The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s upgraded online services are scheduled to go live in November, providing a more modern and user-friendly experience for charities and organisations applying for registration.
To support the move to the new system, there will be a short period when online services are unavailable while data and services are transferred. The planned outage is expected to last between 24 and 72 hours.
We'll share more information about the timing of the outage and what organisations can expect during the launch period closer to the go-live date.
Once the new system goes live, there will be few noticeable changes to the restyled forms, accessed through the My charity login portal, and the online charity registration application form.
While the look and layout of the forms have been updated, the information required has not changed. The questions and supporting guidance remain the same, so charities and organisations will continue to provide the same key information when completing an Annual Monitoring Return (AMR) or applying for registration.
Sample screenshots of the updated forms can be found at the end of this page. Further guidance and launch information will be published before the system goes live in November.
Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we make these improvements. Further information is available below.
In preparation for the upgrade, charities are encouraged to undertake the following actions.
The upgrade covers both:
The upgrade aims to make the annual reporting and registration processes easier to navigate and complete, providing a more modern and user-friendly experience while keeping reporting and registration requirements familiar to users.
Since announcing the project earlier this year, the Commission has been carrying out extensive work to modernise its digital services. This work is now in its final stages, with user testing and system checks under way.
The launch of the upgraded services will take place in November, slightly later than originally planned.
Around 2,200 charities have an annual reporting deadline at the end of October, making it one of the busiest reporting periods of the year. Launching the upgraded system in November will allow these charities to complete their reporting using the current system, rather than needing to familiarise themselves with a new look platform while working to a deadline.
When the upgraded My charity login portal goes live in November, the main charity contact will be required to create a new password when they access the system for the first time. At that stage, the Commission will issue simple step-by-step instructions from its @charitycommissionni.org.uk email address. There is no need to take any action or reset passwords at this time.
To help keep your account secure, always access Commission services through the official website. Check that the address begins with https:// and uses the charitycommissionni.org.uk domain. The Commission will never ask for your password by email or over the telephone.
To support the move to the new system, the Commission paused inviting organisations to apply for registration.
Applications received before the upgrade commenced are continuing to progress through the registration process as normal.
Shortly after the upgraded system launches in November, the Commission will re-start the invitation process for applicants to apply for registration. Further information will be provided in advance of the launch.
