Charities

A quality service designed around you

The Plummer Parsons specialist charity team has over thirty years' experience of acting for charities and not for profit organisations. A large proportion of the team hold the ICAEW Diploma in Charity Accounting, demonstrating their expertise and understanding of the specialist needs of the charity sector.

We offer a personalised, service with a friendly down to earth approach which we combine with the highly specialist knowledge and expertise you would expect from a larger organisation. We believe charities need advisers who have both the time and the expertise to provide advice and help which really makes a positive difference. We advise a diverse range of voluntary sector bodies from large international charities through to local community groups.

We believe that the key to building sustainable long term relationship with our clients is not just ensuring regulatory obligations are met but also taking the time to get to know them and to embrace their culture and ethos.

We will keep you informed of any relevant updates on financial reporting and changes to legislation that may affect you and will help you to review and implement any changes that are necessary.

So how can Plummer Parsons help?

Charity accounting and audit services - specifically dealing with the issues pertinent to the charity and not for profit sectors;

Independent examination of charity accounts;
Charity taxation services including Gift Aid;
SORP accounting and compliance;
VAT advice and help;
Seminars open to clients and non-clients;
Risk management and reserves policy advice;
Governance reviews;
Advice on the content of the Trustees' annual report to include public benefit reporting;
Completion of annual returns;
Advice on how to set up a charity;
Governance reviews

We have experience of dealing with a wide range of charities and not-for-profit organisations, from conservation to health and medical to sport and recreation charities.

Specific areas of expertise include

Faith based charities and organisations - including the new requirement to register with the Charity Commission for previously excepted charities:

Local charities
Care homes
Housing associations
Community based charities
Clubs and associations

For your ease we have listed below related articles on this topic. There is also a list of useful links on the left hand side.

If you would like to speak to someone please do not hesitate to contact us.

Charity FAQ

Common questions asked about Charities

What is a Charity?

An explanation of the 'Public Benefit Requirement' and the 'Charities Act 2006' and how it affects Charities.

Charity Accounts

All charities are required to prepare accounts and make them available on request. In addition, charities may also be faced with extra regulations surrounding the annual accounts, depending on the legal status of the charity.

Charity Audit

Our audit approach is based on risk and will be designed to cover the risks to your charity with emphasis on the areas of greatest risk to the charity.

Charity Independent Examinations

An independent examination is a simpler form of scrutiny than an audit but it still provides trustees, funders, beneficiaries, stakeholders and the public with an assurance that the accounts of the charity have been reviewed by an independent person

Charity Tax Exemptions and Reliefs

If your organisation is recognised as a charity it may qualify for a number of tax exemptions and reliefs on income and gains, and on profits for some activities.

Charity VAT & Gift Aid Taxation

We will help you ensure all your Gift Aid declarations are in place and your tax affairs including payment of PAYE and submission of forms remain both up to date and complete.

Other Charity Services

Plummer Parsons offer an extensive range of other services for our charity customers designed to add value and reduce risk

Charity Trustees

Charity trustees are the people legally responsible for the overall management and decision-making in a charity.What do they do? Read this article.

Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO's)

Charity Formations

We are often asked what are the main types of charity and the advantages and disadvantages relating to these so we have set these out in this article.

Charity Fundraising

This guide explains the statutory controls regulating fundraising and provides general advice on effective fundraising, an explanation of charity trustees' legal responsibilities in relation to fundraising, information about the tax implications of fundraising, and a list of useful sources of information.

Public Benefit

From 1 April 2008 the Charity Commission are now requiring all charities to prove that they are for Public Benefit. It is not now enough to presume that charities are for Public Benefit.

Gift Aid - The basics

Gift Aid is a way for charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) to increase the value of monetary gifts from UK taxpayers by claiming back the basic rate tax paid by the donor. It can increase the value of donations by a quarter at no extra cost to the donor.