Charity Trustees Quiz

The Charity Commission has launched the next phase of its trustee campaign which aims to increase charity trustees’ knowledge and drive a positive change in charities’ governance.

The campaign encourages trustees to check what they know about their duties and aims to increase their awareness of the Commission’s 5-minute guides.

As part of the latest phase of the campaign, the regulator has released a new Trustee Quiz to enable trustees to test their knowledge of their duties and responsibilities.

The quiz is designed to engage trustees with a variety of questions based on everyday scenarios that they may encounter at their charity. It has been designed to help identify knowledge gaps and is an ideal refresher for trustees at all levels of experience. Research shows that the majority of trustees feel confident in their ability to manage their charities, however there may be areas of knowledge they can improve. The quiz is intended to encourage trustees to think again about what they know, to inspire upskilling.

The quiz takes around three minutes to complete and gives busy trustees an interactive means to quickly check what they know and help them uncover potential knowledge gaps they may not have been aware of. It prompts participants to test their knowledge on a range of topics, such as conflicts of interest and safeguarding. Feedback is provided for each question, and users are pointed to further guidance from the regulator to strengthen their knowledge.

Each participant also receives a score out of 10, allowing them to benchmark their knowledge.

The quiz can be accessed at https://beingacharitytrustee.campaign.gov.uk/take-the-trustee-quiz/

Source:Other| 25-09-2023

Help for businesses launching new AI

Organisations across the country will be able to demonstrate that their new artificial intelligence and digital innovations meet regulatory requirements so they can quickly bring them to market.

In their press release published 19 September 2023, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said:

A new pilot scheme set to launch next year will see a number of regulators develop a multi-agency advice service providing tailored support to businesses so they can meet requirements across various sectors while safely innovating – including through innovative technologies such as AI.

Backed by over £2 million in UK government funding, the streamlined service is intended to make it easier for businesses to get the help they need, by bringing together the different regulators involved in the oversight of cross-cutting AI and digital technologies.

In turn, businesses will be able to take their new innovations to market responsibly and more quickly, helping to grow the UK’s economy.

With digital technologies such as artificial intelligence needing increasingly to demonstrate compliance with a range of regulatory regimes, there is a growing need for joined-up advice across the regulatory landscape. This pilot scheme will meet business demands for coordinated support and help innovators navigate regulations, so they can spend more time developing cutting edge new products.

The service will be run by members of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), made up of the Information Commissioner’s Office, Ofcom, the Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority, and known as DRCF AI and Digital Hub.

The DRCF came together as a voluntary collaboration in 2019, launching formally in 2020, and works to explore emerging regulatory issues which cut across the remits of the four regulators with the goal of making it easier for industry to comply with multiple regulatory regimes.

The trial is expected to last around a year, and will assess industry take up, service feasibility and how innovators are interacting with it. Innovators and businesses requiring advice will be invited to apply in due course with the DRCF expected to run a competition for innovators to outline where they need support from regulators to ensure innovative new technologies comply with cross-cutting regulatory regimes. Successful applications will be selected against criteria agreed jointly by regulators and the department.

Source:Other| 25-09-2023

Changes afoot at Companies House

Due to new legislation working its way through Parliament, Companies House will be making a number of significant changes. In a recent blog post, they made the following announcement:

We’re approaching a pivotal moment in the history of Companies House. This legislation, The Economic Crime and Transparency Bill, will fundamentally change our role and our purpose and will give us the powers we need to play a more significant role in tackling economic crime. Over time, we’ll become an active gatekeeper of the data on our registers rather than a passive recipient, and we’ll have the tools to go further to prevent the misuse of corporate entities.

It's widely known that the UK has one of the largest and most open economies in the world. However, it’s become increasingly apparent that this openness exposes the UK to criminals who want to use our corporate structures for illicit purposes. This is one of the things the new Bill will address.

The measures in the Bill will make sure the UK continues to be a great place to do business, while enabling us to take a tougher stance against economic crime.

The measures include:

  • introducing identity verification for all new and existing registered company directors, people with significant control, and those who file on behalf of companies;
  • broadening the registrar’s powers so that Companies House can become a more active gatekeeper over company creation and a custodian of more reliable data;
  • improving the financial information on the register so that the register is more reliable and accurate, reflects the latest advancements in digital technology, and enables better business decisions;
  • providing Companies House with more effective investigation and enforcement powers, and introducing better cross-checking of data with other public and private sector bodies; and
  • enhancing the protection of personal information provided to Companies House to protect individuals from fraud and other harms.

As more details are published more information will be posted on our newsfeeds.

Source:Other| 18-09-2023

Companies House fees increase?

Companies House have published information that suggests their fees may be increasing in the near future. And it’s all to do with the ECCT Bill currently passing through parliament.

To give it its full name, The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Bill will change the role and purpose of Companies House and will provide the powers needed to improve the accuracy of the information on their registers and to play a significant role in tackling economic crime.

