Advocacy Action Ltd - legal status
On 21 September 2005 Advocacy Action Ltd was registered in England as an Industrial & Provident Society for the benefit of the community, registration number 30000R. We will continue to be known simply as Advocacy Action however (without the Ltd).
We believe that being an Industrial and Provident Society, or IPS, is the most democratic and open governance option for Advocacy Action. It combines the benefits of being a limited company and a charity in a simple and flexible way. For example:
- We are an open and democratic member organisation – we have a set of Rules (like a constitution) which is available to anyone on request, and we have members who elect a Committee to manage our work.
- We are incorporated – Advocacy Action Ltd can enter into contracts like a company, and can sue or be sued in the courts.
- We have limited liability – like a limited company, but we are not registered with Companies House. If we become bankrupt our members will not be liable for any losses (in practice we are unlikely to be able to incur any losses).
- We have exempt charitable status – like a charity, the Inland Revenue has agreed that our activities are charitable and should be exempt from some taxes. This allows us to receive funding from charitable trusts.
You can download a copy of our Rules here 
pdf.
Find out who's on the Committee here.
For more information about Industrial and Provident Societies and other legal forms for social enterprises and other voluntary sector organisations, Co-operativesUK are a good source. You can view a factsheet about IPSs here, and their legal department can help you through the registration process.
Our registered office is at 21 King Street, Wakefield, WF1 2SR (just behind the Town Hall). For more information, directions and maps, go to our main contact page.