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2023-03-31-annual-return

Matters of Material Significance reportable to UK charity regulators

A guide for auditors and independent examiners

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The Charity Regulators

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) is the regulator of charities in Northern Ireland, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Communities.

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) is the independent Regulator and registrar for Scotland’s charities.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the regulator of charities in England and Wales.

Throughout this guidance they are collectively referred to as ‘the charity regulators.’ Information that is relevant to a particular regulator will be shaded in accordance with the colours above.

Our vision

Further information about our aims and activities is available on our website: http://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk. The Office of the Scottish Regulator’s vision and objectives is available on the OSCR website, and a mission statement and key responsibilities for The Charity Commission for England and Wales are available on the CCEW website.

Equality

The charity regulators are committed to equality and diversity in all that we do.

Accessibility

If you have any accessibility requirements please contact us.

Online or in print

If you are viewing this document online, you will be able to navigate your way around by clicking on links either within the contents page or text.

The glossary towards the end of this document provides definitions and descriptions of key terms, these are highlighted in bold green type . If you are reading the document online you can click on the word and it will link you to the definition in the glossary. To make sure you are viewing the latest version of this policy, please visit the relevant website.

Northern Ireland: www.charitycommissionni.org.uk

Scotland: www.oscr.org.uk

England and Wales: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charityhttps://www.gov.uk/governm - ent/organisations/charity commissioncommission

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Contents

Section 1: Overview 5
Section 2: Matters at a glance 10
Section 3: Matters in detail 12
Section 4: Reporting Matters of material 22
significance to the regulators 22
Appendix 1: Optional checklist for auditors and independent
examiners 27
Appendix 2: Legal basis for reporting 29
Appendix 3: References 32
Annex UK charity regulators’ protocol for handling matters of material
significance to a UK regulator where that matter falls within the Proceeds
of Crime Act 2002, Bribery Act 2010 or terrorism Act 2000 33
Glossary 35
Useful contacts 46
If you are dissatisfied with our service 47

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Contact details

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Section 1: Overview

This guidance has been updated to clarify the reporting duty following feedback from auditors. The update confirms that reporting is still required even if the charity trustees have already reported a matter, see Section 1 , Who does this guidance apply to ? It also addresses the issue of what to do if the relevant accounting regulations have not been updated to refer to a new SORP, see section 3.8 Matter 8 .

What does this guidance cover?

Any person appointed as an independent examiner or auditor for a charity has a duty to report matters of material significance to their respective charity regulator. This guidance explains what the matters of material significance are and provides some further explanation of each of the matters.

The charity regulators have consulted on the matters of material significance to be reported. The consultation, which closed on 11 September 2016 sought views on proposed UK wide matters to be reported by auditors and independent examiners. The matters have now been agreed by the three charity regulators and are effective for all audits or independent examinations which are conducted and/or reported after 1 May 2017 (regardless of the accounting period being examined).

This guidance is made up of the following sections:

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What does this guidance not cover?

This guidance does not remove the duty of an auditor/ independent examiner to report to other relevant bodies where appropriate, for example in filing Suspicious Activity Reports with the National Crime Agency, and does not provide guidance on responsibilities in relation to their own professional bodies. This guidance does not repeat the specific directions and guidance given to auditors in auditing standards or to independent examiners in specific guidance issued by each of the charity regulators for the conduct of an independent examination.

CCNI examiner guidance http://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/manage-your- - charity/annualhttp://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/manage your - charity/annual reportingreporting - - - - OSCR: http://www.oscr.org.uk/media/1937/2015 08 12 ie - - - - - guidancehttp://www.oscr.org.uk/media/1937/2015 08 12 ie guidance final.pdffinal.pdf

CCEW: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independenthttps://www.g - - - - ov.uk/government/publications/independent examination of charity - - - - - - - accounts examiners cc32examination of charity accounts examiners cc32

Who does this guidance apply to?

This guidance applies to auditors and independent examiners of charity accounts, and is designed to highlight their legal responsibility to report significant matters in accordance with the applicable law: Section 67 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, Sections 156 and 159 of the Charities Act 2011, and Section 46 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

Auditors and independent examiners are only expected to report matters which they identify in the normal course of their work. There is no expectation that they should undertake additional work to identify such matters. It is for auditors and independent examiners to exercise their own judgment when considering if they have a duty to report. Even

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though a matter may not be listed, a report must be made if the auditor or independent examiner considers it appropriate.

It should also be noted that even if the charity trustees have reported the matter to the charity regulator, the auditor or independent examiner will have some additional information or perspective that the regulator needs, in order to reach a fully informed assessment of the matter and so separate reporting as a matter of material significance by the auditor or examiner is still expected by the charity regulator.

This is important because the reporting by trustees to the charity regulator in some cases may be incomplete, selective or partial due to an oversight, an incomplete understanding, or the trustees’ desire to withhold information from the charity regulator.

The report by the auditor or examiner should include their assessment of the completeness and adequacy of any steps being taken by the charity trustees to remedy or rectify the reported matter. Non-reporting by the auditor or examiner will provide evidence that the auditor or examiner has not fulfilled their legal duty to report matters of material significance to the charity regulator.

It is currently not a legal requirement for those conducting internal audits to report matters of material significance, but the UK charity regulators consider such reporting to be helpful and best practice and, therefore, the Internal Auditor should familiarise themselves with the matters required to be reported to the charity regulator.

The guidance is applicable to all audits and independent examinations which are conducted and/or reported after 1 May 2017. Content requirements for the auditor’s and independent examiner’s reports are already set out in the applicable law and regulations:

The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008.

CCNI: example reports

OSCR: Example reports

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CCEW: Example reports

Examiners should follow the format of the sample reports provided, unless the particular circumstances require an alternative approach.

Additional guidance is available to charity trustees and examiners in the documents below.

CCNI: ARR02 Charity reporting and accounting: the essentials guidance document. (This document contains links to other associated guidance).

OSCR: Scottish Charity Accounts: An Updated Guide to the 2006 Regulations

CCEW: the CC15d Charity reporting and accounting- the essentials November 2016

Material significance

In charity law the term ‘material significance’ is used to determine which matters should be reported to the charity regulators. Auditors and independent examiners must report any matters of material significance which they become aware of during their appointment. Material in this context has a slightly different meaning to that which auditors and independent examiners will be familiar with in accounting terms, as it is not only financial materiality. In this case it is matters which are of material significance to the Regulator in carrying out their functions. For example the matter may be an issue which the charity regulator will consider for investigation or which could impact on the charitable status of the organisation. See Section 3, Matters in Detail, for more information.

