The ATCS is designed to cut off terrorist funding and ensure that government departments and agencies can collect and share information required for countering the terrorist threat. The freezing powers in the Act are available wherever funds could be used to finance terrorism. There is a power to seize terrorist cash anywhere in the UK, and the power to freeze assets at the start of an investigation, rather than when the person is about to be charged, reducing the risk that funds will be used or moved before they can be frozen. ATCS allows the Treasury to freeze the assets of overseas governments or residents who have taken, or are likely to take, action to the detriment of the UK's economy or action constituting a threat to the life or property of a national or resident of the UK. The Act contains information sharing gateways to ensure that public authorities can disclose information for the purposes of a criminal investigation or proceedings.