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Landmark guidance issued for Royal Charter charities

16 Jul 2025

Cripps’ Charity & Not For Profit team (represented by Matthew Smith KC of Maitland Chambers in the proceedings) acted for The Keepers and Governors of the Possessions, Revenues and Goods of the Free Grammar School of John Lyon, within the Town of Harrow-on-the-Hill (which owns and operates Harrow School and the John Lyon School) in the recent charities proceedings ([2024] EWHC 2857 (Ch) and [2025] EWHC 849 (Ch)).

The case provides useful judicial guidance to all charities on the interpretation of the objects of a charity and also explored the available mechanisms that could be used to change those objects if the charity wished to do so in the future.

The case sets out important technical analysis that will be of interest and relevant to all Royal Charter charities regarding the availability of the cy-près jurisdiction under s68 Charities Act 2011 to those types of charities. The case is also the first authority on the availability of the powers under s280C Charities Act 2011 to Royal Charter charities to make changes to charitable objects, covers the availability and use of the recently enacted S75ZA Charities Act 2011 and considers other provisions of the Public Schools Act 1868 (relevant only to charities regulated by that Act).

Our experienced Charity & Not For Profit team advises on the full range of charity law issues facing all types of charitable clients and would be delighted to hear from you should your charity require any support or advice based upon the issues raised in these rulings or indeed on any other aspect of your charity’s activities and governance.

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