What are legal requirements and best practice?

In this guidance, where we use the word ‘must’ we are referring to a specific legal or regulatory requirement. We use the word ‘should’ for what we regard as best practice, but where there is no specific legal requirement. Auditors and independent examiners should follow best practice guidance issued by a UK charity regulator unless there is good reason not to do so.

Charity Trustees

Charity Trustees have a duty to appoint an independent examiner who is able to perform a competent review of their charity accounts. Charity trustees should therefore be aware of the matters of material significance

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and the duty placed upon an auditor or independent examiner to report matters to the regulator.

‘When in doubt, report it.’

Auditors and independent examiners are reminded that it is an immediate legislative requirement to report matters of material significance to the regulator and law enforcement agencies where appropriate. The UK charity regulators’ default preference for auditors and independent examiners is ‘When in doubt, report it.’

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Section 2: Matters at a glance

The matters in the following list are always considered reportable as matters of material significance by UK charity regulators. The list of matters has effect from 1 May 2017, however auditors and independent examiners must carefully consider if a matter identified before this date may still be reportable as a discretionary matter. A matter becomes reportable as soon as the auditor or independent examiner:

Auditors and independent examiners may decide that other matters not included in this list are in their judgment of such a nature that they consider them reportable as a matter of material significance. In this case in making their report they should identify the matter(s) reported as of material significance.

The reportable matters of material significance:

Serial Title Title Each Matter is prefaced by the following Each Matter is prefaced by the following
statement - ‘During the course of an
audit/independent examination’:
1 Dishonesty
matters suggesting dishonesty or fraud involving
& Fraud a significant loss of, or a material risk to,
charitable funds or assets.
2 Internal failure(s) of internal controls, including failure(s)
Controls & in charity governance that resulted in, or could
Governance give rise to, a material loss or misappropriation of
charitable funds, or which leads to significant
charitable funds beingput at major risk.
3 Money knowledge or suspicion that the charity or
Laundering
charitable funds including the charity’s bank
& Criminal account(s) have been used for money laundering
Activity or such funds are the proceeds of serious
organised crime or that the charity is a conduit for
criminal activity.
4 Support of matters leading to the knowledge or suspicion
Terrorism that the charity, its trustees, employees or assets,
have been involved in or used to support terrorism or proscribed
organisations in the UK or

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outside of the UK, with the exception of matters
related to a qualifying offence as defined by
Section 3(7) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences)
Act 1998.
5 Risk to
evidence suggesting that in the way the charity
charity’s
carries out its work relating to the care and
beneficiaries welfare of beneficiaries, the charity’s beneficiaries
have been or were put at significant risk of abuse or
mistreatment.
6 Breaches of single or recurring breach(es) of either a law or
the legislative requirement or of the charity’s trusts
charity’s leading to material charitable funds being trusts
misapplied.
7 Breach of an
evidence suggesting a deliberate or significant
order or
breach of an order or direction made by a charity
direction
regulator under statutory powers including
made by a
suspending a charity trustee, prohibiting a
charity
particular transaction or activity or granting
regulator
consent on particular terms involving significant
charitable assets or liabilities.
8 Modified on making a modified audit opinion, emphasis of
audit
matter, material uncertainty related to going opinion
or
concern, or issuing of a qualified independent qualified
examiner’s report identifying matters of concern
independent to which attention is drawn, notification of the
examiner’s
nature of the
modification/qualification/emphasis
report
of matter or concern with supporting reasons
including notification of the action taken, if any,
by the trustees subsequent to that audit opinion,
emphasis of matter or material uncertainty
identified /independent examiner’s report.
9 Conflicts of evidence that significant conflicts of interest have
interest and not been managed appropriately by the trustees
related
and/or related party transactions have not been
party fully disclosed in all the respects required by the
transactions applicable SORP,or applicable Regulations.

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Section 3: Matters in detail

In this section we will look at each of the matters of material significance in more detail and give examples to support better understanding. “During the course of an audit or independent examination” is taken to mean from the moment that their appointment is agreed until such time as the auditor or examiner resigns the assignment or is no longer retained for it by the charity’s trustees.

3.1 Matter 1 –Dishonesty & Fraud

During the course of an audit/independent examination, matters suggesting dishonesty or fraud involving a significant loss of, or of material risk to, charitable funds or assets.

The term material is explained in more detail in Section one, but in brief, materiality is relative to the size, amount or importance of the item, error or misstatement .

The term dishonesty can be given its ordinary meaning as found in the Oxford English Dictionary and summarised as, “to act without honesty, a lack of probity, cheating, lying or being deliberately deceptive.”

An auditor or independent examiner may suspect dishonesty if information or documents are presented to them during the course of an audit or independent examination which they know or suspect to be inaccurate or misleading and where this was not an honest mistake on the part of the charity representative(s). Duplicate invoices which appear to have been altered in their dates or value, or signatures on documents which do not tally with others submitted, are two basic examples which might give examiners cause to suspect dishonesty or fraud.

Fraud is defined within the Fraud Act 2006 (for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) in three classes: fraud by false representation, fraud by failing to disclose information and fraud by abuse of position. The requisite elements of criminal fraud generally are the intentional deception of a victim by false representation or pretence, with the intent of persuading them to part with property, on the basis of the representation or pretence. The perpetrator also intends to keep the property of the victim.

The Fraud Act 2006 does not apply in Scotland. In Scotland, criminal fraud is mainly dealt with under the common law and a number of statutory offences. In Scotland fraud is committed where someone achieves a practical result by the means of a false pretence.

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There are two distinct aspects to this matter:

Given that this submission will relate to the audit or examination of charity accounts, it is hard to identify circumstances whereby a suspicion of dishonesty does not present as a risk to charity funds or assets. Consequently, it is for the auditor or independent examiner to use their judgement on the question of materiality – if you are unsure whether your findings are material then you should report the matter to the charity regulator, or contact the charity regulator to discuss.

Example

An examiner uncovers a questionable invoice for £1,000 paid for by a charity with significant income and expenditure of over £100,000. This may not be material in amount, but if the £1,000 was related to inappropriate expenditure by a senior officer or trustee of the charity, then the matter could be material by its nature because it indicates a breakdown of internal financial controls and a culture of dishonesty.

Any matter uncovered by an auditor or independent examiner during the course of their work which is considered to be potentially fraudulent, should be reported to the relevant charity regulator.

