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UK Statutory Instrument
2008
United Kingdom
Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
16 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide · 1 journey
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Trustee 10
- Any Person 6
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Trustees also bound by 8 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Charities Act 2011 2011 25 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 11 duties
- Insolvency Act 1986 1986 5 duties
- Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 2017 3 duties
- Taxes Management Act 1970 1970 1 duty
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — GENERAL
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 2 — FORM AND CONTENT OF STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNT
Form and content of statement of accounts: special case charities
- Prepare and sign accounts for special case charities Trustee
Form and content of statement of accounts: charities other than investment funds or special case charities
- Prepare annual statement of accounts for your charity Trustee
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 3 — PREPARATION OF GROUP ACCOUNTS
Requirement for financial years of a parent charity and its subsidiary undertakings to coincide
- Align financial years of parent and subsidiary charities Trustee
Form and content of group accounts: parent charities that are investment funds
- Prepare group accounts for charities that are investment funds Trustee
Form and content of group accounts: parent charities that are special case charities
- Prepare and format group accounts for special case parent charities Trustee
Form and content of group accounts: general requirements
- Prepare and consolidate group accounts for parent charities Trustee
Group Accounts: departure from the general rules
- Depart from standard group accounting rules to ensure a 'true and fair view' Trustee
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Meaning of “aggregate gross income”
Financial years of subsidiary undertakings
Form and content of group accounts: general
Form and content of group accounts: parent charities that are not investment funds or special case charities
Exceptions relating to requirement to prepare group accounts
Exceptions relating to requirement to prepare group accounts
Part 4 — SCRUTINY OF ACCOUNTS
Duties of auditors: audit of a statement of accounts prepared under section 42(1) of the 1993 Act
- Auditors must investigate and report on charity accounts Any Person
Duties of auditor: audit of accounts prepared under Part 7 of the Companies Act 1985
- Auditor must report on charity company accounts Any Person
Duties of auditors: audit of a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities prepared under section 42(3) of the 1993 Act
- Auditors must report on charity receipts and payments accounts Any Person
Duties of auditors carrying out an audit of group accounts under paragraph 6 of Schedule 5A to the Charities Act 1993
- Auditors must prepare a formal report on charity group accounts Any Person
Independent examination of individual charity accounts
- Independent examiners must provide a detailed report on charity accounts Any Person
Examination of the accounts of English and Welsh National Health Service Charities
- NHS charity examiners must provide detailed accounts reports to trustees Any Person
Ceasing to hold office
- Provide a statement when ceasing to be a charity auditor Trustee
Browse 10 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Duties of auditors: general
Duties of auditors: general
Duties of examiners: general
Duties of examiners: general
Duties of auditors of the accounts of English National Health Service Charities
Duties of auditors of accounts of Welsh National Health Service Charities
Audit of accounts of larger groups
Audit and independent examination: supplementary provisions
Dispensations from audit or examination requirements
Auditors appointed by the Commission
Part 5 — ANNUAL REPORTS
Annual Reports: non-parent investment fund
- Prepare and sign an annual report for non-parent investment funds Trustee
Annual Reports: parent investment funds
- Prepare and sign detailed annual reports for parent investment funds Trustee
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Schedules
Browse 20 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNTS: INVESTMENT FUNDS
The statement of total return must show—
In the case of a common investment fund to which...
In the case of a common deposit fund, the specified...
Despite the requirement in paragraph 11(c) to divide into separate...
(1) The statement of total return must give a true...
(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), in respect of...
The values at which assets and liabilities of an investment...
(1) The information to be provided by way of notes...
(1) In this Schedule— “dividend equalisation reserve” means income withheld...
Subject to paragraph 4, the information required by paragraph 1...
In the case of a common investment fund established by...
Where a sub-paragraph of paragraph 2 requires information to be...
The statement of change in net assets must provide a...
The reconciliation referred to in paragraph 5 must show—
In the case of a common investment fund to which...
The balance sheet must show the state of affairs of...
In the case of a common investment fund to which...
NOTES TO THE STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS PREPARED BY A CHARITY THAT IS NOT AN INVESTMENT FUND OR SPECIAL CASE CHARITY
(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) and in so...
Other sections — not classified into a Part
These sections exist in the Act but the contents-of-Parts walker did not place them under a Part. Likely amendments or sections inserted out of the original Part structure.
Browse 41 other unclassified sections
Citation and commencement
Interpretation
Financial year of a charity which is not a company
Application, revocation, savings and transitional provisions
General
Form and content of statement of accounts: investment funds
Form and content of statement of accounts: special case charities
Form and content of statement of accounts: charities other than investment funds or special case charities
Meaning of “aggregate gross income”
Financial years of subsidiary undertakings
Requirement for financial years of a parent charity and its subsidiary undertakings to coincide
Form and content of group accounts: general
Form and content of group accounts: parent charities that are investment funds
Form and content of group accounts: parent charities that are special case charities
Form and content of group accounts: parent charities that are not investment funds or special case charities
Form and content of group accounts: general requirements
Group Accounts: departure from the general rules
Exceptions relating to requirement to prepare group accounts
(1) The circumstances in which a subsidiary undertaking may be...
Duties of auditors: general
The duties of an auditor carrying out an audit of...
Duties of examiners: general
The duties of an examiner with respect to the making...
Duties of auditors: audit of a statement of accounts prepared under section 42(1) of the
Duties of auditor: audit of accounts prepared under Part 7 of the Companies Act 1985
Duties of auditors: audit of a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities prepared under section 42(3) of the 1993 Act
Duties of auditors of the accounts of English National Health Service Charities
Duties of auditors of accounts of Welsh National Health Service Charities
Audit of accounts of larger groups
Duties of auditors carrying out an audit of group accounts under paragraph 6 of Schedule 5A to the Charities Act 1993
Independent examination of individual charity accounts
Examination of the accounts of English and Welsh National Health Service Charities
Audit and independent examination: supplementary provisions
Dispensations from audit or examination requirements
Ceasing to hold office
Auditors appointed by the Commission
General
Annual Reports: non-parent investment fund
Annual Reports: parent investment funds
Annual reports: non-parent charity
Annual Reports: qualifying parent charities
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Independent examination guidance (CC32) (opens in a new tab) Publication
- Charity reporting essentials (CC15d) (opens in a new tab) Publication
- Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- OSCR accounts and finance guidance (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Charity Commission for England and Wales
Statutory regulator of registered charities in England and Wales. Maintains the public register of charities (168,000+ registered). Ensures charity trustees comply with …
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Regulators
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