ICAEW articles and features
Charity Conference insights: the Five Big Cs of 2025
On 23 and 24 January, we held our two-day virtual Charity Conference. Nearly 1,500 of you joined us and we were thrilled with your engagement and feedback. Despite a varied mix of technical updates, lively panel sessions and thought-provoking keynotes, certain themes repeated throughout the Conference, summarised as the Five Big Cs: Charities SORP, Confidence, Collaboration, Cash deposits and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Charities brace for Economic Crime Act impact
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act has corporate criminal fraud and economic crime in its sights. But the impact on charities is not to be underestimated. We examine the implications.
Has your charity’s governance kept pace with its evolution?
In a session at our Small Charities event in October, Nick Sladden, Partner and Head of Charities at RSM, talked about the organisational life cycle of a charity, based on Larry E. Greiner’s article, ‘Evolution and Revolution as Organizations Grow’. Drawing on his own experience as a trustee, Sladden adapted Greiner’s model to small charities. Can you identify which life cycle stage your charity is in and how well the board has adapted its governance processes?
ICAEW webinars and recordings
Exclusive
Lessons from internal audit: how charity trustees can gain assurance
This ICAEW Charity community on-demand webinar will examine the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of internal audit for charities and advise how to scale down internal audit concepts to smaller charities without resources for an internal audit function.
Exclusive
Fund accounting – pitfalls and new opportunities
Avoid common fund accounting mistakes and learn about changes from the Charities Act 2022 with this ICAEW Charity community on-demand webinar.
SORP updates and the ongoing developments of the Charities SORP
In this webinar, chaired by Kristina Kopic (Head of Charity and Voluntary Sector, ICAEW), we discuss the development of the next Charities SORP and remind you of the resources on the SORP site, which include advice and reporting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also talk about the SORP engagement process from a practitioner's perspective and discuss the ICAEW's resources aimed at assisting practitioners accounting for the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
Charity Reserves
Find out how to set and communicate a suitable reserves policy for your charity. This webinar was recorded in September 2020.
Charity Community
The community focuses on supporting finance professionals in their paid or voluntary roles in the charity and voluntary sectors. It offers regular e-newsletters containing the latest news and updates, as well as technical helpsheets, webinars and discounts on ICAEW events.
Register of award holders (DChA)
A directory of finance professionals who have been awarded the Diploma in Charity Accounting. The directory is searchable by name, location and organisation.
eBooks
The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our
Help and support advice or contact
library@icaew.com.
Exclusive
Charity law and governance: a practical guide
Guidance on the legal and regulatory framework within which both registered and unregistered charities in England and Wales operate. This title looks at the meaning of governance in the charity sector and the link between law, good governance and the role of trustees in the stewardship of charitable funds and assets.
Title has been revised to cover the latest developments in charity law and governance, including the 2015 Charities SORP and The Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016.
Exclusive
How to run a charity (2nd edition)
This guide offers practical support and advice to anyone involved in the management and administration of charities. Looks at the legal framework, finance and managing assets, the role and responsibility of charity boards and trustees in both theory and practice. Includes case studies of both good and bad practice. Updated to reflect the latest legislation including the 2015 Charities SORP and the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016.
Bloomsbury Accounting and Tax Service
Eligible firms have free access to Bloomsbury Professional's comprehensive online library, comprising around 80 titles from some of the country's leading tax and accounting subject matter experts. Find out who is eligible and how you can access the
Bloomsbury Accounting and Tax Service.
Exclusive
Charities - Sch 8 Group 15
A section on Sch 8 Group 15 to the VAT Act 1994, which zero-rates a variety of supplies either by a charity, or to a charity. Includes a consideration of donated goods and relevant goods.
Exclusive
Charitable trusts
A chapter providing guidance for tax advisers on issues relevant to the taxation of charitable trusts. Covers taxation on setting up, charity tax relief, and charity structures.
Exclusive
Charitable trusts
A chapter providing an overview of the nature of charitable trusts, the practicalities of their registration and operation, and their treatment for tax purposes (including the various reliefs available).
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission is the regulator for charities in England and Wales and responsible for setting the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice, along with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Charity accounts, financial reporting and tax
Essential information on preparing charity annual returns, accounts and trustees' annual reports collected in one place. The listed resources include introductory guides, example accounts, document templates and technical guidance for auditors, independent examiners, trustees and those managing charity finances.
