiful, to enrich quality of life. They can only do that to their best if they have a leadership with the rich mix of skills, experience and backgrounds that they need for the next stage in their journey. Some facts you might not know about the charity sector ●Around 90% of UK households have used services provided by charities (even though many don’t realise this) . – if you’ve used certain ambulance and search and rescue services, called an independent advice helpline, got information from sexual health groups or used community transport, the charity sector has been part of your life ●Registered charities in England and Wales have a combined annual income of around £83 billion ●76% of registered charities in England and Wales have an income of less than £100,000 a year ●Only 8.2% of registered charities in England and Wales have an annual income of more than £500,000 ●1.6% of registered charities in England and Wales earn 73% of the sector’s income ●There are around 950,000 trustees of registered charities in England and Wales ●80% of trustees have no staff or other volunteers to support them in their role ●There are an estimated 90,000 trustee vacancies ●On average, men outnumber women on charity boards 2:1 (although there are some charities that tip the balance the other way) ●The average age of a charity trustee is 55 to 64 and only 0.5% of trustees are aged 18 to 24, even though they make up 12% of the population ●Only 8% of trustees are people of colour, even though they represent 14% of the population ●Other minority groups are also likely to be under-represented on boards, although no one has yet measured this.
What about charity trustee liability?
Personal liability refers to the costs a trustee may become individually responsible for paying, because of their role. When you take on the role of a charity trustee, you agree to certain duties. For example, to ensure the charity complies with laws that apply to it and has suitable policies in place; that you manage its finances responsibly; and that the charity fulfils its charitable objectives. If the trustees fall short of these duties – for example, by inadvertently using the charity’s funds for purposes that are outside the charity’s objects, or for paying a trustee when this hasn’t been properly authorised – they can be held accountable. This includes repaying the charity for any loss it has suffered as a result. Trustees of unincorporated charities (charities that aren’t also companies or charitable incorporated organisations – CIOs) can also be held personally liable if the charity does not have enough funds or other assets to meet its commitments. Therefore, checking that any charity you intend to join as a trustee is incorporated (a CIO or a company, as well as a charity), is one way of limiting your personal liability. Incorporated charities – usually charitable companies or CIOs – have their own ‘legal personality’ and can enter into contracts in the name of the charity. This means that a claim made by a third party – for example, for breach of contract – would usually be made against the charity itself rather than its trustees (as long as they’ve complied with their legal duties). The amount that can be paid out to meet that claim would be limited to the value of the charity’s assets. If the trustees have acted properly but the charity gets into financial difficulty and needs to be wound up, the amount individual members have to contribute is usually limited to £1 or £10. This is why we refer to trustees of incorporated charities having ‘limited liability’. There is a greater risk for trustees of unincorporated charities – such as a charitable trust or charitable unincorporated association – because, technically, the charity acts in the name of its individual trustees. For example, if it takes out a loan the individual trustees are personally responsible for making sure it’s repaid. This means that, in theory, they could be personally liable for meeting those financial obligations if the charity itself does not have enough funds, even if they have acted in good faith. Taking appropriate advice and having good internal controls all help to minimise the likelihood of this happening. (And this can be avoided if you become a trustee of an incorporated charity.) A charity itself, the Charity Commission or the courts can take action against trustees who have not followed their legal duties. But don’t panic: cases of trustees being held personally liable are exceedingly rare. Personal liability generally only arises if the trustees have failed to discharge their duties and this actually causes loss to the charity or improper gain to the trustee. If you follow the guidelines and act in good faith, you have nothing to worry about. Trustees are also able to obtain trustee indemnity insurance, which in certain circumstances covers individual trustees from having to personally pay legal claims that are made against them in their role. It can usually be purchased using the charity’s funds. There are limits on what the insurance will cover – and it can actually be quite narrow – but it can provide reassurance to trustees. There is further guidance about personal liability and trustee indemnity insurance in the Charity Commission’s guidance CC49: Charities and Insurance and in the Trustee Liability Guide. The Charity Commission also provides the following guidance about personal liability: “Understanding and applying your legal responsibilities as a charity trustee and dealing with potential risks is the best way to avoid problems and the risk of personal liability. Trustees can become personally liable to their charity if they cause or contribute to the charity suffering a financial loss. The law generally protects trustees who have acted honestly and reasonably. The Commission and the courts: ●can relieve trustees from liability if they have acted honestly and reasonably and have not benefited from their actions ●rarely enforce liability on an unpaid trustee who has made an honest mistake ●expect higher standards from trustees who act in a professional capacity or are paid for being trustees Trustees who receive an unauthorised payment or benefit from their charity have a duty to repay it. The Commission can’t relieve trustees from this duty. There is no legal protection for trustees who have acted dishonestly, negligently or recklessly. However, there may be financial protection for those trustees who have made an honest mistake: from a provision in the charity’s governing document, trustee indemnity insurance cover or relief from the Commission or the court.” This means that, as long as you are conscientious in your role and follow Charity Commission guidance, you really shouldn’t need to worry about personal liability. If something unforeseen does go wrong, the Charity Commission will usually work with trustees to help resolve the situation, recognising that in all but a very small number of cases trustees are trying to do their best for the charity. The easiest way to check if a charity is incorporated is to search the Register of Companies at www.companieshouse.gov.uk. If it comes back with a match, the charity will either be a company or a CIO.
