slb@hawsons.co.uk A startling figure has emerged from last year’s Charity Commission investigations: more than 35 charities were found to have filed their accounts late, despite being under regulatory scrutiny for their previous reporting lapses. As part of the...
slb@hawsons.co.uk Why Diversifying Income Is Vital for Charities Today The charity funding environment is ever changing. Trusts and foundations are offering fewer grants, the cost-of-living crisis has affected both donors and operating costs, resulting in fiercer...
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?...
On 11 June 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered a landmark Spending Review, where she pledged to increase departmental spending by 2.3% per year in real terms. An additional £190 billion is to be allocated to public services, sectors such as healthcare, transport...
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 development of the first International Non-Profit Accounting Guidance (INPAG) for non-profit entities has progressed into a third and final consultation. Currently, no international accounting guidance exists for non-profit organisations. What issues does...
A recent analysis by Pro Bono Economics (PBE) has found that rates of formal volunteering have reached an all-time low as 40% of charities report that volunteering numbers have been insufficient to enable them to meet their main objectives in the last 12 months. Small...
Navigating the financial landscape can be complex, especially when it comes to managing accounts for different types of organisation. While both business and charity financial reporting is essential for their respective entities, they serve distinct purposes and...
The role of a charity trustee One of the biggest challenges for charities and trustees is determining where trustee involvement should begin and end. This is particularly important for small and growing charities. It is also important to clarify the differing roles of...