Articles in "Charities"

East Anglian chartered accountants Lovewell Blake has been named the best in the UK for its charity expertise by Charity Finance magazine, in its annual survey of accountancy firms offering specialist services to the charity sector.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has issued updated guidance for academy trusts on the subject of reserves policy – and trustees should be familiarising themselves with the new advice before taking decisions about the levels of reserves held within their trust.

Charities are being urged not to delay completing their statutory Annual Returns, as a new format means that the task will require more time and input than in previous years.

The Charity Commission’s document aimed at charity trustees which gives guidance on investing charity money has been significantly updated.

A new study is aiming to identify the issues charities in the region face in attracting trustees – and existing trustees are being urged to take part in the research to help the sector tackle a growing issue.

A recent Supreme Court case could prove to be a game-changer for some charities – as it has clarified the position on Mandatory Rates Relief (MRR) for charities, and will make it much easier for them to challenge local authorities which reject their MRR applications.

Small charities with employees are often unaware that they are eligible for the Employment Allowance. This enables them to reduce their annual National Insurance liability by up to £5,000, so long as their total NI liabilities were less than £100,000 in the previous tax year. Unincorporated charities and Community Action Sports Clubs are also eligible.

The Charity Commission’s new “My Charity Commission Account” service will go live on Monday 31 July.