Can I even become a trustee?
In all likelihood, yes! The vast majority of people over 18 can become charity trustees (over 16 if the charity is incorporated). There are no formal qualifications or levels of experience that you have to gain before you join a charity board and you don’t need to wait to be asked. A very small number of people are automatically disqualified from being charity trustees, and the conditions that lead to disqualification are listed in the Charity Commission’s guidance; for example, people who have unspent convictions for certain offences, or who have an IVA (individual voluntary arrangement), debt relief order and/or a bankruptcy order. An individual can apply to the Charity Commission for a waiver: if this is granted, they can serve as a trustee. Trusteeship is for pretty much anyone. It’s really about finding the right charity for you.
Why am I thinking about becoming a trustee?
There are many reasons why you might be thinking of becoming a charity trustee but research shows the most common motivation is to ‘give something back’. Research shows volunteering is good for your own wellbeing and there are lots of benefits you can gain from being a trustee, as well as the reward of knowing you’ve helped others. For many people, there won’t necessarily be just one motivating factor, but it’s worth taking stock of what’s driving you to explore trusteeship – it will help you find a charity that’s right for you. You might want to become a trustee because: ●You or someone in your family has been supported by a charity and you want to ‘pay it forward’ to someone else ●You feel angry about the injustices and inequalities you see in society and want to help redress the balance ●You want to see charity leaders who better reflect the people they help and your community ●You’re looking for a new interest outside work and home ●You’re looking to develop your professional or leadership skills in a different context to your day job ●You’re returning to work after a career break or looking for a career change and taking on a trustee role will help boost your confidence and/or demonstrate relevant transferable skills you have ●You’re looking towards retirement and want to do something worthwhile with the extra time you’ll have when you give up paid employment ●You might simply be up for a new challenge.
What have I got to offer trusteeship?
Once you’ve worked out what’s motivating you to become a charity trustee, you can use this to think about what you have to offer – based on your personal experience, your professional and other skills, the type of person you are and how your passion and interests have driven you to help others in the past. It can be helpful to break this down into three distinct but overlapping categories: ●Professional skills and knowledge ●Leadership qualities and experience ●Personal traits, interests and lived experience Professional skills and knowledge – these may be knowledge gained in a specific profession such as accountancy, marketing or HR. It may also include other skills and knowledge gained in a work context, such as financial planning, negotiating or customer service. You may also have gained skills and knowledge through volunteering, by fundraising for a charity or campaigning for a specific cause. Leadership qualities and experience – these may come from a leadership role in your family, friendship group, community or workplace. Even if you don’t see yourself as a ‘leader’ you are still likely to have leadership qualities that you will bring to trusteeship. Think of leadership as ‘influence’. For example, if you’ve worked with a manager that you’ve found challenging, what techniques did you use to overcome that and still achieve results? Perhaps you campaigned for change at school or university? How have you influenced a situation or person’s behaviour in a positive way? What did you do? Personal traits, interests and lived experience – these include both the way you work and where you get your energy, the causes or issues that interest you, and the life experiences you’ve gained that you can apply to trusteeship. For example, in terms of personal traits, you may be good at rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in; inspiring others with your ideas; setting and working to clear goals and targets; being able to extract the relevant detail from lots of information; or being very compassionate and people focused. Boards of charity trustees need a mix of all of these.
