What to include in a Charity Commission UK Annual Return

You are responsible for completing and submitting an annual return to the UK Charity Commission for the first time – congratulations! This means your charitable organisation, whether big or small, is generating income and, most importantly – it is raising money for a worthy cause. Such as with any business, there are mandatory pieces of accounting to file, both to HMRC and any relevant boards (in your case, the UK Charity Commission under the Charities Act). In this article, we cover the 5 steps involved in completing a return.

The 5 stages of a Charity Commission UK Annual Return form

Stage One: Choose a Format

Familiarise yourself with the general layout of an annual return form. Though there are several ways of presenting an annual return to the Charity Commission, it’s best to find a format that you are comfortable filling out and that the Commission is expecting to see. You can either seek help from a charity accountant, or download a free template from a credible website.

Stage Two: Introduce Your Charitable Organisation

Firstly, you need to introduce your charity name in full and any legal information, such as your company registration number and your charity IRD. If you are struggling, try to copy the information from your Companies House profile. You don’t need to sell your business here… you are simply providing factual details.

Stage Three: List Your Charity Trustees

If your charitable organisation has trustees belonging to it (they may also be known as directors or board members), now’s the time to include their names, roles, and contact details. The Charity Commission might reach out to them to question any legal obligations, such as incorrect information or the need for a site audit.

If you need more information on charity audits, jump to our recent article here 

Stage Four: Include Financial Statements & Donor Receipts

Next, you should detail your financial statements – including income generated, income spent on the charity/employee wages, and any expenses used. We’d also recommend you include donor receipts and any accompanying information, for example, if they’re a Gift Aid donation (link to The Basics of Gift Aid blog).

Stage Five: Discuss Your Charity’s Policies

Within your Charity Commission UK annual report, you need to detail your organisation’s policies and certifications. This is a tricky one – so if you need advice, we’d recommend entrusting a chartered charity accountant to help you. At Harris Lacey and Swain, our accountants are always on-hand to give no-obligation advice.