Companies House are quoted as saying:

“We want to be ready to take action, and we’re working hard on a number of different workstreams to make sure we’ll be ready to implement many of the measures as soon as possible after the Bill achieves royal assent.”

As a reminder, the measures in the ECCT Bill include:

  • introducing identity verification for all new and existing registered company directors, people with significant control, and those who file on behalf of companies;
  • broadening the registrar’s powers to become a more active gatekeeper over company creation and a custodian of more reliable data;
  • improving the accuracy of financial information on the register so that the register is more reliable and accurate, reflects the latest advancements in digital technology, and enables better business decisions;
  • providing Companies House with more effective investigation and enforcement powers, and introducing better cross-checking of data with other public and private sector bodies; and
  • enhancing the protection of personal information provided to Companies House to protect individuals from fraud and other harms.

If implemented in full, Companies House costs will increase to meet the additional functions dictated by the Bill.

Companies House fees are set on a cost recovery basis. This means their fees must cover the cost of the services delivered. They do not make a profit on fees charged.

In a recently published blog post Companies House said:

“We review our fees every year to make sure they’re set at the right level. This year, we’ve taken new future expenditure into account as well as making sure we recover costs from our existing expenditure.

Companies House fees are much lower than the global average and have not changed since 2016. Many believe our fees are too low. During the debates while the ECCT Bill has moved through Parliament, there’s been a focus on the low levels of our fees and on making sure we’re adequately funded in the future.”

Source:Other| 11-09-2023

Are you a company director?

There is more to being appointed a company director than accepting the title.

According to Companies House directors formal, statutory duties and responsibilities include:

  • filing an annual confirmation statement;
  • filing your company annual accounts – even if the company is dormant;
  • notifying Companies House of any change in your company’s officers or their personal details;
  • notifying any change to your company’s registered office address
  • filing details of any allotment of shares;
  • dealing with the registration of any charges (mortgage); and
  • notifying Companies House of any change in your company’s people with significant control (PSCs) or their personal details.

Additionally, directors need to record minutes of company meetings that impact returns to Companies House and HMRC. For example, when dividends are voted and paid.

Directors should be aware that if you use a sensitive address like your home address as your company’s registered office or single alternative inspection location (SAIL), it will be available to the public. You cannot remove a registered office or SAIL address from the public register, even if it’s your home address.

If you are a director of a registered company, some of your details will be made public. This includes your:

  • name
  • nationality
  • occupation
  • month and year of your date of birth

A director must provide two addresses:

  • a correspondence address for the public register – known as a ‘service address’; and
  • their home address – known as the ‘usual residential address’.

A correspondence address is one you can use to receive communications about the company. This can be the same as the registered office address of the company, or it can be somewhere different.

A residential address is a director’s usual home address. You must tell us your home address, but it will not be available on the public register for everyone to see. It’s kept on a private register.

We will only provide home address information to credit reference agencies and specified public authorities, such as the police. In certain circumstances, you may be able to restrict the disclosure of your home address to credit reference agencies.

Source:Other| 28-08-2023

The best and worst of British banks

Personal and small business current account holders were asked how likely they would be to recommend their provider to a friend, relative or other business. The survey also covered the quality of online and mobile provision, branch and overdraft services and, for small businesses, the quality of the relationship management they receive.

The results show customers how their bank is ranked on quality of service and make it easier for people to compare offers. They also promote competition between providers, resulting in better experiences for all account holders. Customers who find another bank offering a better deal can use the Current Account Switch Service to help make the process of switching much simpler. This free service is available to anyone with a personal or business current account in the UK.

Results are for the period July 2022 to June 2023.

Overall, the top-ranked personal current account providers in Great Britain are:

  • Monzo (1st)
  • Starling Bank (2nd)
  • First direct (3rd)

Overall, the bottom-ranked personal current providers in Great Britain are:

  • Virgin Money (=15th)
  • Royal Bank of Scotland (=15th)
  • TSB (14th)

Overall, the top-ranked business current account providers in Great Britain are:

  • Monzo (1st)
  • Starling Bank (2nd)
  • Handelsbanken (3rd)

Overall, the bottom-ranked business current account providers in Great Britain are:

  • HSBC UK (15th)
  • The Co-operative Bank (14th)
  • Virgin Money (13th)
Source:Other| 20-08-2023

Landlords’ obligation to repair property

Landlords have a legal obligation to keep their rented property in good condition, and any gas or electrical systems must meet specified safety standards.

There are different rules for making repairs in Scotland and making repairs in Northern Ireland.

When you can enter the property

You have a legal right to enter your property to inspect it or carry out repairs. You must give your tenants at least 24 hours’ notice, although immediate access may be possible in emergencies. Your tenants have the right to stay in the property during the repairs.

You are normally responsible for repairs to:

  • the structure of your property
  • basins, sinks, baths and other sanitary fittings
  • heating and hot water systems
  • anything you damage through attempting repairs

If your property is seriously damaged by a fire, flood or other similar incident, you do not have to rebuild or renovate it. However, if you do, you cannot charge your tenants for any repairs made.

