What is a Trustee?

Charity Trustees are 'the people responsible under the charity's governing document for controlling the management and administration of the charity, regardless of what they are called' (Section 97 of the Charities Act 1993)

In some organisations, the trustees may not be known as trustees. They may be called members of the committee, management committee members, directors, council members, executive committee members, governors or some other term.

No matter what they are called, the voting members of thr top governing or supervisory body of a charity are its charity trustees. If you have this role and your organisation has charitable status then you will be a trustee.

If the charity is also a company limited under guarantee, then the trustees are also directors of the charity.

Trustees can be held personally liable for the debts of a charity which are brought about by poor management. However, they would not be liable if the affairs of the charity had been conducted reasonably and the advice of the Charity Commission had been sought (and acted upon), if there was a problem. Also if the charity is a company limited by guarantee, the personal liability of the comapny directors is limited to a stated sum - unless the directors act in breach of trust.


What is a Trustee Board?

The trustee board of a charity is the group 'responsible under the charity's governing document for controlling the management and administration of the charity, regardless of what they are called' (Section 97 of the Charities Act 1993).

It is the body that takes decisions, sets direction and ensures that the work of a charity is carried out. The board is accountable in law for the actions of the charity.

A trustee board may be called a management committee, an executive committee, a council, or something else. Whatever it is called, the trustee board is the governing body of a charity, and is ultimately responsible for everthing the charity does.

NCVO Recommendations


The 1992 National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) report, On Trust, into charity trustees found that two-thirds of charity trustees were unaware that they were trustees. In many cases this was because they were known by some other title.

To overcome this confusion NCVO recommends that charities call their governing body the 'board of trustees', and the individuals who have legal responsibility for the organisation 'trustees'.

Trustees - Wearing different hats

In a small or medium sized organisation, trustees might carry out other roles within the organisation. However, it is really important to be clear about what role you are in at any time. It might help to ask yourself, 'Which hat am I wearing?'

Governance hat

Worn at formal Board meetings.

You are accountable to the public, and the organisation is accountable to you.

All decisions are taken collectively with other trustees.

Specific Role hat

Worn when the Board delegates authority to an individual to implement a Board programme/policy.

You are doing a particular job with definite limits to your authority.

You are not in your trustee role

Management hat

Worn when the Board delegates authority for managing a project to an individual trustee.

You are doing a particular job which the trustees together have agreed you can do.

You are not in your trustee role.

volunteer hat

Worn at other times when involved with the organisation.

You are accountable to whoever has responsibility for that area of the organisation, for example a supervisor or line manager.

You are not in your trustee role.

Trustees Roles