3.2 Matter 2 – Internal Controls & Governance

During the course of an audit/independent examination, matters suggesting failure(s) of internal controls, including failure(s) in charity governance, that resulted in, or could give rise to, a significant loss or misappropriation of charitable funds, or which leads to material charitable funds being put at major risk

There are two parts to this matter:

The auditor or independent examiner might perceive such a failure from their examination of documents and receipt of information, but this matter could also be evidenced by an absence of documents, information and indeed policies which support the governance of the charity and prevent the potential significant loss, misappropriation or material charitable funds being put at risk.

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Example

A charity that regularly pays its own charity trustees for the provision of services, but is not following its internal policies (e.g. declaring and managing conflicts of interest) and/or governing document, or does not have relevant policies to guide the charity trustees on this matter or so many charity trustees are receiving payment that the resulting conflicts of interest cannot be managed effectively.

Another example would be what is referred to as completeness of income, where a charity has no policy or does not enforce its policy to confirm completeness of income from fundraising. This includes collection tins being collected by individuals in isolation with no witness as to monies counted and submitted. Even when authorisations may be in place, the absence of procedures to guide staff or volunteers may warrant reporting.

Scale of assets is important to this consideration and is a judgement based upon materiality for the Auditor or independent examiner. If the risk of misapplied charitable funds is low then raising the matter with the charity only may be more appropriate than raising it with the charity regulator.

It may be the case that significant concerns which the charity is unaware of are identified by a new member of staff. In this case the auditor or independent examiner should work with the charity to implement improved financial controls and should advise the charity regulator, on submission of their report of a matter of material significance, that they are working with the charity to improve the situation.

3.3 Matter 3 – Money Laundering & Criminal Activity

During the course of an audit/independent examination, knowledge or suspicion that the charity or charitable funds including the charity’s bank account(s) have been used for money laundering or such funds are the proceeds of serious organised crime or that the charity is a conduit for criminal activity

This matter requires a more specific nature of suspicion arising from documents and information available to the auditor or independent examiner. It is considered likely that an absence of adequate explanation for the movement of large sums of money in and out of the charity bank account(s) would be the most obvious trigger to such a suspicion, but it may also apply to the disposal of assets without appropriate return to the charity. This could be an indication which would merit an examiner raising such a matter with the charity regulator and law enforcement .

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Money laundering is not uniform in character but it can be identified. The purpose of money laundering is to conceal the proceeds of crime by processing the money through an intermediary or series of intermediaries to disguise its original source and to give the money legitimacy to the banking system and to others so as to facilitate its eventual use or enjoyment by the criminal. The money can be in cash form, money transfer, cheque, or electronic form such as Bitcoin and similar crypto currencies or it can originate from a source country where the banking system has been compromised by criminal groups.

The purchase of assets with cash is a classic money laundering method. The reason for the purchase is to change the form of the proceeds from conspicuous bulk cash to some, equally valuable, but less conspicuous form. As charities are generally seen as honest and reliable they are particularly vulnerable to being used as intermediaries.

Example

A charity receives a large cash donation of £10,000 and amounts are paid out again to an individual or body for a service or purchase of an asset. Where it is considered, by the examiner, that the donor of the cash is linked to the asset purchase, then there may be reason for concern that money laundering has been attempted.

It is not possible to give a definitive list of the indicators of money laundering but matters that would require further consideration include:

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A charity might be asked to move money through its bank account to a named person or business. Particular care must be taken with so called conduit funding where a charity acts as an agent for others so as to ensure that the activity is within the charity’s objects and is legitimate.

The charity might operate a subsidiary trading activity such as a shop or other business providing services. Those ventures could, of course, be entirely legitimate but unusual peaks and troughs in turnover might indicate money laundering or some other criminal activity such as theft or fraud.

3.4 Matter 4 – Support of Terrorism

During the course of an audit/independent examination, matters leading to the knowledge or suspicion that the charity, its trustees, employees or assets, have been involved in or used to support terrorism or proscribed organisations in the UK or outside of the UK, with the exception of matters related to a qualifying offence as defined by Section 3(7) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998

The emphasis here is twofold, documents and information provided to the auditor and independent examiner would generally be that which would generate the suspicion, and the suspicion must relate to the support of terrorism or proscribed organisations, with the one stated exception as stated above.

One significant difference in this matter is the omission of a direct specific actual or potential loss or misapplication of charitable funds. It could just be the case that individuals involved in the charity have expressed support for the activities of terrorist or proscribed organisations.

Where the concern relates to the support of a particular organisation (in cash or otherwise) you can check whether it is a proscribed organisation on the Home Office website. Factors that are indicative of money laundering activity identified should also be considered. Where a concern arises in England and Wales auditors and independent examiners should read CCEW’s guidance Charities and Terrorism . Auditors and independent examiners in all regions of the UK are recommended by the charity regulators to have regard to this guidance.

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Throughout the United Kingdom there are individuals involved in charity work who may have been released from jail sentences early under the auspices of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. Their involvement in any named charity would not in itself give rise to a requirement to report under matter 4, rather, it is a matter of the behaviour or suspicion of behaviours during the period subsequent to their release and up to the present day which might give rise to such a report, just as it would for any other member of the public at any time.

Example

A charity established for the welfare and training of ex-prisoners may have trustees who have relevant personal experience which is being used to educate and inform the charity’s beneficiaries with the purpose of preventing terrorist linked activities. This is not a matter that should be reported to a UK charity regulator.

However, should the auditor or independent examiner uncover evidence that suggests that a trustee or any other person is using the charity’s assets to support terrorist activity; this should be immediately reported to the relevant UK charity regulator (and to the police).

3.5 Matter 5 – risk to charity’s beneficiaries

During the course of an audit/independent examination, evidence suggesting that in the way the charity carries out its work relating to the care and welfare of beneficiaries, the charity’s beneficiaries have been or were put at significant risk of abuse or mistreatment.

Where charity beneficiaries have been put at significant risk of abuse or mistreatment auditors/ independent examiners must bring this to the attention of the charity regulator. Evidence relating to this matter may be that harm has already occurred or that the charity does not have in place, or is not applying, a policy such as a safeguarding policy.

Example

A charity which works with young people, but does not have a safeguarding policy, or does not enforce requisite checks on staff and volunteers, might fall into this category. (The latter might become obvious to an auditor or independent examiner due to the absence of invoices for checks, despite new staff or volunteers joining the charity).

Auditors and independent examiners may, for example, identify information concerning legal action against the charity, a criminal investigation or an investigation or concern raised by another regulator or agency or that necessary eligibility checks on trustees or staff are not being carried out.

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Where concerns arise in England and Wales auditors and independent examiners should read the CCEW’s Safeguarding vulnerable groups and children.

Examples

During an examination of travel expenses it becomes apparent that the requisite adult staff/volunteers were not in attendance with young people either by number or gender, on a charity organised trip.

