The charities SORP gives guidance on financial accounting and reporting for charitable entities. On this page you can access a range of articles, books and online resources providing quick links to the regulations, guidance and other key documentation.
We also have a separate page on accounting for charities in general.
Statements of Recommended Practice (SORPs)
Issuing bodies
The Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland are responsible for issuing the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) for charities.
Full-text sources for the SORP
Charities SORP (FRS 102) – Second edition October 2019
Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102 effective from 1 January 2019. Published in October 2019. The SORP can be accessed as modules on the SORP website or the full SORP downloaded in PDF or Word format.
Guidance from the issuing bodies
SORP examples and useful information
Example accounts under FRS 102 for charities in England and Wales and in Scotland. The examples cover a variety of entity types.
Accruals accounts pack (CC17): SORP FRS 102
Templates to help non-company charities prepare their trustees' annual report and accruals accounts in accordance with Charities SORP FRS 102. The pack also includes a trustees' annual report template (SORP FRS 102) and independent examiner's report template (SORP FRS 102). Updated in September 2016.
Information sheets and help sheets
Provides suggested solutions to implementation issues from applying charities SORP (FRS 102) together with further information about the changes introduced by the new SORPs.
- Information Sheet 1: suggested solutions for implementation issues
- Information Sheet 2: Accounting for gift aid payments made by a subsidiary to its parent charity where no legal obligation to make the payment exists
- Information sheet 3: The Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting) Regulations 2018 and UK Company Charities
- Information sheet 4: Amendments to FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland – Multi-employer defined benefit plans
- Information sheet 5: The Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018-UK, as applied to Charitable Companies (reissued September 2020)
- Information sheet 6: Irish Charities - Merger Accounting and Republic of Ireland Company Law
Other guidance
Charities SORP Information Sheet for Community Benefit Societies
Information sheet designed to assist practitioners in implementing the Charities SORP (FRS 102) in relation to the preparation of accounts for Charitable Community Benefit Societies with specific reference to their use of community shares. The information sheet has not yet been formally published by the SORP making body and is being made available by Co-operatives UK for reference.
Featured resources
Charity Finance SORP compliance checklist
Comprehensive guide for charity practitioners and advisers covering SORP compliance and other regulatory issues. Available to borrow from the ICAEW Library
Timeline of previous SORPs, consultations and guidance
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2020
Implications of COVID-19 control measures and charity financial reporting
The Charities SORP Committee published guidance for trustees and preparers of charity accounts on 23 March 2020, focusing on the "financial reporting implications that may arise from the measures being put in place to contain the impact of the COVID-19 virus." -
2019
Guiding the Development of the Charities SORP: ICAEW Representation 20/19
ICAEW response issued in February 2019 to the the consultation opened by the Charities SORP Governance Review Panel.Guiding the development of the Charities SORP: Exploring changes to the way the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities is developed
Invitation to comment issued by the Charities SORP Governance Review Panel in November 2018. The call for comments closed in February 2019. -
2018
Charities SORP (FRS 102) Update Bulletin 2
This second bulletin takes into account the amendments to FRS 102 made in the December 2017 Triennial Review. It should be read in addition to applying Update Bulletin 1. Published on 5 October 2018 by CIPFA, the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, and the OSCR.Update Bulletin 2 - Consultation launched 20 February 2018
Consultation documents and background information from the Charity Commission and OSCR. The consultation period closed on 4 April 2018. -
2016
Research exercise on Charities SORP (FRS 102)
The joint SORP-making body and SORP Committee launched a consultation on 4 May 2016 seeking the views of users, practitioners, commentators and the accountancy profession following the first year of the Charities SORP (FRS 102) that became effective on 1 January 2015. The responses received are available to view online.Charities SORP (FRS 102) Update Bulletin 1
Amendments to the July 2014 SORP withdrawing the Charities SORP (FRSSE) and taking into account changes to FRS 102 and the Charities Act 2011 (Accounts and Audit) Order 2015. The update was published by the Charity Commission, OSCR and CIPFA on 2 February 2016. -
