Charity Commission Makes Changes To Annual Returns

The annual return represents the Charity Commission's main point of contact with the vast majority of registered charities in a given year. It is the regulator's principal means of gathering data from charities. It is also a means for the Charity Commission to get 'more with less' by demanding certain information from charities to review, in a form which can be easily analysed (unlike for example, the annual report).

The Charity Commission has introduced a number of new and updated questions in the 2018 Annual Return including on trustee payments, overseas income and expenditure, professional fundraising and safeguarding – risks the Charity Commission is currently focusing on. All charities and trustees should be aware of these new questions, the underlying concerns they go to, and any changes to record-keeping practice they will require.