From 1^st January 2012, charities that are companies or industrial and provident societies (IPS) can apply to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) to convert to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). Previously it was only unincorporated associations or trusts who could take advantage of this change. We help Scottish Charitable Companies become SCIOs.

However, the conversion of a company or IPS to a SCIO may only take place if:

• In the case of companies, the company has more than one member

A Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) is a new legal body (with effect from April 2011) for charities registered in Scotland.

What is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation?

• It is not subject to the same reporting and regulatory requirements as a company.
• It can enter into transactions on its own behalf, rather than by its charity trustees on its behalf.
• The charity trustees are in general protected from incurring personal liability.? (However this protection is not absolute and charity trustees individually may be held responsible