Friendly Societies Act 1896

Friendly Societies Act 1896 ^[a]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to consolidate the Law relating to Friendly and other Societies.
Citation	59 & 60 Vict. c. 25
Territorial extent	England and Wales Scotland [b]
Dates
Royal assent	7 August 1896
Commencement	1 January 1897 [c]
Other legislation
Amends	See § Repealed enactments
Repeals/revokes	See § Repealed enactments
Relates to	Friendly Societies Act 1829 Friendly Societies Act 1875 Collecting Societies and Industrial Assurance Companies Act 1896
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Text of the Friendly Societies Act 1896 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The Friendly Societies Act 1896 (59 & 60 Vict. c. 25) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated and amended enactments relating to friendly societies in Great Britain.

As of 2025 ^[update] , the act remains in force for England and Wales and Scotland and is the governing legislation for friendly societies. ^[1]

Provisions

Repealed enactments

Section 107 repealed 6 enactments, listed in the third schedule to the act. ^[2]

Citation	Short title	Title	Extent of repeal
38 & 39 Vict. c. 60.	Friendly Societies Act 1875	Friendly Societies Act, 1875	The whole act, except so far as it relates to societies to which section thirty applies and to industrial assurance companies.
46 & 47 Vict. c. 47	Provident Nominations and Small Intestacies Act 1883	The Provident Nominations and small Intestacies Act, 1883.	So much as relates to registered societies.
50 & 51 Vict. c. 56	Friendly Societies Act 1887	The Friendly Societies Act, 1887.	The whole act, except in section two so much as relates to section thirty of the Friendly Societies Act, 1875, and subsection two of section eight, sub-section four of section nine, and sections twelve and eighteen.
51 & 52 Vict. c. 15.	National Debt (Supplemental) Act 1888	The National Debt (Supplemental) Act, 1888.	Section six.
56 & 57 Vict. c. 30	Friendly Societies Act 1893	The Friendly Societies Act, 1893.	The whole act.
58 & 59 Vict. c. 26	Friendly Societies Act 1895	The Friendly Societies Act, 1895.	The whole act, except sections fifteen and nineteen.

Subsequent developments

The Collecting Societies and Industrial Assurance Companies Act 1896 (59 & 60 Vict. c. 26), passed at the same time as the act, further consolidated enactments relating to friendly societies and industrial assurance companies in the United Kingdom.

Notes

1. Section 109.
2. Section 108.
3. Section 108.

References

1. "Friendly Societies – Irish Legal Blog". legalblog.ie. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
2. "Friendly Societies Act 1896", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, Vict/59-60 c. 25