Example trustees annual reports
Example trustee reports and accounts prepared using FRS 102 and following the Charities SORP. The examples cover a company limited by guarantee and an unincorporated trust.
Register of charities
Search for charities by keyword, classification, income range or other criteria. The register also provides access to downloadable annual reports or annual accounts for many charities, historical data and a top 50 ranking of charities by income, spending, growth and other criteria.
Charity Commission of Northern Ireland
The Charity Commission of Northern Ireland is an independent regulator responsible for setting the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice, alongside the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
It provides a suite of guidance on annual reporting providing an introduction to, and overview of, the requirements for charities. Areas covered include receipts and payments accounts, accruals accounts, annual monitoring returns, guidance for independent examiners, template examiners reports and trustees annual reports.
Financial Reporting Council (FRC)
The FRC sets the principles and procedures that external auditors in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are required to follow. The FRC has published guidance relating to charities, including:
HMRC
HMRC produces many resources on charities and tax, including a set of detailed guidance notes and information on Gift Aid and the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme.
Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) is an independent body responsible for setting the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice, alongside the Charity Commission.
The regulator maintains guidance on charity accounting in Scotland, including example accounts and an online version of Scottish Charity Accounts: An updated guide to the 2006 Regulations:
Other guidance
Retention of Accounting Records
The firm Buzzacott has compiled a table showing suggested retention periods for the most commonly held documents alongside explanatory notes. Published in 2020.
Other organisations
Association of Charity Independent Examiners
Body representing independent examiners with information about the role of the organisation, membership and independent examination.
Charity Finance Group
Specialist organisation (previously the Charity Finance Directors' Group), which assists charities to manage their finance functions. The website contains details of membership and abstracts of information sheets for the charities sector.
Charity Tax Group (CTG)
A non-profit membership organisation previously known as the Charities' Tax Reform Group, which makes representations to government on issues relating to the taxation of charities. The site includes details of its campaign priorities and information on membership.
Charities Internal Audit Network (CIAN)
Supported by the Charity Commission and the Institute of Internal Auditors UK and Ireland, the aim of CIAN is to assist its members in the voluntary sector. CIAN offers a forum, latest news, training opportunities and a special interest groups section.
Croner-i Audit and Accounting Sector Guides
Croner-i publishes a Charity Sector guide that provides specialist guidance on the legal, auditing and accounting aspects of dealing with charities.
To find out more, please contact the Library enquiry team on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com. Access to this resource is for ICAEW members and students only.
The library provides access to a range of articles in full text from leading business, finance and management journals. Access to articles is provided to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers'
terms of use.
Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection
The collection of the ICAEW
Library & Information Service includes a number of articles and books on accounting for charities. Use the links below to see some of the titles available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Charity Finance yearbook, 2025
Aimed at charity finance professionals, this yearbook includes updates and insights on accounting and audit, VAT and taxation, investment strategy, responsible investment and finance, risk management, funding, performance evaluation, governance, legal and regulatory matters, HR and pensions, information technology, and property. Also included are various model job descriptions and model terms of reference.
The taxation of small businesses, 2024-25
A practical, single-volume guide to all aspects of direct taxation of small businesses. The author clearly explains the relevant legislation, and offers practical advice on how to minimise clients' tax liabilities and avoid common pitfalls. This latest edition incorporates changes arising from the Finance Acts 2024.
Charity Finance SORP compliance checklist, 2024
This regularly updated publication covers a range of compliance issues relating to charity accounts and audits. It sets out the essential reporting obligations, and is specifically tailored for charities that prepare accruals-based accounts. The Library also holds previous editions.
The charity treasurer's handbook
This book looks at charity finances from the perspective of treasurers and finance officers in smaller charities; treasurers and finance officers of larger charities will find much of the content is applicable to them too.
Tudor on charities, 11th ed.
A comprehensive guide to the law relating to charities, written by expert practitioners. It covers a wide range of topics, including the meaning of “charity” and “charitable purposes”, the special legal treatment of charities, the role of the Charity Commission, the powers and duties of charity trustees, charities taxation, and more.
Charity accounting and reporting: an introduction
Contains sections: what is a charity; accounting and reporting- principles; the trustees' annual report and accounts; receipts and payments accounts; accruals accounts; external scrutiny; taxation; and summary of requirements.
To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.
You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.
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