Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice

Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Exposure Draft SORP 2026
Exposure draft of a new edition of the Charities SORP for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026. A public consultation on the exposure draft opened on 28 March 2025 and closed on 20 June 2025. The final version of the SORP was published in October 2025.

Implications of COVID-19 control measures and charity financial reporting
The Charities SORP Committee published guidance for trustees and preparers of charity accounts on 23 March 2020, focusing on the "financial reporting implications that may arise from the measures being put in place to contain the impact of the COVID-19 virus."

Guiding the Development of the Charities SORP: ICAEW Representation 20/19
ICAEW response issued in February 2019 to the the consultation opened by the Charities SORP Governance Review Panel.

Guiding the development of the Charities SORP: Exploring changes to the way the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities is developed
Invitation to comment issued by the Charities SORP Governance Review Panel in November 2018. The call for comments closed in February 2019.

Charities SORP (FRS 102) Update Bulletin 2
This second bulletin takes into account the amendments to FRS 102 made in the December 2017 Triennial Review. It should be read in addition to applying Update Bulletin 1. Published on 5 October 2018 by CIPFA, the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, and the OSCR. 

Update Bulletin 2 - Consultation launched 20 February 2018
Consultation documents and background information from the Charity Commission and OSCR. The consultation period closed on 4 April 2018.

Research exercise on Charities SORP (FRS 102)
The joint SORP-making body and SORP Committee launched a consultation on 4 May 2016 seeking the views of users, practitioners, commentators and the accountancy profession following the first year of the Charities SORP (FRS 102) that became effective on 1 January 2015. The responses received are available to view online. [Webpages no longer available]

Charities SORP (FRS 102) Update Bulletin 1
Amendments to the July 2014 SORP withdrawing the Charities SORP (FRSSE) and taking into account changes to FRS 102 and the Charities Act 2011 (Accounts and Audit) Order 2015. The update was published by the Charity Commission, OSCR and CIPFA on 2 February 2016.

Changes in UK accounting prompt consultation on Charities SORP
Press release issued by the Charity Commission on 18 June 2015 announcing a draft Update Bulletin outlining proposed changes to the SORP. Further information on the SORP consultation is available from the Charities SORP microsite, covering the change to the SORP for FRS 102, a replacement for the SORP based on FRSSE and a revised definition of ‘larger charity’ in the SORPs. The consultation closed on 18 September 2015.

Charities SORP (FRS 102)
Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102, effective from 1 January 2015. Published in July 2014. Available through the archive of previous editions on the Charities SORP website.

Charities SORP (FRSSE)
Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities, effective 1 January 2015. Published in July 2014. Following consultation, the Charities SORP (FRSSE) will not apply from 2016. Available through the archive of previous editions on the Charities SORP website.

Charities SORP consultation
A new exposure draft was published by the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator on 8 July 2013. The consultation closed on 4 November 2013 and an analysis of the responses was published in March 2014.

Charities and Risk Management
Guidance from the Charity Commission on the risk management elements introduced by the SORP 2005. Topics include reporting of risk management in the Trustees' Annual Report, example format of a risk register and examples of potential risk areas, their impact and mitigation.

Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice
The full text of the SORP 2005, updated in May 2008, is available for download from the Charity Commission. Available through the archive of previous editions on the Charities SORP website.

Consultation: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
The Charity Commission launched a Charity SORP Consultation on 30th June 2004, alongside an exposure draft for a new edition of the SORP. A summary of the responses was published in December 2004.

Inputs Matter: Improving the Quality of Reporting in the Charity Sector
In November 2003 the Charity Finance Directors' Group (CFDG) published a consultation document, which made a number of proposals to 'improve the quality and consistency of charity annual reports' ranging from the valuation of volunteer time to redefining management and administration costs as governance costs. The consultation focuses on the inputs into charity accounts and it was anticipated that the report would contribute to the next annual SORP review. A summary of responses to the consultation was published in April 2004.

Accounting and reporting by Charities (the Charities SORP) - Update Bulletin 1
Update (24 pages, PDF format) from the Charity Commission which addresses all new accounting standards and abstracts issued by the ASB since the publication of SORP 2000. Published January 2003.

Private Action, Public Benefit: A Review of Charities and the Wider Not-For-Profit Sector
Report published by the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit in September 2002, now hosted on Co-Operatives UK website. The report's conclusions include the recommendation to strengthen the focus of the Charity SORP 'on achievements against objectives, organisational impact and future strategy' (see chapter 6 on Building public trust and confidence and supporting the sector in improving performance).

Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice
The Charity Commission published a new edition of the SORP which came into full effect on 1 January 2001. A summary of associated materials was also provided on a dedicated SORP 2000 page, including guidance on what changed with the new SORP.

Accounting by charities: the proposed changes to the regulations on charity accounts and reports
ICAEW memorandum published in May 2000 in response to the Charity Commission's Consultation on Draft Regulations on Charity Accounts and Reports from March 2000.

Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Exposure Draft of Recommended Practice (Revised 1999)
In December 1999 the Charity Commission issued a exposure draft for a new SORP to replace the SORP issued in 1995, following on from a consultation in September 1998.

Accounting by charities
Statement of Recommended Practice issued by the Charity Commission in 1995. The ICAEW Library holds copies in its print collection. 

The Charity Commission later produced a publication setting out the charity accounting framework under SORP 1995 and the 1995 Accounting Regulations, for charities with new financial years which started on or before 31 December 2000. The publication includes links to a range of guidance associated with SORP 1995 (CCs 51-58).