Charity Accounts and Annual Return Deadlines for 2026: A Trustee’s Planning Guide

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 you can support your board, stay compliant, and focus on strategy without stress.

This guide draws on the experience of Simon Bladen, Audit Partner at Hawsons, who advises a wide portfolio of charities on reporting, audit readiness, and financial governance.

Whether you’re the Chair, Treasurer, or a long-serving trustee keeping a close eye on finances, this article sets out what you need to know about charity accounts, annual return deadlines, SORP 2026, audit thresholds, and HMRC filing dates. You can save it, share it with your Finance Manager or CEO, and refer to it throughout the year.

Introduction to Charity Reporting

Charity reporting is central to good governance and transparency. It’s how trustees show accountability to supporters, funders, and regulators. All registered charities in England and Wales must file an annual return with the Charity Commission, which gathers financial data and governance details to help monitor compliance with charity law.

Why January Is the Right Time to Plan

Many trustees take stock in January. It’s a quieter window when you can get ahead of the year’s reporting, planning, and governance workload.

Creating a trustee planning calendar now helps you:

• Stay on top of charity accounts and annual return deadlines
• Plan ahead for trustee sign-off and approval windows
• Support your finance team with a shared sense of timing
• Protect your charity’s reputation and compliance status

It’s also a great time to revisit your charity budgeting checklist, especially if you’ve just set a new financial year or strategy.

Charity Budget Planning and Forecasting Checklist

January: Setting the Budget

If your financial year begins in April or January, now is the time to:

• Review financial performance from the previous year
• Check income forecasts and likely costs
• Discuss reserves and how they’re being used
• Confirm when the board will approve the budget

Quarterly Forecasting

Agree when you’ll reforecast through the year. A good rhythm is:

• April (Q1)
• July (Q2)
• October (Q3)

This helps trustees spot issues early and respond in good time.

Charity Accounts and Audit Planning

Common trustee concern: Do we need an audit, or will an independent examination do?

Every charity must prepare a set of accounts and a trustees' annual report. The type depends on your income and structure:

• Under £25,000: Minimal reporting
• £25,000 to £1 million: Independent examination usually sufficient
• Over £1 million: Full audit usually required

From 30 September 2026, audit thresholds increase:

• Income threshold rises from £1 million to £1.5 million
• Asset threshold rises from £3.26 million to £5 million

These changes give more flexibility, but it’s worth checking now whether you’ll cross any thresholds in the next financial year.

When to File Charity Accounts

• Deadline: 10 months after your financial year-end
• Example: Year-end 31 March 2026 = deadline 31 January 2027

Trustees should aim to approve accounts well ahead of this, to avoid last-minute pressure.

Charity Auditing Thresholds at a Glance

SORP 2026: What Trustees Need to Know

Common trustee question: What’s changing with SORP 2026?

From 1 January 2026, the updated Charity SORP applies. It introduces:

• A tiered approach based on charity size
• More focus on reserves, risk, and future plans
• Clearer expectations for your narrative trustee report

“SORP 2026 isn’t about extra red tape, it’s about clearer reporting for trustees and stakeholders. The key is to start conversations early, particularly around reserves and risk. It’s not just about compliance, it’s about telling your story well.”
— Simon Bladen, Audit Partner at Hawsons

Trustees should check now whether they’ll need to make changes to internal reporting or board approval processes to meet the new standard.

You can find more on SORP 2026 guidance via the Charities SORP website.

Annual Report Requirements

Your charity’s annual report is the story of your year. It explains your purpose, impact, and finances in one accessible document.

It must include:

• A summary of your aims and activities
• What your charity achieved
• How income was used and managed
• Commentary on reserves, risks, and plans

If your income exceeds £25,000, you’ll need an independent examiner’s report as well. The full annual report must be submitted to the Charity Commission within 10 months of your year-end.

A strong annual report is more than a requirement, it’s a trust-building tool.

Tax, Payroll and HMRC Deadlines for Charities

Trustee tip: Unsure how to stay on top of Gift Aid claims? Set a quarterly or half-yearly schedule and assign clear ownership.

Even if you’re not paying Corporation Tax, charities still have regular HMRC duties. These include:

Corporation Tax (if applicable)

• Return due 12 months after year-end
• Tax payment due 9 months and 1 day after year-end

Only applies to taxable trading activity or subsidiaries.

VAT Return Deadlines

• If your charity is VAT-registered, returns are due 1 month and 7 days after each quarter ends

Claiming Gift Aid

• No fixed deadline, but most charities claim quarterly or bi-annually

P60 and P11D Deadlines

• P60s to staff: by 31 May 2026
• P11D / P11D(b): by 6 July 2026

Internal Charity Reporting Checklist and Risk Review

Trustees must be able to read and question financial updates with confidence. Therefore it is important to build a regular internal reporting rhythm:

• Management accounts (monthly or quarterly)
• Forecasts and variance reports
• Reserves monitoring
• Commentary from your finance lead

Once a year, revisit your:

• Risk register
• Reserves policy
• Fraud controls and whistleblowing procedures

This doesn’t have to be onerous. A simple governance calendar helps trustees feel in control.

Independent Examination Requirements

If your income is over £25,000 and under audit thresholds, you’ll usually need an independent examination. This review of your accounts by someone with appropriate experience ensures your financial statements are accurate and credible.

Trustees must appoint the examiner and approve the report. It forms part of your annual submission.

Company Filings (If Applicable)

Charities that are also registered companies must file with Companies House as well as the Charity Commission.

You must submit:

• Full annual accounts
• Confirmation statement (usually due within 14 days of your incorporation anniversary)

Deadlines:

• Accounts: 9 months after your financial year-end
• Confirmation statement: Annually, by your due date

These filings matter. Delays can lead to penalties and reputational risk.

Avoiding Late Filing

Late filing can:

• Lead to financial penalties
• Trigger public warnings from the Charity Commission
• Undermine trust with donors, regulators and the public

To stay on track:

• Build a trustee planning calendar
• Confirm who owns each submission
• Give the board visibility well in advance
• Ask for external advice if needed

Save or Share This Planning Calendar

Use this article to build a simple planning tool. You could:

• Add key dates to your board meeting planner
• Share it with your CEO or finance team
• Turn it into a checklist for your annual strategy session

How Hawsons Supports Charity Trustees With Reporting and Compliance

You don’t need to keep all these deadlines in your head. That’s what we’re here for.

If you’d like a second opinion on your trustee planning calendar, support preparing for SORP 2026, or guidance on audit and reserves, we’re always happy to help. We work with charity boards across the UK and understand the practical challenges you face.

Here’s to a well-planned, well-governed 2026.

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