An auditor or independent examiner may also see evidence of gaps in the charity’s actions or policies from coming across entries in the accident book where, during the course of their audit or independent examination, they are examining the accident book in reference to costs incurred by the charity. Equally they may, as part of their normal checks of material provisions, discover that there is an outstanding civil case lodged against the charity.

3.6 Matter 6 – breaches of law or the charity’s trusts

During the course of an audit/independent examination, matters suggesting single or recurring breach(es) of either a legislative requirement or of the charity’s trusts leading to material charitable funds being misapplied.

There is an expectation that an auditor or independent examiner will familiarise themselves with a charity’s purposes and governing document to inform their examination. It follows that the examination of their records and material transactions could reveal breaches of legal or trust requirements. Where this is found to have occurred, this is something that the auditor or independent examiner should raise with the charity and/or charity regulator, bearing in mind the scale, nature and frequency of the breach.

From a regulatory perspective, the preference would be that these sorts of issues are reported, provided the auditor or independent examiner is also confident that the legal requirement exists and there is a potential that it has not been fulfilled.

The most common breach of trust would be the application or disposal of property contrary to the terms of the original trust or trustees acting outside the powers given to them within their governing document.

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3.7 Matter 7 – breach of an order or direction made by a charity regulator

During the course of an audit/independent examination, evidence suggesting a deliberate or significant breach of an order or direction made by a charity regulator under statutory powers including suspending a charity trustee, prohibiting a particular transaction or activity or granting consent on particular terms involving significant charitable assets or liabilities.

There is an expectation that these are matters which the charity will bring to the attention of the auditor or independent examiner. It is also fairly routine for the charity regulators to give public notice of the issue of such orders and therefore it would be reasonable to expect that an auditor or independent examiner would be aware of the actions from reviewing the minutes of trustee meetings or the Regulators website (In Scotland these can be found on the charity’s entry on the register itself). If in doubt, the auditor or independent examiner may raise the matter directly with the regulator to confirm whether any such orders or restrictions are in place.

An obvious course would be for the auditor or independent examiner to ask for assurance in writing from the charity of the existence of any such orders or directions applied to the charity from the regulator, so that they could satisfy themselves from information and documents received from the charity as to whether non-compliance is in evidence.

An example of such an instance would be where an individual charity trustee was suspended, and travel claims continue to be submitted and honoured after the suspension, or where charity transactions are restricted and there are no authorisations sought or received from the charity regulator, to support payments made.

3.8 Matter 8 – a modified audit opinion or qualified independent examiner’s report

On making a modified audit opinion, emphasis of matter, material uncertainty related to going concern, or issuing of a qualified independent examiner’s report identifying matters of concern to which attention is drawn, notification of the nature of the modification/qualification/emphasis of matter or concern with supporting reasons including notification of the action taken, if any, by the trustees subsequent to that audit opinion, emphasis of matter or material uncertainty identified /independent examiner’s report.

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On completion of an audit assignment, the auditor will form an opinion on the financial statements of the charity. On occasion the auditor/examiner may have to make a modified audit opinion. Generally, modified audit opinions will range from a qualification, being the least severe, to a disclaimer, being the most severe. Even where an unqualified opinion is offered the auditor may add an emphasis of matter paragraph or identify a paragraph advising a material uncertainty regarding going concern.

An independent examiner does not form an opinion on the financial statements but rather reviews the accounting records of the charity and compares the accounts presented with those records. In doing so they consider if there are any matters which require disclosure.

Auditors are required to present a report to the regulator for all modified opinions and paragraphs, and the level of detail should be proportionate to the severity of the modification or paragraph. The report should clearly explain the nature of the matter and, where applicable, any action taken by the trustees in relation to the opinion/report.

Independent examiners must report the details of their qualified examination report to the regulator.

There may be occasions where one of the other eight matters reported could lead to a modified opinion or qualified examination report and the auditor/examiner should consider this when reporting one of the other matters.

The auditor is not asked to distinguish between technical qualifications or other matters as the charity regulator will consider the nature and impact of their report. Similarly the examiner simply qualifies their report by setting out their concerns and the regulator will make their own assessment of that report.

Obsolete regulatory references to an old SORP

The Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) is not an accounting standard in its own right but provides application guidance and additional disclosures intended to enable charity accounts to be prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view. From time to time a new SORP is issued following changes in UK accounting standards and the old SORP is superseded and withdrawn. A new SORP will specify the reporting date from when it takes effect. It follows that the accounting and reporting regulations will require updating to refer to the new SORP.

Should the regulations not be updated, the accounts cannot adhere to the superseded SORP, because the underlying accounting standards have changed and so the new SORP must be followed, for the accounts to be CCNI EG058 November 2017

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prepared on a ‘true and fair’ basis. In the event that the regulations have not been updated and an auditor or examiner decides that they need to refer in their audit opinion or independent examiner’s report to the new SORP being used, because it is different to one referred to in the regulations, such a reference is not considered to be a matter of material significance to the charity regulator. This is because remedying this situation of the regulations being out of date is not in the power of the auditor, the preparer of the charity’s accounts, or the charity regulator.

3.9 Matter 9 – conflicts of interest and related party transactions

During the course of an audit/independent examination, evidence suggesting that conflicts of interest have not been managed by the trustees in accordance with guidance issued by the charity regulator and/or related party transactions have not been fully disclosed in all respects required by the applicable SORP.

Each of the UK charity regulators has published guidance on how they expect charities to manage conflicts of interest and most charity governing documents will also detail how and when related party transactions may be managed.

In Northern Ireland, Sections 88 and 89 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 apply. Guidance on Making payments to charity trustees is available on the regulators website.

In Scotland refer to Guidance and good practice for Charity Trustee.

In England and Wales refer to CC11 Trustee expenses and payments for more information.

Related party transactions do occur within charities. The most likely indication that conflicts are not being managed, will be an absence of a specific charity policy and/or an absence of related discussion and decision making within board meeting minutes. Common instances are setting the remuneration of a trustee or a person related to the trustee. If the party with the conflict of interest is present during the discussion or participates in the decision making this will be a strong indication of mismanagement of the issue.

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Section 4: Reporting Matters of material significance to the regulators

4.1 The Duty to Report

As detailed under Section 1, the auditor or independent examiner’s duty is to report matters of material significance that they identify while undertaking the audit or independent examination. The duty is on the auditor or independent examiner to report to the charity regulator(s) immediately upon becoming aware of the matter of material significance. In England and Wales and Northern Ireland there is a legal requirement to make the report in writing, in Scotland although there is no such legal requirement it is recommended that reports are made in writing.

