Double check your annual reporting documents, urges charity regulator

Bank statements, drivers’ licences, passport photos and staff payroll records are just some of the unexpected information submitted to Northern Ireland’s charity regulator under the annual reporting programme.

Under Charity law, all registered charities must submit their annual accounts and reports to the Commission. Once submitted, the documents are automatically made public, supporting the openness and transparency of the charity sector.

However, the Commission has found some instances where the wrong documents have been uploaded by the charity, and therefore published on the register of charities.

While some of the documents accidentally uploaded may be harmless, submitting the wrong information could have serious consequences, particularly where the data includes personal details.

“Information submitted under annual reporting is automatically published to the register of charities – once you press submit, that information will become live within a matter of hours,” said the Commission’s Head of Compliance and Enquiries, Rossa Keown.

“It is the charity’s responsibility to check all information before submission and we would also strongly encourage a double check on the information once published, as an additional assurance.

“Uploading incorrect documents, particularly where that data may include personal or even sensitive data, can not only reflect poorly on the charity itself but may lead to repercussions from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO),” he added.

To check your annual reporting submission, go to your charity’s page on the register of charities, select the Documents tab and you may then open and view each of the files submitted – charity accounts, independent examiner’s report and the trustee annual report.

If you have submitted inappropriate information as part your charity’s annual reporting, please contact the Commission as soon as possible on monitoring@charitycommissionni.org.uk so the issue can be rectified.

Once the Commission becomes aware inappropriate material has been submitted, and therefore published, it will endeavour to remove the material as quickly as possible. The charity will also be notified and advised of the requirement to submit the correct information as soon as possible.

ENDS

For more information, please contact Shirley Kernan, Charity Commission Communications Officer, via shirley.kernan@charitycommissionni.org.uk 

Notes to editors

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland is the independent regulator of charities in Northern Ireland established under the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. 

For more information on annual reporting please see the Annual reporting section of www.charitycommissionni.org.uk