Explanatory note

This Order amends provisions of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (“the Act”) relating to the preparation and examination of charities’ accounts.

Article 2 substitutes the sum specified in section 64(3) of the Act so as to increase the threshold at or below which charity trustees can elect to prepare a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities instead of a statement of accounts under section 64(1) (accruals accounts). Article 2 also increases the threshold in section 65(3) and (4) above which a charity must have its accounts independently examined by a member of one of the bodies specified in section 65(4) or (5) of the Act. The threshold for an audit of charity accounts is unchanged.

A regulatory impact assessment of the effect that this Order will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is available from the Department for Social Development, Voluntary and Community Unit, 3rd Floor, Lighthouse Building, 1 Cromac Place, Gasworks Business Park, Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 2JB and is annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside the Order on the website: www.legislation.gov.uk.