Not-for-profit accountancy in Northern Ireland
NI charities, social enterprises, and community interest companies operate under their own legislation and their own regulator. You need an accountant who knows the Charities Act (NI) 2008, not just the England and Wales version.
Talk to us about not-for-profitCharity accountancy in Northern Ireland is different from the rest of the UK. The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has its own registration requirements, reporting thresholds, and governance expectations. The accounting framework is SORP FRS 102, and getting it wrong means your accounts may not be accepted by funders, regulators, or trustees.
We work with registered charities, community interest companies, social enterprises, voluntary organisations, and housing associations across NI. Our clients range from small community groups with annual income under £100,000 to established organisations with multi-million pound budgets and complex funding streams.
Fund accounting is where most general accountants get it wrong. Restricted income must be tracked separately. Designated funds need proper disclosure. Endowment funds have their own rules. We set up your accounting system to handle this from day one, not as a year-end fix.
What not-for-profit businesses ask us
SORP-compliant accounts
Statement of Financial Activities, fund accounting, restricted vs unrestricted income, designated funds, endowment funds. Getting the disclosures right for CCNI and funders.
Charity Commission NI reporting
Annual returns, annual monitoring returns, serious incident reporting. Understanding what CCNI expects and when.
Audit vs independent examination
Understanding the NI thresholds. When your charity requires a full statutory audit and when an independent examination is sufficient. Planning for growth across the threshold.
Funder reporting
National Lottery, government departments, and trusts each have different reporting requirements. We prepare accounts and reports that satisfy multiple funders simultaneously.
Gift Aid and tax
Claiming Gift Aid on eligible donations. VAT recovery for charities. Trading subsidiaries and their tax treatment. Partial exemption for mixed-activity organisations.
How we help not-for-profit businesses
Audit and assurance
Statutory audits for limited companies, charities, and FCA-regulated firms.
View serviceBusiness accounts
Year-end accounts, bookkeeping, and management information you can actually use.
View servicePayroll
Weekly, monthly, and four-weekly payroll with full RTI and pension compliance.
View serviceBusiness advisory
Strategy, financing, succession, and the conversations that move the bottom line.
View serviceFrequently asked about not-for-profit accountancy
Does my NI charity need an audit?
If your charity has gross income over £500,000, a statutory audit is required under the Charities Act (NI) 2008. Below £500,000 but above £100,000, you may opt for an independent examination instead. Below £100,000, a simplified accounts format may be appropriate.
What is the difference between restricted and unrestricted income?
Restricted income is money given for a specific purpose that the donor has defined. Unrestricted income can be spent on any charitable purpose. The distinction matters because restricted funds must be tracked separately and cannot be used for general costs.
Do you work with community interest companies?
Yes. CICs have different reporting requirements from charities but share many of the same governance challenges. We handle CIC annual accounts, CIC34 community interest reports, and advise on the asset lock.
Can you help us set up fund accounting properly?
Yes. We configure Xero or your existing software with the fund tracking structure needed for SORP compliance. This means restricted funds are tracked from the point of receipt, not allocated at year-end.
Talk to an accountant who understands not-for-profit in NI
15-minute call. No commitment. We will answer your questions and outline how we work with not-for-profit businesses across Northern Ireland.
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