Guides

Every tranche of the Charities Act 2022 has now commenced. What each one changed for trustees, and the date each set of provisions took effect.

Charities are not exempt from VAT. What your charity pays, the reliefs on fuel and advertising, and when VAT registration becomes compulsory.

What charity accounting software must do that ordinary bookkeeping cannot — fund accounting, SORP-format reporting, Gift Aid — and how to judge it.

What accounts small UK charities must prepare, which format applies at each income threshold, and what an independent examination requires.

Which DBS checks UK charities need, current fees, how volunteer checks work, and what regulated activity means for trustee and volunteer roles.

What a charity expenses policy must cover, what trustees can claim, how to set HMRC-compliant mileage rates, and a framework for small charities.

What governance training for charity trustees covers, which formats work for small boards, and where to find free options in England and Wales.

What a charity treasurer does, the financial duties shared with all trustees, what skills the role needs, and how small charities appoint one.

What must go into a charity trustees' annual report, how the requirements differ by income size, what SORP 2026 changes, and a practical structure for small charities.

How to build and maintain a charity risk register — what to include, how to score risks, what the Charity Commission expects, and a practical template for small charities.

What a Gift Aid declaration form must include, what HMRC requires for individual and multiple-donation declarations, how long to keep them, and how to avoid invalid claims.

A practical guide to recruiting charity trustees — where to advertise, what to look for, the legal checks you must run, and how to run a fair appointment process.

When UK charities need independent examination, the income thresholds before and after the 30 September 2026 change, who can serve as examiner, and what trustees must do.

What training charity trustees need, what the Charity Commission recommends, where to find free and paid training, and how to build a trustee development plan.

How to write a trustee code of conduct for your charity — what to include, how the Charity Governance Code links it to board behaviour, and a practical template.

How to write a charity whistleblowing policy — what whistleblowing means, the PIDA legal protection, reporting to the Charity Commission, and a free template.

What charity trustees actually do — the six main legal duties, the roles of chair and treasurer, collective decision-making, and trustee responsibilities in UK law.

How to write a volunteer policy for your charity — what to include, the difference between volunteers and employees, expenses and safeguarding, and a free template.

How to write a conflict of interest policy for your charity — the trustees' legal duty, the five steps the Charity Commission recommends, and a practical template.

How to run effective trustee meetings — agenda structure, what minutes must record, quorum rules, and action tracking for small UK charities.

Charity policies UK: the full list of what's legally required, what the Charity Commission expects, and what's best practice — a clear priority order for trustees.

Charities SORP 2026 explained for small UK charities — the three-tier framework, when it applies, and what Tier 1 charities up to £500k income need to change.

How to write a complaints policy for your charity — what the Charity Commission expects, a step-by-step process, and a template for small UK charities.

When charity trustees can be paid in the UK — the legal position, exceptions, expenses, and what your governing document needs to say.

How to evaluate charity compliance tools — the features small UK charities actually need, pricing red flags, and when a dedicated tool makes sense.

How to write a safeguarding policy for your charity — what to include, DBS check requirements, and a practical template for small UK charities.

How many trustees a UK charity needs by legal form, the Charity Commission's recommendation, and practical advice on board size for small charities.

A practical guide to UK GDPR for small charities — what data protection rules apply, ICO registration, lawful bases, privacy notices, and common mistakes.

How to write a reserves policy for your charity — what to include, how to set a target range, and a practical template for small UK charities.

Step-by-step guide to claiming Gift Aid from HMRC — registration, declarations, the small donations scheme, and common mistakes small charities make.

A practical guide to the Charity Governance Code 2025 for small UK charities — all 8 principles explained, with self-assessment questions for each.

A criteria-based guide to choosing charity management software for small UK charities — what features matter, what to avoid, and how to evaluate options.

Step-by-step guide to preparing your charity's annual return for the Charity Commission — what to gather, common mistakes, and key deadlines.

A practical compliance checklist for small UK charities — annual returns, governance code, required policies, Gift Aid, DBS checks, and SORP 2026 changes.