REGULATOR PUBLISHES LATEST DATA ON SCOTTISH CHARITIES

[ ON 2 MAY the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) published its latest Sector Overview Report, covering the period up to 31 March. The report uses key facts and figures from its database of charity information to present a profile of income, expenditure, purposes, beneficiaries, activities and operations.

The figures show that the gross annual income of charities on the Scottish Charity Register is £14bn. However, the majority of charities (57%) report annual incomes of up to £25,000.

It is estimated that there are 180,000 trustees of charities on the Scottish Charity Register, with charities having seven on average, and they employ 209,601 people as paid staff; however, around two thirds of charities employ no paid staff and are run entirely by volunteers, including the charity trustees.

Previously, the report was published as a document every two years, with the last publication in 2021. However, as part of a commitment in OSCR’s Corporate Plan to promote and improve transparency, the Sector Overview Report has been moved to an online platform where it will be updated quarterly from now on.

OSCR’s chief executive Maureen Mallon said: “Knowing the scale and scope of the charity sector – and what issues are challenging charities in Scotland – helps inform the decision making of OSCR, governments and other stakeholders.

“The report is a great resource for anyone seeking general information about the Scottish charity sector. In time the data will also help us understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost crisis on charities and how charities adapt. The new dynamic format of our Sector Overview Report allows us to share this vital information more frequently and automates some of our internal processes so our resources can be used in other ways.” q

• Removal from the Scottish Charity Register of unresponsive

• charities that fail to submit statements of account

• A requirement for all charities in the Scottish Charity Register to

• have and retain a connection to Scotland

• A requirement on OSCR to publish the statements of account for all

• charities in the Scottish Charity Register

• Requirements on OSCR to include charity trustee names in the

• Scottish Charity Register, to keep an internal schedule of charity

• trustees’ details and to create a publicly searchable record of charity

• trustees removed by the courts

The Scottish Government consulted on proposals put forward by OSCR in 2019. It consulted again on a number of specific reforms in 2021 and found a majority in favour of the changes. q