Tate is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), whose prime sponsor is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). A NDPB is a body which has a role in the process of national government but is not a government department or part of one, and accordingly operates to a greater or lesser extent at arm's length from Ministers. The Director of Tate is also the Accounting Officer appointed by the DCMS. Operating under the Museums and Galleries Act 1992, Tate employs its own staff and holds responsibility for its own expenditure.

Tate is an exempt charity that receives funding from the DCMS, but is also able to raise funds from sponsorship, donations and legacies. Tate is accountable to the public via Parliament for the services it provides and as such, is required to demonstrate that it is conducting its operations as economically and effectively as possible. The framework outlining Tate's links with the DCMS in ensuring the compliance with a range of statutory requirements is laid out in the: