Policy Bulletin

DSC thinks it’s important that people in our sector understand what is going on at the political level. But we understand that most of the charities we meet on a daily basis are small and the fantastic people running them don’t necessarily have the time to both run services and be a policy expert.

So, let our policy experts do that for you. Sign up to our e-news today to keep up to date on what’s going on in the sector, including our policy-focused monthly bulletin.

Our promise to you: we’ll try not to be boring.

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Issue 18, June 2017
Countdown to the election
In this issue: General election: what does it mean for charities?; Manifesto Mashup!
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Issue 17, May 2017
We mustn't muzzle ourselves this General Election
In this issue: #DSCAnswers Live Twitter Q&A; Reasons not to worry about the Lobbying Act; Keep calm and carry on campaigning; Charity Commission guidance on elections and referendums.
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Issue 16, April 2017
Lords, boards and looking forwards
In this issue: Lords Committee supports grants and warns Charity Commission off charging charities; Facing Forward: new research for small charities; International Women’s Day: women on company boards; Spring Budget: a washout for charities; As the PM’s Brexit letter arrives at the EU, what does it mean for charities?
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Issue 15, March 2017
Spring into action and have your say
In this issue: DSC urges the Chancellor to oppose fees for charity regulation; Future of fundraising - have your say!; Consultation on charities Annual Return; Spring Budget 2017; Charities and Brexit: where are we now?
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Issue 14, February 2017
The big debate, who should fund our regulator?
In this issue: CHTYCOMM 4: the battle is on to decide who should fund the Charity Commission; What could you do with a small grant of £10,000?; F-words and B-words: what was missing last year?; Consultation on charities Annual Return.
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Issue 13, December 2016
Stopping attacks on women - with a tax on women
In this issue: New grant standards – a starting point not an end point; Autumn Statement 2016: the news and views; The US Presidential Election: lessons for UK charities; Local Charities Day - 16 December: Join the call for more government grants to charities!
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Issue 12, November 2016
Charity Commission to charge fees for regulation
In this issue: Charity Commission eyes up regulatory fees... again; Autumn Statement 2016 - 23 November (bingo time!); Big Lottery Refund in the House of Commons; New Shadow Minister for Civil Society; Local Charities Day - how will you spend yours?
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Issue 11: September 2016
Ten principles to make a good grant
In this issue: Sadiq Khan statement on Big Lottery repayment; Principles of Good Grant Making; Are Foundations Fit for the 21st Century?
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Issue 10: July 2016
Keep clam and carry on helping people
In this issue: Brexit and what charities should do; upcoming consultation on the Charities Act and the Big Lottery Fund's policy directions
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Issue 9, June 2016
Don't miss the new charity news channel
In this issue: The new news channel for charities; Consultation on disqualifying trustees; Big news for Big Lottery Refund supporters; the game that demonstrates that #EverybodyBenefits from charities
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Issue 8, May 2016
The most positive Policy Bulletin to-date
In this issue: The new #EverybodyBenefits game everybody is talking about; The Labour Party gets behind the Big Lottery Refund; Plans to gag charities put on hold; the Charity Commission tones down its guidance on EU referendum campaigning; the @Grants4Good campaign heads north
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Issue 7, April 2016
In this issue: How Lord Hodgson might free charities of the shackles of the Lobbying Act; The Charity Commission's top tips in how to make guidance in reverse and annoy everyone; The almighty mess and disappointment of the 2016 national budget; Appropriately addressing the Charities Bill as the Charities Act and what that means for you; #GrantsSummit Liverpool!
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Issue 5, January 2016
In this issue: The Charities Bill is nearing the end of its journey; Charity Commission drag their heels over consultation on charging charities fees; Consultation open for small charities on the new fundraising regulations; Consultation on CC20, Charity Commission guidance on fundraising; An expert explains why the True and Fair Foundation report on charity spending was so misleading
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Issue 4, August 2015
In this issue: DSC finds huge levels of opposition to Commissions plan to introduce fees for regulation; New ideas to resolve the fundraising "crisis; Changes to the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Bill; Three years of shame as government fails to repay UK charities
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Issue 3, June/July 2015
Post-election blues
In this issue: Newsflash- Charity Commission report finds high levels of support for things the Charity Commission wants; Charity Commission eyes up charging charities fees to use their services; Breaking News: Nobody agrees with charities minister.
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Issue 2, May 2015
Election Special
In this issue: The election and what its going to do to charities; The Party Manifestos what's in it for charities? ; World observes sad moment in history as Lottery repayment falls 1000 days overdue
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Issue 1, April 2015
In this issue: PM announces full repayment of debt owed to Big Lottery Fund. lol! ; The Charity Commission's hissy fit over the funding of CAGE; What Rob Wilson said about charities being better off.; Election time 2012- what we know