CIC36 Form Guide: How to Write Your Community Interest Statement

Introduction

If you're setting up a Community Interest Company, you'll need to complete the CIC36 form. This is the document where you explain how your company will benefit the community—and for many people, it's the most daunting part of the process.

Here's the truth: The CIC36 looks more intimidating than it actually is.

You don't need legal expertise. You don't need perfect wording. You just need to clearly explain what you're going to do and who will benefit. If you can describe your project to a friend, you can write a CIC36.

This guide will walk you through exactly what to write in each section, with real examples you can adapt. We'll cover what the CIC Regulator is actually looking for, the common mistakes to avoid, and what happens if you need to make changes.

For the complete picture of setting up a CIC, see our main guide: How to Set Up a CIC: Complete UK Guide 2026.

What is the CIC36 Form?

The CIC36, officially called the "Community Interest Company Statement", is the form that declares how your company will benefit the community. It's required for every new CIC registration.

This is what makes a CIC different from an ordinary company. Without the CIC36, you're just registering a standard limited company. The CIC36 is your commitment to community benefit.

Key Facts About the CIC36

• Official name: Community Interest Company Statement
• Purpose: Declares your community benefit and activities
• Required for: All new CIC registrations
• Who reviews it: The CIC Regulator (not Companies House)
• Where to get it: Download from gov.uk or generate via CIC Tools

How the Process Works

When you submit your CIC registration to Companies House, they pass the CIC36 to the CIC Regulator for review. The Regulator checks that your stated purpose genuinely benefits the community, not just private individuals. Once approved, your CIC is registered and you receive your Certificate of Incorporation.

What the CIC Regulator is Looking For

The CIC Regulator reviews every CIC36 to ensure the proposed company genuinely serves the community. Understanding what they're looking for makes writing your statement much easier.

They Want to See:

1. Clear Community Benefit

• Who specifically will benefit from your activities?
• How will they benefit?
• Why is this for the public good, not just private benefit?

2. Activities That Match the Purpose

• What will your CIC actually DO?
• How do these activities deliver the benefit you've described?
• Are the activities realistic and specific?

3. Reasonable Scope

• Not so narrow it only benefits one person
• Not so broad it's meaningless ("we'll help everyone everywhere")
• A defined community, whether by location, demographic, or interest

They're NOT Looking For:

• Perfect legal language — Plain English is fine
• A business plan — This isn't about finances
• Financial projections — No revenue or budget information needed
• Proof you can deliver — They're not assessing your capacity
• Novel ideas — Many CICs do similar things, and that's fine

Section-by-Section Guide

Let's walk through each part of the CIC36 form so you know exactly what to write.

Section 1: Company Details

This section is straightforward:

• Company name — Your CIC's name (must end in "CIC" or "Community Interest Company")
• Company number — Leave blank if this is a new registration; Companies House will assign one

Section 2: Community Interest Statement

This is the main section—your explanation of community benefit. It's typically broken into three parts:

Part A: Describe Your Activities

What will your CIC actually do? Be specific about:

• What services will you provide?
• What products will you create?
• What events will you run?
• What programmes will you deliver?

Part B: Who Will Benefit

Define your beneficiary community. This could be:

• Geographic area — "Residents of Greater Manchester" or "People living in the BS5 postcode area"
• Demographic group — "Young people aged 11-18" or "Adults over 65 living alone"
• Interest group — "People experiencing homelessness" or "Amateur musicians in the local area"
• A combination — "Low-income families with children under 5 in Bristol"

The community must be wider than just your members or a private group.

Part C: How They Will Benefit

Explain the positive impact:

• What problem are you solving?
• What improvement will beneficiaries experience?
• Why does this matter to the wider community?

Connect your activities to tangible outcomes. "We run cooking classes" becomes "We run cooking classes that help people develop healthy eating habits, reduce food waste, and save money on meals."

Section 3: Declaration

This section requires:

• All directors to sign (or the person forming the company)
• A declaration that the company will carry on activities for the benefit of the community
• Confirmation that you understand the asset lock

CIC36 Examples

Here are four real-world examples of effective community interest statements. These are templates to inspire you—adapt the wording to reflect YOUR specific activities and community.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from others' errors. Here are the most common CIC36 mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. Being Too Vague

The Regulator needs specifics. What will you actually DO?

2. Describing Private Benefit

The benefit must be to a wider community, not just a private group.

3. Being Too Narrow

The beneficiary community must be wider than specific individuals.

4. Copying Someone Else's Statement

The Regulator reads thousands of these. They'll notice if you've lifted another CIC's statement verbatim. Even if you're doing similar work, use your own words.

5. Including Financial Projections

The CIC36 isn't a business plan. Don't include revenue targets, budgets, or financial forecasts. Focus purely on community benefit.

6. Using Jargon or Buzzwords

Clear, simple language is more convincing than corporate jargon.

7. Forgetting WHO Benefits

Always be explicit about who benefits, not just what you'll do. "We run workshops" isn't enough—who are the workshops for, and why does that matter?

What Happens After You Submit

Understanding the process helps reduce anxiety. Here's what happens after you submit your CIC36:

The Process

1. You submit your CIC36 with your incorporation documents (IN01 form, articles of association) to Companies House
2. Companies House passes the CIC36 to the CIC Regulator
3. The Regulator reviews your community interest statement
4. One of three outcomes:
   • Approved: Your CIC is registered (most common outcome)
   • Query: The Regulator asks for clarification (you respond and resubmit)
   • Rejected: Rare—usually only if the purpose clearly isn't community benefit

Timeline

• Online submission: Usually 2-5 working days
• Postal submission: Up to 10-15 working days

If the Regulator Has Questions

Don't panic. This happens sometimes and doesn't mean you've done anything wrong. The Regulator will:

1. Email or write to you with specific questions
2. Explain what's unclear in your statement
3. Give you time to respond with clarification
4. Review your updated statement

Most queries are resolved quickly with a simple explanation. The Regulator genuinely wants to help you get registered.

The Easy Way: Generate Your CIC36 with CIC Tools

Writing a CIC36 from scratch means:

• Downloading the PDF form from gov.uk
• Figuring out what to write in each section
• Hoping your wording is acceptable to the Regulator
• Formatting everything correctly
• Printing, signing, and scanning (if submitting by post)

CIC Tools makes this simple.

What's Included

CIC Tools doesn't stop at the CIC36. Your subscription also includes:

• Complete formation documents — Articles of association, IN01 guidance, and more
• Policy generator — Safeguarding, GDPR, health & safety policies
• Grant writing tools — Find and apply for funding
• Impact logging — Record your community impact via WhatsApp
• CIC34 report generator — Create your annual community interest report in minutes

Join the 34,000+ CICs already making a difference in communities across the UK. Explore them in our directory.

Conclusion

The CIC36 is simpler than it looks. Strip away the official form and legal-sounding name, and you're really just answering three questions:

1. What will you do?
2. Who will benefit?
3. Why does it matter?

Be specific. Be clear. Be honest about your intentions. The CIC Regulator isn't looking for perfect legal language—they're looking for genuine community benefit.

Remember: the Regulator wants you to succeed. They review thousands of applications each year and they're experts at helping people get their wording right. If something's unclear, they'll ask. If something's missing, they'll point it out. They're on your side.

You've got this.