Receipts & Payments Accounts
Receipts & Payments Accounts
Receipts and Payments Accounts cannot be prepared if your income exceeds £250,000. For accounting periods starting on or after 1st January 2026 this threshold will increase to £500,000.
The following comments relate to the specimen Receipts and Payments Accounts. They cover both the single fund version and the multi fund version – this is where the charity has Restricted Funds and/or Endowment Funds as well as Unrestricted Funds (also known as general fund). If only unrestricted funds exists, the single fund version should be used and some of the following comments do not apply.
Specimen Receipts and Payments Accounts for both single funds and multi funds accompany this guidance. These specimens are available to download as Excel files from the Accounting and Reporting page of our website or can be requested by email from the Scout Support Centre [email protected].
The specimens are based on those issued by the Charity Commission for England & Wales, OSCR and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. They cover the receipts and payments, assets and liabilities that occur in most Scout Groups and Districts.
The Charity Commission for England & Wales’ own specimens are issued in both an Excel and PDF format and accompanying guidance notes can be obtained from the GOV website.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator’s own specimens are issued in both an Excel and PDF format and accompanying guidance notes can be obtained from the OSCR website.
The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s own specimens are issued in both an Excel and PDF format and accompanying guidance notes can be obtained from Charity Commission website.
There are up to four columns (in the multi fund version) in which figures can be entered.
Unrestricted (or General) Funds: These are funds that the charity trustees may spend in accordance with its constitution.
There is another type of Fund known as a Designated Fund. This type of Fund arises when the trustees decide to set some of the Unrestricted Funds aside for a special purpose. It continues to be part of Unrestricted Funds and so no separate column is provided.
If a Group, District or County/Area/Region has a Designated Fund and wishes to give details in the accounts, this can be done:
- by description given in the Trustees' Annual Report
- by a note attached to the accounts
Restricted Funds: These are funds (other than Endowment Funds – see below) where the trustees are bound by conditions that have either been imposed by donors, or by the terms of an appeal. Therefore the fund can only be spent in line with the restriction. It is important that these funds are kept separate from both the Unrestricted Funds and the Endowment Funds and therefore a separate column is provided.
Endowment Funds: These are funds that the trustees are unable to currently spend. Often the funds can only be spent once specified conditions have been met and in many instances they have to be held indefinitely. It is important that these funds are kept separate from both the Unrestricted Funds and the Restricted Funds and therefore a separate column is provided.
From financial years starting in 2026, charities (including Groups, Districts, Counties / Regions / Areas) need to show their income and expenses (receipts and payments) in full — not just the difference between them. This includes membership fees. For further information see the guidance here.
The Total column adds Unrestricted, Restricted and Endowment Funds together.
The previous year's figures are only shown in total.
Where the template has the term ‘Detail’, please replace this with a very brief description of the activity you have undertaken. For example, under Fundraising describe your main fundraising activities e.g. bag packing.
SORP asks charities to develop their own classifications that best describe their principal charitable activities. The Finance Sub-Committee of The Scout Association has discussed suitable headings and recommends that Districts, Counties/Areas/Regions use some or all (as appropriate) of the following four headings:
- Youth Programme and Activities
- Adult Support and Training
- Development of Scouting
- Support and Services to the Movement
This SORP requirement does not need to be followed when preparing Receipts and Payments Accounts. However, the Finance Sub-Committee still recommends that, where appropriate, these headings should be followed for Receipts and Payments Accounts. (The template Receipts and Payments Accounts only include ‘Youth Programme and Activities’ and ‘Adult Support and Training’ since for most charities these are the two that historically are appropriate)
The line "transfers between funds" will only be used if the trustees have decided it is proper to make a transfer. This could happen, e.g. if the restriction on a restricted fund ends and the fund becomes available for general purposes.
The amount(s) of Cash funds this year end should agree with the Sub Total(s) of Cash funds shown on the Statement of Assets & Liabilities.
The values of monetary assets and liabilities have to be shown but some non-monetary assets may just be described. In this case, as well as a description of the assets, information about their age, original cost and current value should be given. It will be helpful to indicate the value of all assets and the Trustees' view of the estimated market or insured value may be a helpful guide.
Contingent liabilities and future obligations, if you have any, should be described in a separate note that accompanies the accounts. These would include any disputed legal claims against the charity and future rent payments, which are not yet due. An example of this might be "Rent payable in the future £500 pa for remainder of lease – 5 years".
It is often not necessary to provide notes with Receipts and Payments Accounts and no space is included for these. However, they should be provided if they increase the reader’s understanding of the accounts.
If there are related party transactions, Trustee’s remuneration or significant non-monetary resources, these should always be explained.
The accounts should be approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf; each should receive a copy even if they cannot attend the meeting where the accounts are approved.