Update to Charity Commission annual returns

The Charity Commission has updated its annual return, which is used to update the sector regulator’s online Register of Charities.

Organisations can use the Charity Commission’s online service to complete their Annual Return and/or submit their Trustees’ Annual Report (TAR) and accounts. 

This new annual return, launched on 18 January, is similar to previous versions, except that when charities complete their annual return this year, they will additionally be asked if the charity is registered for gift aid, whether the charity owns or leases any land or buildings, and whether any of the charity’s land or buildings are used for the charity’s purposes.

In addition, some previously voluntary questions are now mandatory with charities must providing geographical details of where they applied their resources outside England and Wales during the financial year and details or an estimate of the amount spent in, or to benefit, each of the countries in which they operated. They must also record their best estimate of the number of individual volunteers involved in their charity during the financial year.

The annual return must be completed within ten months from the charity’s financial year end and should be submitted online via the Commission’s website.

Charities can submit their annual return online at www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Manage_your_charity/Submit_Annual_Return_index.aspx.