Happy New Year!  Here’s hoping 2023 will be a successful year for us all.  The Sobus team has returned to work this week, after a much deserved rest over the Christmas and New Year period.

January is often a bit quieter, giving us an opportunity to take a couple of weeks to catch up with emails, tackle pieces of work we’ve been putting off, and take the time to plan our workload for the coming months.

There is though, an important task that we all have to complete before the end of January – submit our annual return to the Charities Commission.

All organisations must submit their annual return within 10 months of the end of their financial year – for the majority of VCS organsiations, we run on an April-March financial year, therefore the 10 month deadline for our annual return is 31^st March each year. 

The amount of information you must provide depends on the annual turnover of your organisation:

• Organisations with income under £10,000 – you only need to report your income and spending.
• Organisations with income between £10,000 and £25,000 must answer questions about your charity, but do not need to include any other documents.
• Organisations with income over £25,000 must answer questions about your charity in an annual return and also provide copies of your
  • Trustee annual report.
  • Accounts
  • Independent examiner’s or audit report.

The questions you will be asked depend on your income, the type of charity and what the charity does.

How to submit your annual return:

When your charity was registered, you’ll have been sent your login details.  If you’ve lost these, go to the Charity Commission login page and click the ‘Forgotten Your Password?’ link.  You’ll need your registration number.  A password link will be sent to the contact email you gave the Commission.  If you don’t know what this is, go to your charity’s entry on the Commission register and click the contact details link on the left.

As always, Sobus is here to help if you’d like any information or guidance on submitting your annual return.

During the cost of living crisis, many more individuals will reach out to charities for vital support. We understand the pressure on services and staff alike, so we’ve put some of our key resources in one place. From funding guides and staff training to insightful commentary, articles and links, these are resources designed to help you to help others, especially those seeking welfare support. View our cost of living support hub here.

‘A number of people across the charity sector have received recognition in the New Year Honours List 2023. Scope’s chair, Robin Millar, has been recognised in the King’s New Year’s honours list.’ Read more here.

2023 is upon us, but it’s not too late to get yourself and your charity ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. Whether you’re looking for funding, reviewing your strategy, making tough decisions, or just trying to react as best you can to everything that’s thrown at you, here are some brilliant ways to make your next year as successful as possible.’ Read more here.