How we are run
The MS Society is a charitable company limited by guarantee. This means our Board of Trustees are also (unpaid) company directors who take on important legal responsibilities for our organisation.
We're here for everyone affected by MS in the UK. We support our community, help people live well, and promote research into MS and conditions like it. This is our charitable purpose.
What does the Board do?
Our Board of Trustees is collectively responsible for making sure everything we do meets our charitable purpose - now and in the future.
They set our strategy and review our progress against it. They agree our annual plans, budget and performance targets. They oversee how we manage our finances and risk, and ensure we comply with the law.
Our Chief Executive (CEO) is appointed by the Board to manage our day-to-day running on their behalf. The CEO and their team report to the Board at their meetings.
Read the Board of Trustees Register of Interests
Board meetings
The Board meets four times a year. Most trustees also sit on committees that meet regularly to oversee specific areas of our work.
Read board meeting summary reports
How do we choose trustees?
Trustees are chosen for their skills and diversity of lived experience. This ensures that our Board has a wide range of expertise to effectively scrutinise and challenge our work. And that our strategic direction, values and culture reflect what's important to all parts of the MS community.
Most of our trustees have a personal connection to MS, either because they have MS or someone they care about does.
And we’ve recently adopted a new Articles of Association (our constitution). This means that from 2026, our Board will always include Trustees from Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. So all four nations are involved in governing the MS Society.
See our constitution, operating policies and annual reports
Our Board is made up of 10 to 15 people. Seven Trustees are appointed by the Electorate, which is made up of MS Society supporters who have opted to engage with us by voting. The Board appoints a Chair, a Treasurer, and three Trustees, one each for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. They may also co-opt up to three additional Trustees who have certain skills we need.
Trustees stay on the Board for a set number of years, depending on whether they are elected, appointed, or co-opted. They are all chosen through an open recruitment process.
Vote in trustee elections
You need to be a member of our electorate to vote for new trustees to join the Board. When you join, we’ll ask if you’d prefer to vote online or by post.
Board meeting summary reports
Listening to people affected by MS
Listening to, and working closely with, people affected by MS has always been central to our work. Over the past year, we've been reviewing how we hear from the MS community. So that people's experiences and insights can better shape our work and priorities.
How we're turning community feedback into action
We’re changing the way that we work to enable us to hear from a broader range of people affected by MS. We're strengthening our relationships with local communities and volunteers, and ensuring that feedback continues to shape the future of the organisation.
What this means for National Councils
As these new ways of working with our community has developed, the Board of Trustees has now approved the retirement of National Councils.
National Councils have played an important role in the MS Society for many years, and we'd like to thank everyone who has served on a council for the time, commitment and experience they've shared. Their contribution has helped shape our work and support people affected by MS across the UK.
Although National Councils have now come to an end, community voice remains at the heart of everything we do. These decisions have been made to help us hear from a broader range of people affected by MS and understand the issues that matter most to them. And use those insights to shape the future of the organisation.
Alongside this, we'll continue developing how volunteers share feedback about their experience of volunteering. And we'll continue to ensure both community insight and volunteer experience help us improve what we do.
As these new approaches develop, further updates will be shared with volunteers, including opportunities to get involved and share feedback.
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About us
We’re the MS Society – a community of people living with MS, scientists, campaigners, volunteers and fundraisers.
We understand what life’s like with MS, and we support each other through the highs, lows and everything in between.
And we’re driving research into more – and better – treatments. For everyone.
Together, we are strong enough to stop MS.