Charity status statement: what to publish on your trust website
If your school is an academy, this is a line on your trust's website saying the trust is an exempt charity, regulated by the DfE rather than the Charity Commission.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- Every school and trust website
- School type
- Academies
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Only applies to
- Registered charities with income over the threshold; academy trusts are exempt charities so this does not apply
- Does not apply to
- Charities Act 2011 Sch 3 para 8 lists 'A qualifying Academy proprietor (as defined in section 12(2) of the Academies Act 2010)' as an exempt charity. An exempt charity is not registered with the Charity Commission, and Charities Act 2011 s39 applies only to 'a registered charity' ('This section applies to a registered charity if its gross income in its last financial year exceeded £10,000', s39(1)). An academy trust therefore has no duty under s39 to state that it is a registered charity, and must not be marked down for the absence of such a statement or of a registered charity number. Academy trusts are instead subject to the company trading-disclosure particulars in src:names-regs-2015-part6 (regs 24(2) and 25) and to any publication duties the DfE imposes through the funding agreement, the Academy Trust Handbook and the model articles.
When it's due
Keep it up to date
There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
What's needed
Add a line to your trust's website saying the academy trust is an exempt charity, regulated by the DfE rather than the Charity Commission.
In this requirement
Section 1 of 2
Exempt charity statement
Academy trusts are exempt charities regulated by the DfE rather than the Charity Commission, and are also companies limited by guarantee. It is expected, not required, that the website says so.
The register sets this section for maintained schools only.
What it must contain
No parts listedThe official sources name no separate parts for this requirement. We check that it is published and easy to find.
What the official sources say
Set out in 1 official source:
Academies accounts direction 2025 to 2026
Academy trusts are both exempt charities and companies limited by guarantee.
Expected: Inspectors expect to see it, though it isn't a legal requirement.§ 1.1, Part 1: Financial reporting requirements – The basis for preparing accounts, page 9
Section 2 of 2
Registered charity statement
Registered charities have to say so on documents that ask for money. Academy trusts are 'exempt' charities, not registered ones, so this rule does not apply to them. It is listed so you can see it was considered.
The register sets this section for maintained schools only.
What it must contain
No parts listedThe official sources name no separate parts for this requirement. We check that it is published and easy to find.
What the official sources say
Set out in 1 official source:
Charities Act 2011 s39 (statement of registered status)
c in all bills rendered by it and in all its invoices, receipts and letters of credit.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Charities Act 2011 s39(2)(c)
3 The statement required by subsection (2) must be in English, except that, in the case of a document which is otherwise wholly in Welsh, the statement may be in Welsh if it consists of or includes “elusen cofrestredig” (the Welsh equivalent of “registered charity”).
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Charities Act 2011 s39(3)
Questions schools ask
Do academy trusts need to state their charity status?
Exempt charity statement: Academies and maintained schools are expected to: inspectors look for it, though it isn't a legal requirement. Registered charity statement: It only applies to registered charities with income over the threshold; academy trusts are exempt charities so this does not apply.
When do we need to update our charity status statement?
Keep it up to date. There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
Where does the requirement for the charity status statement come from?
It is set out in Academies accounts direction 2025 to 2026 and Charities Act 2011 s39 (statement of registered status).
Recent changes to the official guidance
The official sources for this requirement don't publish dated change notes. We check them for changes ourselves.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
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Official wording that does not apply to schools (6)
2 If this section applies to a registered charity, the fact that it is a registered charity must be stated in legible characters— a in all notices, advertisements and other documents issued by or on behalf of the charity and soliciting money or other property for the benefit of the charity,
8A qualifying Academy proprietor (as defined in section 12(2) of the Academies Act 2010).
9The governing body of any foundation, voluntary or foundation special school.
10Any foundation body established under section 21 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
28 1 Any institution which— a is administered by or on behalf of an institution included in any of paragraphs 1 to 8 and 11 to 25, and b is established for the general purposes of, or for any special purpose of or in connection with, the institution mentioned in paragraph (a).
SCHEDULES SCHEDULE 3 Exempt charities Section 22
Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4