These matters are agreed by all three of the UK charity regulators, and they are additional to other legal requirements of auditors and independent examiners to report certain issues to the authorities.

It will generally be obvious to an auditor or independent examiner where a charity is registered within the UK, whether with the CCEW, OSCR or CCNI. Charities registered in Northern Ireland have the prefix ‘NIC’ to their registration number. Charities registered in Scotland have the prefix ‘SC’. The matters arising should be reported to the regulator with whom the charity is registered and with whom accounts should be filed. In the case of cross border charities if there is any doubt due to the fact that the charity is registered in more than one jurisdiction, then the auditor or independent examiner should make the report to all relevant regulators.

Internal Audit

It is currently not a legal requirement, under charity law, for those conducting internal audits to report matters of material significance, but the charity regulators consider such reporting to be best practice .

Overseas Expenditure and Activities

The identification of a matter of material significance during the course of the audit or independent examination relating to expenditure and activities outside of the United Kingdom, must still be reported to all relevant United Kingdom regulators.

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Charities that are not registered with CCNI

It is currently not a legal requirement, under charity law, for those conducting audits or independent examinations of a charity that is not registered with the Northern Ireland regulator, to report matters of material significance, but the charity regulators consider such reporting is considered to be best practice .

4.2 The Method of Report

In Northern Ireland all reports of matters of material significance should be sent in writing to the following email address:

concernsaboutcharities@charitycommissionni.org.uk

The email subject line should include reference to reporting matters of material significance and the body of correspondence should identify:

In Scotland all reports of matters of material significance should be sent in writing to the following email address:

Section46@oscr.org.uk

The email subject line should include reference to reporting matters of material significance and the body of correspondence should identify:

a method of contact to follow up on the information received.

In England and Wales until such time as the digital notification using an online form is established, a report is made by e-mail to Whistleblowing@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk . The e-mail should be

headed ‘Matter(s) of material significance reported’ and should provide the following information:

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An optional checklist for auditors and independent examiners is included at Appendix 1 for ease of reference.

4.2 Consequences of a Failure to Report

Auditors and independent examiners are reminded that it is an immediate legislative requirement to report matters of material significance to the regulator and law enforcement agencies where appropriate. The UK charity regulators’ default preference for auditors and independent examiners is ‘When in doubt, report it.’

Auditors and independent examiners should also be aware that any person who knowingly or recklessly provides a UK charity regulator with information that is false or misleading is guilty of an offence.

Across the United Kingdom any person who wilfully alters, suppresses, conceals or destroys any document which is required to be submitted to the charity regulator is also guilty of an offence.

The following link to the legislation may serve as a helpful reminder as to the requirements of the legislation and the potential consequences of noncompliance.

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The UK charity regulators will take very seriously any discovery that an auditor or independent examiner has failed in their legal obligation to report relevant matters. They reserve the right to take any necessary further action.

4.3 The charity regulator’s approach

In considering reports received and determining next steps, the charity regulators adopt an evidence-based, proportionate, risk-based approach. All regulatory work is undertaken in accordance with the principles of best regulatory practice to ensure that decisions and actions are:

Within this context, every case is treated individually, with a course of action determined based on the nature of the concern and the evidence available. The charity regulators have dedicated inquiry teams that deal with and investigate concerns raised about charities.

In the first instance, the charity regulators will usually try to work with charities and trustees to resolve issues through providing advice and guidance and setting out best practice. However, the charity regulators can, and will, take action to address matters of serious concern.

4.4 Initial Assessment of the Report

On receiving a report from an auditor or independent examiner about a charity, the charity regulator’s first step is to undertake an initial assessment to identify:

The charity regulator’s next course of action will depend on the outcome of this assessment. This may include advising the auditor or independent examiner who reported matters of material significance as to the broad nature of what may happen following their report.

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4.5 Possible courses of action

The charity regulator will consider each matter reported to it and decide on the next course of action. As proportionate regulators we will focus their resources on areas of greatest concern.

In some cases, further information will be required. The charity regulator may request, order or direct that information is provided.

4.6 Close the report and signpost

All reports raised with a charity regulator will be considered, but not all will lead to an investigation. For example, the matter may be outside of the regulator’s jurisdiction, it may be a matter that can be put right by the trustees without further intervention, or it may be that on further consideration that the concerns are found to be unsubstantiated. The basis of the regulator’s intervention is related to the impact on the charity concerned and the robustness of the evidence presented.

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Appendix 1: Optional Checklist for Auditors and Inde endent examiners p

Matters Of Material Significance Checklist on examination of charity accounts

pertaining to: Corpus Christi A.B.C.

Note: The following matters are to be considered during the course of an audit/independent examination. This checklist should not be used as a tick box only. This requires consideration and reflection by the auditor or independent examiner. For further guidance see Section 3, Matters in Detail

Appendix 1: Optional Checklist for
Auditors and Independent examiners		 Appendix 1: Optional Checklist for
Auditors and Independent examiners		 Appendix 1: Optional Checklist for
Auditors and Independent examiners		 Appendix 1: Optional Checklist for
Auditors and Independent examiners		 Appendix 1: Optional Checklist for
Auditors and Independent examiners
Matters Of Material Significance Checklist on examination of charity accounts
pertaining to: Corpus Christi A.B.C.
Note: The following matters are to be considered during the course of an
audit/independent examination. This checklist should not be used as a tick box only.
This requires consideration and reflection by the auditor or independent examiner. For
further guidance see Section 3, Matters in Detail
Matter
number		 Matter detail & question Suspicion /
evidence found
Details and
nature of the
matter
identified.		 No suspicion
or evidence
found(√/X)
 Report made?
to whom?
1 Is there a suggestion of
dishonesty/fraud involving a
significant loss of, or a
material risk to, charitable
funds or assets?
 NO √ N/A
2 Is there a suggestion of
failure(s) of internal controls,
including failure(s) in charity
governance, that resulted in,
or could give rise to, a
significant loss or
misappropriation of charitable
funds, or which leads to
material charitable funds being
put at major risk?
NO		 √ N/A
3 Do you have knowledge or
suspicion that the charity or
charitable funds including the
charity’s bank account(s) have
been used for money
laundering or such funds are
the proceeds of serious
organised crime or that the
charity is a conduit for criminal
activity?
NO		 √ N/A

