Accounts for non-accountants

Accounts for non-accountants

To support trustees and non-finance managers of charities to understand the key elements of charity accounts, and what to look for when reviewing them, we have created three handy videos, all presented by partners within our expert Charity and Not-for-profit team that delve into three core areas of charity reporting: the Trustees’ report, judgemental areas, and statutory reporting requirements.

1. The trustees’ report 
2. Judgemental areas 
3. The statutory reporting requirements

The trustees’ report | Presenter: Katharine Patel, Partner

The trustees’ report is critical to a charity's annual report and financial statements. It is your key narrative tool that explains the charity’s achievements and puts your financial results into context. In this video, we explore the requirements for the trustees’ report, their background and the detail that must be disclosed.

• Why is the trustees’ report needed 
• What is the purpose of a trustee’s report 
• Who is interested in the report 
• The structure of the report 
• Reference and administrative details 
• Structure, governance and management 
• Objectives and activities 
• Achievements and performance 
• Financial review 
• Future plans 

Judgemental areas | Presenter: Catherine Biscoe, Partner

While many specific rules and provisions govern charity accounts, you’re not always explicitly told how to apply them because accounting and reporting in the UK is a principles-based activity. Therefore, there are some areas where individual judgement and decision can be taken, consequently impacting what gets reported in your accounts. 

The statutory reporting requirements | Presenter: Shachi Blakemore, Partner

Based on the Charities SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice), this video gives you a detailed overview of the reporting requirements of your charity’s financial results and position. We’ll look at some of the key aspects of the reporting, why financial information should be presented in certain ways and the underlying basis on which charity accounts are prepared.

Get in touch

If you have a question about any of the topics raised in our accounts for non-accountants video series or would like to enquire about bespoke training for your charity, please complete the form below and one of our experts will be in touch.