Common areas

If you own a block of flats, you are usually responsible for repairing common areas, like staircases. Councils can ask landlords to fix problems in common areas, or to repair a tenant’s flat that’s been damaged by another tenant.

If the property is temporarily unfit to live in

You can ask tenants to move out during major repairs. Before this happens, you should agree in writing:

  • how long the works will last
  • the tenants’ right to return
  • details of any alternative accommodation

You cannot repossess a property to do repairs. However, if you’re planning substantial works or want to redevelop the property, you can apply to the courts for an order for your tenants to leave. The courts are more likely to grant this if you provide alternative accommodation.

Repairs and charging rent

If the repairs are very disruptive, your tenants may be able to claim a reduction on their rent known as a ‘rent abatement’. This will depend on how much of the property is unusable.

You may have the right to increase the rent after carrying out repairs and improvements, depending on the tenancy agreement.

Source:Other| 13-08-2023

Who is your ideal customer?

If there is a particular type of customer that is ideally placed to benefit from the goods or services you sell it makes sense to target any marketing activity in their direction, rather than adopting a scatter gun approach.

Take a good look at your present customers and select those that buy from you on a regular basis and seem to appreciate your company’s supplies. For example, are they:

  • Easy to deal with.
  • Pay on time.
  • Reorder on a regular basis.
  • Approachable for cross-sales.

These will be your “A” clients/customers. Once you have your list look for similarities. Are they:

  • In a specific market sector.
  • Is location a feature, local to your base of operations.
  • Are they owner managed.

Once you have defined these characteristics you have a “prime avatar” of your ideal customer, and you can start to market to win more customers with similar characteristics.

To assist with these marketing efforts, approach your present “A” list and ask for testimonials. These are likely to resonate with prospects you approach.

As you are fishing for customers in a pond alive with many different types, many of which you may not want as customers, it makes sense to get clear on who your ideal customer is and concentrate your marketing activity in their direction.

Source:Other| 13-08-2023

Amazon offers to change Marketplace rules

Amazon has offered to change the way it treats third-party sellers using its Marketplace platform in the UK, by submitting proposed commitments to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in response to competition concerns it raised with the technology giant.

The CMA considers that these commitments – if accepted – will ensure third-party sellers’ product offers have a fair chance of being prominently displayed to customers in the ‘Buy Box’ on a product page when they are competing against Amazon’s own product offers. The commitments also aim to prevent Amazon from using data that it obtains from third-party sellers to give itself an unfair competitive advantage.

The CMA launched an investigation in July 2022 into concerns that Amazon was abusing its position as the UK’s leading online retail platform by giving an unfair advantage to its own retail business over competing sellers that use Amazon Marketplace, or to sellers that use Amazon’s own warehousing and delivery services, rather than rival organisation businesses.

The CMA’s preliminary view is that the offer from Amazon addresses its competition concerns, and the CMA is now consulting on the commitments put forward before deciding whether to accept them.

The commitments offered propose to:

  • Ensure Amazon does not use rival sellers’ Marketplace data to gain an unfair advantage over other sellers. This follows concerns that Amazon’s access to commercially sensitive data relating to third-party sellers helped its retail business to decide which products to sell, manage stock levels for those products, set prices and make other important commercial decisions.
  • Guarantee all product offers are treated equally when Amazon decides which will be featured in the ‘Buy Box’. This relates to concerns that products being offered by third-party sellers were less likely to appear in the Buy Box than similar offers from either Amazon’s own retail business or third-party sellers that use Amazon’s delivery services.
  • Allow third-party businesses using Marketplace to negotiate their own rates directly with independent providers of Prime delivery services so that customers can benefit from lower delivery costs where better rates are negotiated.
  • Require Amazon to appoint an independent trustee who will monitor the company’s compliance with these commitments. The CMA will have a direct say in this appointment, ensuring they have the necessary skills and expertise for the job.
Source:Other| 01-08-2023

South Yorkshire first UK Investment Zone

It was announced as part of the Spring Budget 2023 measures that the government would establish twelve Investment Zones across the UK, subject to successful proposals. South Yorkshire has now been named as the first of the UK Investment Zones.

These Investment Zones are designed to encourage investment and new economic activity, supporting growth and jobs. The Investment Zones will benefit from lower taxes and more relaxed planning frameworks to encourage rapid development and business investment.

The new Investment Zone in South Yorkshire will specifically focus on Advanced Manufacturing. Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley all stand to benefit from an estimated 8,000 new jobs and £1.2 billion of private funding by 2030, which this Investment Zone will help to deliver. Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, Loop Technology and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) have partnered to support the first investment worth over £80 million.

The government is also working with the devolved administrations and local partners to deliver this opportunity to drive local growth in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There will be two Investment Zones in Scotland, with Glasgow City Region and North East of Scotland the most likely areas to host Investment Zones. Further information on Investment Zones in Wales and Northern Ireland is pending.

Source:HM Treasury| 17-07-2023