New annual return for charities

The new annual return for 2013 asks charities:

• if they are registered for Gift Aid
• whether they own or lease any land or buildings
• whether land and buildings are used for charitable purposes or investment purposes.

Additionally, previously voluntary questions about the number of volunteers involved in the charity and details about activities outside of England and Wales are now mandatory.

All charities much complete their annual return within 10 months of the charity’s financial year end and submit it online via the commission’s website. The information given on the annual return is used to update the information that appears on the online register of charities.

Sam Younger, chief executive of the Charity Commission, says: “The information which charities give us through the annual return helps charities to tell the public about what they do and the benefits which they provide. The answers to the additional questions will now provide more information about how they work, by enabling the public to quickly and easily find out which charities collect donations from the public or have volunteers working for them. Better information helps to underpin the trust and confidence which the public has in charities both through increased public transparency and by enabling the Commission to better understand the sector and individual charities which it regulates.”