Legal background
The first definition of charity was set out in the preamble to the Statute of Charitable Uses 1601. Since then, there have been numerous statutes and regulations refining the definition of charitable purposes and regulating charities’ activities in a number of ways. In modern times, significant changes were introduced by the Charities Act 1960 and the Charities Act 1992, which was followed by a consolidation Act in 1993. Further important developments were introduced in the Charities Act 2006, which was again followed by a consolidation in the Charities Act 2011.
	The key legislation and regulations impacted by the Act are:
the Charities Act 2011;
the Charities (Qualified Surveyors’ Reports) Regulations 1992; 1
the Charities (Total Return) Regulations 2013; and
the Universities and College Estates Act 1925.