Making changes and reorganising
There are some changes that need our consent before you can make them, some which you just need to tell us about, and others that you as a charity can make without contacting OSCR.
Before making any changes to your charity, you should check if there are any rules in your charity’s governing document about making changes. You should also be aware of any requirements about making changes related to your charity’s legal form.
Which changes can I make myself?
If you need to update your charity’s contact details or update your principal contact information, you can do this in OSCR Online. You can also add or remove charity users, and reset your password if required.
See our Using OSCR Online guidance for set-by-step guides on how to make these changes yourself.
Which changes need OSCR’s consent?
You must get OSCR’s consent before making any of the following changes. Click on each button to find out more about the process and how to apply for consent.
Which changes do I need to notify OSCR of?
You must notify us once you have made any changes that need our consent. At the time we give consent, we’ll let you know what you need to send us and how long you have to do this.
Additionally, there are changes you can make to your charity which do not require OSCR’s consent. You must, however, notify us of these changes within a certain time.
You must notify us within three months if you:
- Make changes to your charity’s principal office address (or the name or address of the charity trustee specified on your Scottish Charity Register entry if there is no office). You can notify us by updating OSCR Online.
- Make changes to other details set our in your charity’s Register entry. You can notify us by updating these details in OSCR Online.
- Make changes to your charity’s governing document (other than changes to your charity’s name or purposes). You can use the Notification of Changes Made Form to inform us of these changes or email us at info@oscr.org.uk.
- Take any action taken to amalgamate, or wind up, or dissolve your charity, or if there is an application to court to do so (once you have had OSCR’s consent). You can use the Notification of Changes Made Form to inform us of these changes or email us at info@oscr.org.uk.
You must notify us within one month of the following changes:
- Any administration order or an order for winding up made by the court in respect of a charity.
- The appointment of a receiver.
It is voluntary to notify OSCR of the following:
- Registering a merger in the Record of Mergers
Do I need to get consent from anyone else?
If your charity is part of a group structure or has a parent charity it may need their permission before it can make certain changes.
Your charity may also need to follow the requirements of other regulators, such as:
What happens if I don’t follow the rules?
If you fail to ask for our consent or notify of us of any changes within the required timeframe, this is a breach of charity trustee duties. We have powers to take action against charity trustees, where appropriate. Any action will be taken in line with our Inquiry Policy.