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4 Do you have a belief or
suspicion that the charity, its
trustees, employees or assets,
have been involved in or used
to support terrorism or
proscribed organisations in the
UK or outside of the UK, with
the exception of matters
related to a qualifying offence
as defined by Section 3(7) of
the Northern Ireland
(Sentences) Act 1998?
NO		 √ N/A
Matter
number
Matter detail & question		 Suspicion /
evidence found.
Details and
nature of the
matter
identified.		 No suspicion
or evidence
found(√/X)		 Report made?
to whom?
5 Is there evidence suggesting
that in the way the charity
carries out its work relating to
the care and welfare of
beneficiaries, the charity’s
beneficiaries have been or
were put at significant risk of
abuse or mistreatment?		 NO √ N/A
6 Are there single or recurring
breach(es) of either a
legislative requirement or of
the charity’s trusts leading to
material charitable funds being
misapplied?
NO		 √ N/A
7 Is there evidence suggesting a
deliberate or significant breach
of an order or direction made
by a charity regulator under
statutory powers including
suspending a charity trustee,
prohibiting a particular
transaction or activity or
granting consent on particular
terms involving significant
charitable assets or liabilities?
NO		 √ N/A

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8 On making a modified audit
opinion, emphasis of matter,
material uncertainty related to
going concern, or issuing of a
qualified independent
examiner’s report identifying
matters of concern to which
attention is drawn, notification
of the nature of the
modification/qualification/
emphasis of matter or concern
with supporting reasons
including notification of the
action taken, if any, by the
trustees subsequent to that
audit opinion, emphasis of
matter or material uncertainty
identified /independent
examiner’s report.		 NO √ N/A
9 conflicts of interest have not
been managed appropriately
by the trustees and/or related
party transactions have not
been fully disclosed in all
respects required by the
applicable SORP or applicable
regulations.		 NO √ N/A
Date: 06/12/17 Name of Examiner: Mary Flanagan Signature:

Appendix 2: Legal basis for reporting

The duties of auditors and independent examiners in each of these jurisdictions are best described separately as there are some differences and sometimes different language is used. Below is a short section on the legal basis of reporting in each jurisdiction.

CCNI

Section 67 of the Charities Act places a legal duty upon examiners to make a report to the CCNI where, in the course of their examination, they:

which they have reasonable cause to believe is likely to be of material significance to the Commission’s regulatory functions under sections 22 or 33 of the Charities Act.

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In addition to undertaking an independent examination of the accounts, the examiner has a separate legal responsibility to report to the Commission if a matter of material significance to the Commission’s regulatory functions is identified. This duty applies to the independent examination of all registered charities.

OSCR

Section 46 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a legal duty upon auditors and independent examiners to make a report to OSCR where, in acting in the appointed capacity, they:

which they have reasonable cause to believe is likely to be of material significance to OSCR’s regulatory functions under sections 28,30 or 31 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

The report is separate to the Auditor or independent examiner’s report. There is no legal requirement to make the report to OSCR in writing but it is recommended that a written report is made.

CCEW

Sections 156 and 159 of the Charities Act 2011 place a duty upon the auditor and independent examiners of both non-company and company charities to make a report to the CCEW where in the course of their examination, they identify a matter which they have reasonable cause to believe is likely to be of material significance for the purposes of the exercise by the Commission of its functions listed in section 156(3) of the Charities Act 2011.

Section 156 of the Charities Act 2011 states: “If, in the course of acting in the capacity mentioned in subsection (1), P becomes aware of a matter— (a) which relates to the activities or affairs of the charity or of any connected institution or body, and (b) which P has reasonable cause to believe is likely to be of material significance for the purposes of the exercise by the Commission of its functions under the provisions mentioned in subsection (3) P must immediately make a written report on the matter to the Commission”.

Section 160 of the Charities Act 2011 also places the duty in section 156 on a person appointed to audit or report on the accounts of an exempt charity that is not a company to report any concerns to the principal

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regulator (rather than the Commission). Nothing in the Act disapplies section 159 from exempt charities and so the Companies Act Auditor of an exempt charitable company also has a duty to report any concerns. This duty is modified by section 160 so that the report must be made to the principal regulator rather than the Commission.

All UK charity regulators

The auditor’s or independent examiner’s duty is to report matters of material significance that they come across in undertaking the independent examination in accordance with the guidance. The duty is on the examiner to report to the relevant UK charity regulator(s) immediately upon becoming aware of the matter of material significance and to make the report in writing. Auditors or independent examiners are expected to submit a report even if the charity trustees have already reported the matter to the regulator.

Normally the matter will relate to the year the auditor or independent examiner is reporting upon but, where a matter comes to light relating to a previous financial year which would give rise to a duty to report, then the auditor or independent examiner must make a report.

Auditors and independent examiners may take assurance from the UK Charity Regulators’ protocol for handling matters of material significance

to a UK regulator where that matter falls within the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Bribery Act 2010 or Terrorism Act 2000 that in reporting to a UK charity regulator such a report will not give rise to a tipping off offence being committed. For further information see the Annex to this guidance and the guidance issued by the Consultative Council of Accountancy Bodies.

Relevant matters

If an auditor or independent examiner believes a matter may not be of material significance, but still consider the matter relevant to the charity regulator in carrying out its functions, then they should still report the matter. Further separate guidance on relevant matters will be produced by the charity regulators.

Cessation of appointment

An Auditor or independent examiner is not relieved of their duty to report by resigning their appointment. They are still required to report the matters they became aware of during the appointment.

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Where an appointment ends the Auditor or independent examiner must report any reasons for the cessation of appointment which might be relevant to the UK charity regulators in exercising their functions.

Where there is no reportable matter but the auditor or independent examiner has resigned the engagement then there is no need to make a report unless such a report is required by regulation in which case this should simply be advised by e-mail and not flagged as a formal report.

Appendix 3: References

References in this document to ‘the Charities Act’ are to the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Act 2011.

References to ‘the accounting and reporting regulations’ in this document in Northern Ireland refer to the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015; in Scotland to the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and, in England and Wales, to the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008.

References in this document to the ‘annual return regulations’ are to The Charities (Annual Return) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, prescribed by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, and to the Charities (Annual Return) Regulations 2015, which is in operation in England and

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Wales. Scotland do not have an equivalent to these regulations within their legislation.

Auditors and independent examiners should note that the references cited above were current at the time of initial publication of this guidance but are subject to change. You should refer to the website of the relevant UK charity regulator(s) to confirm the latest references as they apply at the time of making your report.

Annex: UK Charity Regulators’ protocol for handling matters of material significance to a UK regulator where that matter falls within the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Bribery Act 2010 or Terrorism Act 2000

Issued by the UK charity regulators: 1 May 2017

The UK charity regulators: Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW), the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) all follow a common protocol for handling matters of material significance where an auditor or independent examiner makes a report of a matter of material significance that is covered by the provision of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Bribery Act 2010 or Terrorism Act 2000.

