slb@hawsons.co.uk Charity trustees are accustomed to navigating an evolving regulatory environment. While most legislative updates do not alter the day-to-day work of a charity, trustees still need to understand what is changing and whether it affects their...
slb@hawsons.co.uk A Wake-Up Call for Charity Boards Research has found that late charity account filings rose by 51% in 2023/24. This is a concerning increase, but the context matters. In many cases, late filing is not simply a sign of weak governance. It reflects the...
slb@hawsons.co.uk As a trustee, you’re not expected to know every compliance detail, but you are expected to ask the right questions. That’s where a clear plan helps. This guide is designed to give you oversight of the key dates and deadlines that matter in 2026, so...
slb@hawsons.co.uk Plans to simplify how VAT is applied to business donations to charity have been welcomed by Charity Finance Group (CFG), who say the proposals could remove unnecessary barriers and unlock more support for the sector. What’s being proposed?...
slb@hawsons.co.uk Gift Aid is one of the most straightforward ways to increase your charity’s income, but it’s surprising how often it’s overlooked. For every £1 donated by a UK taxpayer, you could be potentially claiming an extra 25p as tax relief from HMRC. Whether...
Over the past few weeks, staff at Hawsons have been stepping away from their desks, and giving back to the local community by volunteering at a local animal sanctuary! Each day a group of staff headed down to Thornberry Animal Sanctuary, a rescue centre based in South...
The Mass Participation Pulse 2025 report has found that participation in mass fundraising events has not only recovered from pre-pandemic levels but exceeded them for the first time. This report was based on a survey of over 11,000 UK adults which was conducted in...
On 7th October 2024, the Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud reimbursement scheme came into force. The scheme was introduced by the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) which mandates bank and payment service providers must reimburse charities that are victims of APP fraud...
Charity accounting in the UK is based upon Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 102 which is subject to periodic review every five years. The latest revision to FRS 102 was published in March 2024. The Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) provides...
Recent research from the eighth quarterly VCSE Sector Barometer from Pro Bono Economics has found that only 37% of charities have what they consider to be a complete board of trustees. This means that 63% of charities have an incomplete board of trustees at the time...
The new Justice Minister, Shabana Mahmood, has said she is pledging to make public funding a priority and to smooth relations with the Legal Aid Agency. The Legal Aid Minister, Heidi Alexander admitted that the legal aid system was on life support and it would be a...
The SRA has been given the go ahead by the Legal Services Board (LSB) to increase the compensation fund contribution for 2024/25 by 270%. This decision has been made partly to cover the costs of the Axiom Ince intervention. In addition to the increased contributions,...