What's holding me back?
Having done a bit of self-reflection, it may be worth shifting your focus to whether there is anything that’s holding you back from taking the plunge. From our focus groups, surveys and Getting on Board workshops and programmes, we know some of the common misconceptions or barriers that people face. I don’t have anything to offer “What skills do I have to give?” We hear this all the time, especially from young people, women, disabled people or people of colour. But the people who worry that they have nothing to give, often have an incredible range of skills and knowledge. Many younger people, for example, don’t realise that they have valuable skills in social media or digital literacy that older board members often don’t have. Whether you’re 18 or 80, you have the potential to be a brilliant trustee. “I used to be worried that you had to be 'older' and have lots of business or boardroom experience. In reality, it just requires some passion and attention.” – George “Despite being the youngest person on the Board I had plenty of experience and knowledge to offer.” – Katherine //subhead//I ‘only’ have lived experience “I’m not a lawyer or an accountant, but I have lived experience of this issue.” If you’ve been affected by the issue that your charity works on, or you have used its services in the past, you are enormously valuable! Your experience and knowledge are essential and will help the charity do its job better. We hear people say that they ‘only’ have lived experience, when this is at least as important and useful as professional experience, if not more so! Charities that are led entirely by people without experience of relevant issues – like raising children, being a care leaver, managing household debt, experiencing an assault or living with a particular medical condition – simply cannot be as effective as they could be. When charity leaders include people with lived experience, charities can be more accountable, representative and effective. //subhead// I don’t understand what being a trustee involves Being a trustee isn’t talked about widely, so most of us don’t know what it is or what it entails. But being a trustee doesn’t need to be complicated. You have some responsibilities [hyperlink to What are trustees’ responsibilities?], and there are lots of resources to help you understand them (which we’ve signposted so you can read more). You don’t need specialist knowledge, you just need commitment and curiosity. //subhead// I won’t belong on the board “If I become a trustee, I will be surrounded by people – often older, white men – who will undermine or ignore me.” In our recent focus groups with young people and people of colour, we heard from people who had had terrible experiences with racism and ageism on the board. One person said, “As soon as an Asian or Black person puts out their views, they are openly and subtly ignored.” Another said, “I left a trustee style role because I felt intimidated around lots of white people. Your voice is undermined and you feel like a minority. If you ask too many questions you feel like you are being demanding. It also just felt like a tick box exercise. I was like a silent member of the board.” Nahid* (name changed) had the awful experience of being “concerned and then confirming [that I was] a diversity hire – a condition of funding at the charity.” These experiences are incredibly disheartening and upsetting for individuals (and shameful for the charity sector), and it’s important to acknowledge the systemic issues that can make charity boards so unwelcoming. In these cases, it’s not your fault. Try to address the problem with the chair or CEO. But if they won’t listen, resign and move on to the next role, where hopefully your voice will be valued. Some people are happy to be the change-makers who change boards from the inside out, but don’t feel that this has to be you. As Nahid* says: “I came really close to quitting but decided, f**k it, if I'm going to be in this position, I'll be vocal and use this seat to champion change.” However, we hear from many, many trustees who have incredibly positive experiences on boards.
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What are trustees responsibilities?Charity trustees have six legal duties: Ensuring a charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit Complying with the charity’s governing document and the law Acting in the charity’s best interests Managing the charity’s resources responsibly Acting with reasonable care and skill Ensuring the charity is accountable These are explained in the Charity Commission’s guidance CC3 – The Essential Trustee: What you need to know, what you need to do. This is, well, essential reading for all charity trustees.
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What about time commitment?Because charities are all so different, the time commitment can vary hugely – from around five hours per week to 30 hours per year. So, it’s vital you find a role that fits the time you can give. Every trustee needs to: 1. Make time to prepare for and attend meetings – sometimes once a month, but often 4 to 6 times a year; meetings vary from 1 to 2 hours to a full day each, depending on the charity and how often meetings are held. 2. Be ready to support the charity between meetings or with other activities; for example: Considering issues over email or discussing matters over the phone with staff, other trustees, or the charity’s external advisers Helping organise a fundraising event or developing a fundraising strategy Doing the bookkeeping for the charity Acting as an ambassador for the charity Sitting on a committee that looks in more detail at a specific aspect of the charity’s work, such as finance, HR or safeguarding.
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