Receipt of the report

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Each UK regulator has a dedicated e-mail address which is routed to a

specific handling team who understand the sensitivity of the reports being made.

CCNI: Whistleblowing@charitycommissionni.org.uk

OSCR:Section46@oscr.org.uk

CCEW: Whistleblowing@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk

Where a report is made by way of a letter, these reports are marked as ‘official-sensitive’ and allocated directly to the specific handling team who understand the sensitivity of the reports being made.

Escalation of the report

The handling team automatically escalate a matter of material significance that is covered by the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Bribery Act 2010 or Terrorism Act 2000 as a communication classed as ‘official-sensitive’ to the inquiry team within the regulator.

Liaison with law enforcement

The inquiry team are aware that a matter of material significance that is covered by the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Bribery Act 2010 or Terrorism Act 2000 is a highly sensitive referral where the risk of prejudicing a law enforcement investigation by alerting the trustees or others related to the charity (equivalent to ‘ tipping off ’) must be avoided. The inquiry team will therefore directly liaise with law enforcement about these referrals and any regulatory action to be taken by the relevant charity regulator is subject to prior clearance with law enforcement.

The auditor or independent examiner can therefore be assured that the handling of their report will not prejudice any investigation by law enforcement and that the contents of the report will not cause any regulatory action to be initiated that has not already commenced independently of their report or, in the case of regulatory action which is consequential on their report, any regulatory action will have had the prior approval of law enforcement.

Case handling is subject to the requirements of law enforcement

Matters which involve criminality and the potential to bring criminal charges are the remit of law enforcement. It follows that in the majority of cases the UK charity regulators will only progress their own regulatory action once the law enforcement agency has considered any charges and if charges are brought that the matter has also been considered by the prosecuting service and any consequential court proceedings have been fully concluded. In such cases any regulatory action would follow the

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outcome of law enforcement proceedings. Exceptionally, where it is agreed with the law enforcement agency, both authorities, law enforcement and the charity regulator(s), may act on a case at the same time, provided any regulatory action carried out is with the knowledge of law enforcement and within the agreed terms of reference.

Glossar y

Term Definition Term Definition
Assets An asset is a resource controlled by the charity as a
result of past events and from which future economic
benefits are expected to enable the charity to further
its charitable aims.
Annual Return
Regulations		 References in this document to the ‘annual return
regulations’ are to The Charities (Annual Return)
Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, prescribed by
the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. The full
content of can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk
Charities Act
(Northern
Ireland) 2008		 References to ‘the Charities Act’ are to the Charities
Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (as amended). The full
content of the 2008 Charities Act can be found at
www.legislation.gov.uk
Not all of the sections of the Charities Act are in force
yet. Details of those sections that are in force are
available on the Commission’s website
www.charitycommissionni.org.uk

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Independent
Examination		 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.
Depending on the size of the charity an independent
examination may be carried out by either an
independent person with the requisite ability and
experience or by a person who is a member of one of
the professional bodies. For specific details please
refer to CCNI,OSCR or CCEWguidance.
Independent
examiner		 An independent examiner who is a member of one of
the professional bodies listed in section 65 of the
Charities Act:
Association of Charity Independent examiners
•
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England
and Wales
•
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
•
Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland
•
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
•
Association of Authorised Public Accountants
•
Association of Accounting Technicians
•
Association of International Accountants
•
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
•
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators
•
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and
Accountancy
•
Institute of Financial Accountants
•
The Certified Public Accountants Association.

Scotland does not include the Institute of Financial
Accountants but does include: Member of the
Association of Charity Independent examiners

England and Wales also includes: Fellow of the
Association of CharityIndependent examiners.

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Law
enforcement		 Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised
separately in each of the legal systems of England and
Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Most law
enforcement is carried out by police officers serving in
regional police services within one of these
jurisdictions. These regional services are
complemented by UK-wide agencies, such as the
National Crime Agency, and specialist bodies hosted
by regional police forces, such as the Specialist
Operations directorate of the Metropolitan Police.
There are three general types of law enforcement
agency in the United Kingdom, the first is mostly
concerned with policing the general public and their
activities and the others are concerned with policing
of more specific matters:
•
Territorial police services, which carry out
the majority of policing. There are 45 territorial
police services that cover apolice area(a
particular region). Some territorial police
services hostspecialist bodies that operate in
more than one area of the United Kingdom,
such the Specialist Operations directorate of the
Metropolitan Police.
•
National law enforcement bodies, including
the National Crime Agency and British Transport
Police.The Serious Organised Crime and Police
Act 2005 refers to these as "special police
forces". The National Crime Agency operates
across the United Kingdom (but in Scotland or
Northern Ireland requires the agreement of the
domestic prosecuting authority to do so) against
organised crime and acts as the UK point of
contact for foreign agencies. There are also non-

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police law enforcement agencies whose officers, while not police constables, enforce laws. Miscellaneous police services , mostly having their foundations in older legislation or common law. These have a responsibility to police specific local areas or activities. The following organisations would fall into the category of Law Enforcement: Territorial police services: England - Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Cheshire Constabulary, City of London Police, Cleveland Police, Cumbria Constabulary, Derbyshire Constabulary, Devon & Cornwall Police, Dorset Police, Durham Constabulary, Essex Police, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Greater Manchester Police, Hampshire Constabulary, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Humberside Police, Kent Police, Lancashire Constabulary, Leicestershire Police, Lincolnshire Police, Merseyside Police, Metropolitan Police Service, Norfolk Constabulary, North Yorkshire Police, Northamptonshire Police, Northumbria Police, Nottinghamshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, Staffordshire Police, Suffolk Constabulary, Surrey Police, Sussex Police, Thames Valley Police, Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Police, West Midlands Police, West Yorkshire Police and Wiltshire Police Wales - Dyfed-Powys Police, Gwent Police, North Wales Police and South Wales Police. Scotland – Police Scotland Northern Ireland – Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Bodies with Police Powers: National Crime Agency, Ministry of Defence Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, British Transport Police, National Wildlife Crime Unit, National Counter Terrorism Security Office, National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, National Domestic Extremism and Disorder Intelligence unit, Protection Command, National Fraud Intelligence Bureau,

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National Ballistics Intelligence Service, National Police Air Service;

