Third Age Trust have advised us that the legal helpline service which they provide for U3As and their members will end on 30 September 2017.
There are 2 reasons for this:
Firstly, having reviewed the arrangements, Third Age Trust considers the helpline is beyond its purposes and not strictly within its legal constraints, nor is this helpline within the constraints of individual U3As’ constitutions, as they are educational charities.
Secondly, usage is, in any case, very small and dominated by personal matters, most of which are readily available free or at low cost by other means. Third Age Trust is paying £19,000pa for the service, which cannot be justified for the above reasons.
Third Age Trust confirm that relevant U3A organisational legal matters will continue to receive proper attention, on a case-by-case basis, through specialist lawyers if necessary, by arrangement with Third Age Trust.
