Charities warned to submit accounts on time

The Charity Commission launches a campaign today to warn charities that it is upping the ante in its approach to enforcement, following last year's showing when over a third of charities failed to send in their annual accounts and returns on time.

As well as naming defaulting charities on its website, persistent defaulters "are increasingly at risk of a Commission investigation", the agency said.

A 'postcode detector' feature on the Commission's new website will also highlight the best and worst regions for getting accounts in on time in England and Wales.

Speaking before the campaign launch on 01 October, director of operations at the Charity Commission, Simon Gillespie said: "The donating public has every right to know how charities are spending their money, and people are increasingly exercising this right. It's vital that trustees and finance directors take the issues of accountability and transparency seriously, and work with their accountants and the Commission to ensure their charities meet the 10-month deadline for submitting annual returns and accounts.

"Failure to send accounts and returns to us on time is breaking the law. With two trustees prosecuted for persistently failing to submit their charities' accounts, this is ultimately an error that trustees cannot afford to make."

The statement of recommended practice (SORP 2000) requires accurate and timely accounts, and the Commission is committed to helping charities meet these requirements. Charities with an income over £10,000 are obliged by law to submit their accounts and returns.

Charities are given 10 months after their financial year ends to send in their accounts and returns. The most recent figure we have is from November 2002, when only 65% of charities had sent in their accounts on time.

(gmcg)