The Regulator for Charities in England and Wales

SORP, Charity Accounts and Reports: What you Need to Know

The Framework

If you need to know when you must prepare an annual report and accounts, or the financial thresholds for having the accounts externally audited or examined, or the filing of your report and accounts with the Charity Commission, please refer to:

1. Charity Reporting and Accounting: The essentials (CC15). This covers financial years starting between 27th February 2007 and 31st March 2008. 

2. Charity Reporting and Accounting: The essentials April 2008 (CC15a). This covers financial years starting on or after 1st April 2008.

Help and advice for small charities (income under £100,000)

Over 85% of registered charities count as small and are able to take advantage of simpler reporting and accounting arrangements. The Commission produces helpful templates for you to use and offers worked examples and guidance. Please review the guidance for small charities to understand your options for preparing accounts and the role of the SORP. Please note - further changes to the SORP are planned to reflect changes in charity and company law.


Receipts and payments accounts

If your charity has a gross income of £100,000 or less and is not a company then receipts and payments accounts provide a simple and flexible basis for accounts preparation. See 'Guidance for non-company charities with an income £100,000 or less'.

The Commission guidance to assist trustees and those preparing charity accounts includes a Receipts and Payments Accounts Pack.


Accruals accounts for small non-company charities

If your charity is below the audit threshold and prepares accruals accounts see 'Guidance for non-company charities with an income exceeding £100,000' and use our Accruals Accounts Pack.


Accruals accounts for larger non-company charities and company charities

If you would like to download or find out more about the SORP or if your charity is a company registered under the Companies Acts see The SORP and guidance for larger non-company and company charities.

SORP development

The Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities is developed by the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator in collaboration with the SORP Committee. The SORP applies to the minority of charities preparing accounts on an accruals basis and does not apply to charities preparing accounts on a receipts and payments basis. If you would like to learn about who is serving on that Committee or learn more about the issues that the Committee has been considering, including the research programme being undertaken, please see the SORP Committee Latest page.

Further Advice

For additional help and support, see the further advice section of 'Help with preparing Charity Accounts and Reports'.