Guidance on charity trustee disqualification
The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) has updated its guidance on the rules that automatically disqualify individuals from serving as charity trustees.
The guidance covers:
- The definition of a charity trustee
- The current disqualification criteria
- When exemptions apply and how exemption decisions are made
- Further changes coming in summer 2025
All charities should review this guidance and refer to the latest version when recruiting new trustees.
The current rules are set out under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and will be further updated in the coming months as the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Act 2023 introduces extended disqualification criteria. The new criteria will apply to individuals convicted of terrorism offenses, those on the sex offenders register, and staff or volunteers with a senior management function within charities. Stay informed of further updates by signing up for our newsletter and following our social channels.