- Alcester Office +44 (0)1789 765522
- Bedford Office +44 (0)1234 400000
- Birmingham, New St. Office +44 (0)121 270 5666
- Birmingham, Newhall St. Office +44 (0)121 703 2606
- Bristol Office +44 (0)1454 275 190
- Cardiff Office +44 (0)29 2240 8700
- Evesham Office +44 (0)1386 425300
- Gatwick Office +44 (0)1293 602890
- Harrow Office +44 (0)20 8907 4366
- Leicester Office +44 (0)116 255 9911
- Leigh Office +44 (0)1942 673311
- Lichfield Office +44 (0)1543 414426
- Luton Office +44 (0)1582 720175
- Northampton Office +44 (0)1604 233 200
- Redditch Office +44 (0)1527 406363
- Solihull Office +44 (0)121 705 2255
- Stopsley Office +44 (0)1582 453 366
- Sutton Coldfield Office +44 (0)121 355 6118
- Tunbridge Wells Office +44 (0)1892 553090
- Walkden Office +44 (0)161 790 1411
- Walsall Office +44 (0)1922 720000
- Warrington Office +44 (0)1925 632267
- Westhoughton Office +44 (0)1942 816515
- Whitefield Office +44 (0)161 796 7920
- Wigan Office +44 (0)1942 244294
Mergers
A technical problem for charities that merge is possible uncertainty over what to do with legacies and other gifts intended for charities that have ‘disappeared’ as a result of the merger. The Charity Commission have set up a register of mergers that will (in most cases) overcome this problem. The Charity Act will also simplify the process of transferring property, including land, in these cases.
The benefits: Although registering a merger is not compulsory, it does allow for gifts to a charity to be automatically transferred to the new, merged charity. This is particularly useful where there are legacies or other gifts that were left to the charities that ‘disappear’ as a result of the merger. This provision helps to honour the spirit of legacies and gifts made to one of the merging charities. Using a ‘vesting declaration’ simplifies the transfer of title to land belonging to any of the charities involved; in such cases it will be compulsory to notify the Charity Commission to register the merger.