Thursday 30 June 2016

Employment status

It is essential organisations are clear about the employment status of the people it engages because the HR responsibilities and tax obligations are different. Last year we commissioned PERS to provide a training workshop for the organisations we work with to raise awareness and help them better understand the differences between employment, self-employment and worker status and the implications and requirements.

This month the Charity Finance Group (CFG) has issued a very helpful free guide on Employment Status. It is aimed at those responsible for HR issues in charities and specifically in managing staff and volunteers.

The guide explains the key principles behind employment status, the employment relationship, and the issues you should consider when dealing with employees. It covers those people who fall within a special category of ‘worker’ and those who might not see themselves as being in an employment relationship, such as volunteers, trustees and consultants.

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WYCAS 2015/16 performance

As part of our commitment to good governance, every year we publish a short summary ‘snapshot’ report of our work and performance in each of the West Yorkshire district areas. The report to our beneficiaries, funders and other stakeholders is just a single A4 page. It draws on information from our most recent annual survey and our own monitoring and activity data for each area. The 2015/16 for Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield areas are now available to view on our website on the Our Performance page.

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Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) consultation

A final call for any remaining feedback on the HMRC consultation on proposals to reform GASDS! The deadline is tomorrow evening (1 July). The consultation follows the Government’s Call for Evidence at the end of last year seeking views about the uses and effects of GASDS and intention to simplify the scheme rules.

The proposals include:
• Allowing donations by credit or contactless debit cards
• Relaxing the requirement for a history of problem free Gift Aid claims to the last tax year

The full consultation document is available from here.

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Good Practice Guides and resources

Just a reminder that our selection of good practice guides cover a broad range of finance, accounting and related governance topics. They are freely available from our website (a one-time registration is required to access). We also have a wide range of tools and resources available including our popular excel cash book which are free for your organisation’s own use. We will be making some changes to the ‘Help and Advice’ section of our website shortly so that some of our other materials are easier to find and access.

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Charity Commission Annual Return

All charities with an income of more than £10,000, and all CIO’s regardless of income must by law, complete an annual return within 10 months of their financial reporting period end. Following beta testing, the Charity Commission has just released the 2016 annual return for general use. There are several functional changes and it should be much simpler to use and easier to complete.
 

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Rethinking Risk

CFG in partnership with Sayer Vincent has issued a free practical guide which aims to help charities to effectively manage project, operational and strategic risks. The guide outlines the steps to follow and covers a variety of different methods to help ensure that managing risk is not just a simple a 'tick box' exercise. It also includes some useful case studies from particular charities.

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E-bulletin

Our e-bulletin is issued on a monthly basis and sent directly to registered subscribers. It is also available from our website. Please note that information and resources contained in the e-bulletin are general in nature and not intended as specific advice or recommendations. We welcome any feedback on the content and format so that we can improve it and make sure it meets your needs. Please let us know  if you have any comments or suggestions.

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Our services

WYCAS provides a range of specialist services designed to meet the needs of the third sector:

• One to one support and training
• Preparation of year-end accounts
• Independent examination
• Financial training courses and workshops
• Computerising accounts
• Bookkeeping and management accounts
• Advice and information
• Bespoke consultancy projects

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