Do we have to register with the Charity Commission?

Every Scout Group, District and County in England and Wales is already a charity (POR 5a.1.2.2). Most are excepted: regulated by the Charity Commission, with all the same duties, but not registered and with no annual return to make.

A Scout charity must register if its income is over £100,000, or it owns land or buildings and its income is £5,000 or more, or it has a permanent endowment and its income is £5,000 or more. That's different from the £5,000 that applies to most other charities, so the gov.uk pages can mislead.

Give last year's gross income in Settings, along with whether you own your building or have a permanent endowment, and the Charity tab tells you: registered, must register, getting close, or not required.

Excepted? Never use another charity's number. Not the District's, the County's or Scouts'. Where somebody asks for a charity number, use your HMRC reference if you have one, or ask Scouts' Legal Services for a letter.