2015
Changes in UK accounting prompt consultation on Charities SORP
Press release issued by the Charity Commission on 18 June 2015 announcing a draft Update Bulletin outlining proposed changes to the SORP. Further information on the SORP consultation is available from the Charities SORP microsite, covering the change to the SORP for FRS 102, a replacement for the SORP based on FRSSE and a revised definition of ‘larger charity’ in the SORPs. The consultation closed on 18 September 2015. -
2014
Charities SORP (FRS 102)
Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102, effective from 1 January 2015. Published in July 2014. Available through the archive of previous editions on the Charities SORP website.Charities SORP (FRSSE)
Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities, effective 1 January 2015. Published in July 2014. Following consultation, the Charities SORP (FRSSE) will not apply from 2016. Available through the archive of previous editions on the Charities SORP website.Charities SORP consultation
A new exposure draft was published by the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator on 8 July 2013. The consultation closed on 4 November 2013 and an analysis of the responses was published in March 2014. -
2007
Charities and Risk Management
Guidance from the Charity Commission on the risk management elements introduced by the SORP 2005. Topics include reporting of risk management in the Trustees' Annual Report, example format of a risk register and examples of potential risk areas, their impact and mitigation. -
2005
Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice
The full text of the SORP 2005, updated in May 2008, is available for download from the Charity Commission. Available through the archive of previous editions on the Charities SORP website. -
2004
Consultation: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
The Charity Commission launched a Charity SORP Consultation on 30th June 2004, alongside an exposure draft for a new edition of the SORP. A summary of the responses was published in December 2004. -
2003
Inputs Matter: Improving the Quality of Reporting in the Charity Sector
In November 2003 the Charity Finance Directors' Group (CFDG) published a consultation document, which made a number of proposals to 'improve the quality and consistency of charity annual reports' ranging from the valuation of volunteer time to redefining management and administration costs as governance costs. The consultation focuses on the inputs into charity accounts and it was anticipated that the report would contribute to the next annual SORP review. A summary of responses to the consultation was published in April 2004.Accounting and reporting by Charities (the Charities SORP) - Update Bulletin 1
Update (24 pages, PDF format) from the Charity Commission which addresses all new accounting standards and abstracts issued by the ASB since the publication of SORP 2000. Published January 2003. -
2002
Private Action, Public Benefit: A Review of Charities and the Wider Not-For-Profit Sector
Report published by the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit in September 2002, now hosted on Co-Operatives UK website. The report's conclusions include the recommendation to strengthen the focus of the Charity SORP 'on achievements against objectives, organisational impact and future strategy' (see chapter 6 on Building public trust and confidence and supporting the sector in improving performance). -
2000
Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice
The Charity Commission published a new edition of the SORP which came into full effect on 1 January 2001. A summary of associated materials was also provided on a dedicated SORP 2000 page, including guidance on what changed with the new SORP.Accounting by charities: the proposed changes to the regulations on charity accounts and reports
ICAEW memorandum published in May 2000 in response to the Charity Commission's Consultation on Draft Regulations on Charity Accounts and Reports from March 2000. -
1999
Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Exposure Draft of Recommended Practice (Revised 1999)
In December 1999 the Charity Commission issued a exposure draft for a new SORP to replace the SORP issued in 1995, following on from a consultation in September 1998. -
1995
Accounting by charities
Statement of Recommended Practice issued by the Charity Commission in 1995. The ICAEW Library holds copies in its print collection.The Charity Commission later produced a publication setting out the charity accounting framework under SORP 1995 and the 1995 Accounting Regulations, for charities with new financial years which started on or before 31 December 2000. The publication includes links to a range of guidance associated with SORP 1995 (CCs 51-58).
Online articles
Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection
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You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.
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