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Bodies with limited executive powers: Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, HMRC, Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency, (GB & NI), The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC), Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland Bodies with solely investigatory powers: Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, Security Service, Serious Fraud Office Miscellaneous Police Forces: Ports Police – Belfast Harbour Police, Larne Harbour Police, Port of Bristol Police, Port of Felixstowe Police, Port of Portland Police, Falmouth Docks Police, Port of Dover Police, Port of Liverpool Police, Port of Tilbury Police, and Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority Harbour Police. Parks Police – Epping Forest Keepers, Kew Constabulary, Liverpool Parks Police, Birmingham Parks Police, the Parks Police Service (Hammersmith, Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea), Hampstead Heath Constabulary, Hillingdon Parks Patrol Service. Other – Belfast International Airport Constabulary, Cambridge University Constabulary, Mersey Tunnels Police, Northern Ireland Security Guard Service and Cathedral constable. Service Police – Royal Military Police, Royal Naval Police and Royal Air Force Police. Crown Dependencies: The Isle of Man Constabulary, the Isle of Man Airport Police, the States of Jersey Police, the States of Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, the States of Guernsey Police Service, Guernsey Border Agency. Overseas Territories: Bermuda Police Service, Bermuda Airport Security Police, British Indian Ocean Territory Police, Pitcairn Islands Police, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service,

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Royal Falklands Islands Police, Royal Montserrat Police

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Force, Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Saint Helena Police Service, Royal Gibraltar Police, Overseas MOD & Service Police: Sovereign Base Areas Police (MOD in Cyprus), Gibraltar Defence Police, British Indian Ocean Territory Joint Service Police Unit, Cyprus Joint Police Unit, Falkland Islands Joint Service Police Security Unit and Gibraltar Joint Provost and Security Unit.

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Material /
Materiality		 Materiality relates to an item that, in the judgement
of the examiner, if omitted or misstated, would affect
the reader’s understanding of the accounts.
Materiality is also linked closely to other accounting
concepts and principles:
Relevance: Material information influences the
economic decisions of the users and is therefore
relevant to their needs.
Reliability: Omission or misstatement of an important
piece of information impairs users' ability to make
correct decisions taken on the basis of financial
statements thereby affecting the reliability of
information.
Completeness: Information contained in the financial
statements must be complete in all material respects
in order to present a true and fair view of the affairs
of the company.
Materiality depends on the size, amount or
importance of the item, error or misstatement. An
accounting policy is sometimes described as material
where the effect is material as to how an item or
transaction is recognised, measured or disclosed in
accounts. Where a policy does not conform with the
Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (also
known as the Charities SORP), the auditor or
independent examiner has to consider whether the
effect of that policy when applied to transactions or
items in the accounts is so material as to affect the
presentation or understanding of the accounts.
Information is material if its omission or misstatement
could influence the economic decisions of users taken
on the basis of the financial statements (IASB
Framework).
Materiality therefore relates to the significance of
transactions, balances and errors contained in the
financial statements. Materialitydefines the threshold

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or cut off point after which financial information
becomes relevant to the decision making needs of the
users. Information contained in the financial
statements must therefore be complete in all material
respects in order for them to present a true and fair
view of the affairs of the entity.
Materiality is relative to the size and particular
circumstances of individual charities
Material
Significance		 This is a particular term used in the Charities Act
which gives rise to the duty of an independent
examiner to report matters to the charity regulator.
Under the applicable Charities Act, auditors and
independent examiners must report to the charity
regulator any matter they become aware of regarding
a charity or any connected organisation, which they
believe is likely to be of ‘material significance’ to that
charity regulator in carrying out its functions. The
report must be made immediatelyand in writing.
Misstatement This means whether, in any respect, the accounts are
materially misstated by the inclusion of an item, or an
aspect of the accounts that is factually incorrect, in
error, or wrong, or by the omission of an item that
shouldproperlybe included in the accounts.
Statements of
Recommended
Practice
(SORPs)		 Statements of Recommended Practice (SORPs)
supplement accounting standards and other legal and
regulatory requirements in light of the special factors
prevailing or transactions undertaken in a particular
sector and their application is relevant to the ‘true and
fair’ view required of charity accounts. For general
charities preparing their reports and accounts for
reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January
2016 this is the Accounting and Reporting by
Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice FRS
102(Charities SORP FRS102).

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Tipping
off
offence
(Derived
from
the Proceeds of
Crime Act
**2002) **		 It is an offence for a person in the regulated sector to
“tip off” (i.e. inform) a person suspected of money
laundering that (a) he or someone else has made a
lawful disclosure or (b) there is a money laundering
investigation taking place, where the tipping off is
likely either to prejudice any investigation arising from
the disclosure or to prejudice the investigation
disclosed to the person suspected of money
laundering.
A similar offence applies to those who are not in the
regulated sector, where a person makes an unlawful
disclosure which is likely to prejudice a money
launderinginvestigation. This offence carries a
maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and/or
an unlimited fine.

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Useful contacts

Access NI www.accessni Association of Accounting www.aat.org.uk/ Technicians Association of Authorised www.accaglobal.com/aapa Public Accountants Association of Chartered www.accaglobal.com/gb/en.html Certified Accountants Association of Charity www.acie.org.uk/ Independent examiners Association of International www.aiaworldwide.com Accountants Chartered Institute of www.cimaglobal.com Management Accountants Chartered Institute of Public www.cipfa.org Finance and Accountancy Disclosure and Barring Service www.disclosureandbarringservice.gov.uk Disclosure Scotland Scheme www.disclosurescotland.co.uk Institute of Chartered www.icaew.com Accountants in England and Wales Institute of Chartered www.charteredaccountants.ie Accountants in Ireland Institute of Chartered www.icas.com Accountants of Scotland Institute of Chartered www.icsa.org.uk Secretaries and Administrators

Institute of Financial www.ifa.org.uk Accountants The Certified Public www.acpa.org.uk Accountants Association

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If you are dissatisfied with our service

CCNI

The Commission in Northern Ireland is committed to delivering a quality service at all times. However, we know that sometimes things can go wrong. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received, we would like to hear from you, and have a procedure that you can use.

In Northern Ireland, you will find further information on these processes in our guidance, Making a complaint about our service which is on our website www.charitycommissionni.org.uk

OSCR

If something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied with our services, please tell us. OSCR's complaints procedure and our Complaints handling procedure describe our complaints procedure, what complaints we consider, and how to make a complaint. These also set out our complaints service standards and what you can expect from us.

CCEW

We are committed to giving you the best service we can. But there may be a time you need to complain about a service we’ve provided. For more information follow this link to our Complaints procedure

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Further information on our activities is available from:

Northern Ireland: www.charitycommissionni.org.uk Scotland: www.oscr.org.uk England and Wales: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charityhttps://www.gov.uk/gover - nment/organisations/charity commissioncommission

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