Over the last few months they have been inviting the account administrators for organisations to re-register on the new system. Later in the summer they will be giving those same contacts information on how to open individual accounts for e.g., trustees, professional advisers etc.

More information on the changes can be found on the Charity Commission's website.

How does the new system work?

Currently, each charity has an online account with one main contact and one password only. This means either only one trustee or staff member is able to login – or that the login is shared by multiple people – neither of which is ideal.

The new system will allow each trustee, contact or professional who works on behalf of a charity to have their own personal account so they can access the services and information they need. The level of access each person has to the Charity Commission’s services will be determined by their role in the charity.

There will also be an administrator account for the person who is registered as the charity's point of contact. This account will be designated as the 'primary administrator' and will have full access to all online services. The administrator will set up the third-party accounts.

The intention is that these changes will significantly improve the way charities access Charity Commission services and manage their charity details, making them more secure and easier to manage.

If you are currently the main contact for your charity, you should make sure you signup for the new system as soon as you get your invitation to do so from the Charity Commission, to avoid any issues when you are filing your Annual Return online.

Information for this article came from our partner WYCAS.