How Many Trustees Should a Charity Have?

Trustees often find themselves asking the same question: how many people should be on our board? It usually comes up when roles feel stretched, when new responsibilities emerge, or when the balance of voices at meetings starts to feel off. Too few trustees can mean pressure builds. Too many; and decisions risk losing focus.

Today we’re looking at how to get this right. Choosing the right number affects how decisions are made, how finances are managed and how trust is maintained with donors and regulators.

We’ll walk through Charity Commission rules, explain common pitfalls, and share guidance to help you shape a board that reflects your charity’s needs, especially around financial oversight, risk and accountability.

What Is a Trustee?

According to the Charity Commission, a trustee is someone who holds legal responsibility for running a charity. This includes ensuring the organisation stays solvent, complies with its governing document, and uses funds properly. Trustees have a fiduciary duty, which means they must act with integrity, care and undivided loyalty to the charity’s best interests.

This duty applies especially to finances. Trustees are expected to approve budgets, monitor spending, and oversee financial reporting with clarity and attention. When this role is understood and shared across the board, the charity is better placed to meet its obligations and to maintain trust with its funders, staff and supporters.

What Is the Minimum Number of Trustees for a Charity?

Under Charity Commission regulations, a registered charity must have at least three trustees. This is the legal minimum, but in practice, a board of three often carries limitations. With so few people, it becomes harder to manage conflicts of interest, maintain continuity, or provide proper scrutiny, particularly when it comes to financial oversight.

A small board can also struggle with day-to-day governance tasks. From signing off budgets to approving policies, having only three voices increases the risk of burnout or blurred responsibilities. This becomes more noticeable during periods of change, such as preparing for an audit or responding to a funding review.

For example, if only one trustee brings financial expertise, gaps in controls can emerge. We regularly see this in smaller charities, where dual authorisation, budget monitoring or compliance with financial policies becomes difficult to manage.

What Is the Maximum Number of Trustees That Can Be Appointed?

There is no statutory upper limit on the number of charity trustees. Your governing document will usually set a maximum, but the Charity Commission encourages boards to remain practical. A large board can bring diverse skills, yet too many voices may lead to delays, diluted focus or unclear accountability.

From a financial governance perspective, a streamlined board often works best. Trustees need to collaborate on budgets, review financial reports, and respond promptly to risks. If conversations become too unwieldy, key decisions can stall. The goal is a board that remains agile, informed and able to act with purpose.

How Do You Pick a Trustee for a Charity?

Appointing the right trustees is one of the most important decisions a board can make. The Charity Commission’s guidance highlights the need for diversity, not only in background and lived experience but in professional skills and perspectives.

Strong boards are made up of individuals who understand the charity’s purpose and bring the right balance of challenge, knowledge and support. Below are five key areas to consider when appointing a trustee.

1. Financial Understanding

Every charity benefits from at least one trustee with a firm grasp of finance. This includes reading accounts, understanding reserves, and supporting oversight of budgets, audits and reporting.

We frequently advise boards to appoint someone with a working knowledge of charity finance. This strengthens internal controls, improves reporting accuracy and reduces dependence on external auditors for tasks that trustees should oversee directly.

In smaller charities, this role is often carried by a treasurer, but responsibility should always be shared. A single financial voice, no matter how skilled, needs to be supported by an informed board.

2. Commitment to Governance

Trustees have legal duties and should fully understand what the role involves. This includes safeguarding assets, complying with the governing document and placing the charity’s interests first.

The Charity Commission expects all trustees to demonstrate active engagement through preparation, oversight, and ongoing learning. A passive board can weaken accountability, especially in areas such as risk management or policy review.

Look for individuals who show curiosity, reliability, and a willingness to stay informed. Induction and training should support new trustees from the outset.

3. Lived Experience and Community Insight

Trustees who reflect the charity’s beneficiaries or communities can offer essential insight. This is particularly valuable when designing services, measuring impact or managing relationships with partners and funders.

Experience can come in many forms. It might include direct service use, sector knowledge, or community-based work. Including these voices on your board signals commitment to representation and relevance.

At the same time, trustees should be supported to understand their legal responsibilities and the distinction between governance and delivery.

4. Professional Skills

Look for gaps in your existing board, whether in HR, law, safeguarding, IT, fundraising, or digital. These are areas that often feature in charity governance policies, and trustees with relevant experience can help the board make informed, timely decisions.

When selecting candidates, consider the demands placed on the charity. Are you entering a capital project, scaling your services, or facing financial strain? Matching trustee appointments to your current needs can help build stability and reduce reliance on external advice.

5. Independence and Integrity

Trustees must act independently of personal interest, organisational bias, or external influence. This principle is essential to sound decision-making.

During selection, it helps to explore potential conflicts of interest, particularly where trustees hold related roles elsewhere. Use your conflict of interest policy to guide this process, and be clear about expectations. Integrity builds trust, both within the board and across the wider charity.

What Duties Does a Trustee Have?

Trustees are responsible for overseeing everything from strategic direction to legal compliance. Below are five core duties, with a focus on where these intersect with finance and accountability.

1. Carrying Out the Charity’s Purpose

Trustees must ensure that all activities align with the charity’s stated aims, as set out in its governing document. This includes reviewing how funds are used and whether spending reflects your charitable objectives.

Restricted funds, for instance, must be allocated exactly as intended. Over time, trustees who track spending patterns against outcomes help build a clear, compliant picture of impact and avoid accidental misuse of funds.

2. Managing Resources Responsibly

This duty covers financial controls, budgeting, risk planning, and oversight of income and expenditure. Trustees are expected to monitor financial performance throughout the year, not just at year-end.

A common challenge we see is trustees underestimating their financial reporting obligations, so we equip boards with the tools and insights to fulfil these duties with confidence, especially around SORP compliance, Gift Aid and restricted funds.

3. Acting in the Charity’s Best Interests

Trustees must act as a group, making collective decisions based solely on the charity’s needs. This means putting aside personal views or affiliations and avoiding any situation where influence or loyalty could compromise impartiality.

Strong governance policies, such as a clear conflict of interest policy and code of conduct, help maintain objectivity and ensure that decisions hold up under scrutiny.

4. Keeping Accurate Records

Charities must produce clear, timely records of income, expenditure, trustee decisions, and risk assessments. Financial transparency depends on having good systems in place.

Trustees should also keep records of how key decisions are made, especially when financial judgment is involved. This protects the board and supports compliance with both funder expectations and Charity Commission regulations.

5. Ensuring Accountability

Trustees are accountable to the public, funders, staff, and beneficiaries. Annual reports, audits and public communications must reflect truthfully how the charity is performing.

Accountability isn’t just external. A well-informed board, with access to regular reports and reconciled accounts, creates a culture of openness internally too.

How Long Can a Trustee Be in Post?

NoMost charities set trustee terms at three years, often renewable once or twice. While some boards prefer longer continuity, regular turnover supports stronger governance. It allows space for fresh thinking and reduces the risk of entrenchment or skill gaps being overlooked.

Succession planning is essential, especially for roles with financial responsibilities. Trustees stepping down should pass on clear records, including current reserves, known risks and reporting timelines.

From a financial resilience standpoint, periodic refreshment brings renewed scrutiny and shared ownership. We often support boards through these transitions to help maintain confidence and avoid disruption.