Upcoming courses
You can download our booking form and brochure here.
Date – Time – Course – Presenter
17th Mar – 9.30-12.30 – Charities Update – James Charlton
20th Mar – 9.30-12.30 – Spring Tax Update – Malcolm Greenbaum
23rd Mar – 9.30-11.30 – Independent Examination of Charities – Richard Hemmings
23rd Mar – 12.30-1.30 – Journals Testing – Richard Hemmings
24th Mar – 9.30-11.30 – Pension Scheme Accounts and Audit Fundamentals – Maya Norbury
24th Mar – 1.30-3.30 – Housing Association Accounts and Audit Fundamentals – Maya Norbury
Our 2026 AML, Ethics and GDPR E-Learning Programmes will be available in the coming weeks.
“Excellent delivery, easily understood with some good points raised.” Delegate, Autumn series
FAQs from recent courses
Financial Reporting
I’ve heard that there’s been a ‘stay of execution’ on the abandonment of filleted accounts. Is that true?
This is true. Our previous understanding was that all the changes relating to accounts included within the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act would be implemented from 1 April 2027. This meant that all micro and small company accounts filed after this date would need to include a profit and loss account in a way they never had previously. However, a recent Companies House announcement has made clear that none of the changes relating to accounts filing will take effect from that date. The Companies House announcement states that ‘the changes are under review and an announcement will be made shortly. Companies will have at least 21 months’ notice to prepare.’
Audit
We are auditing a defined contribution occupational pension scheme. The scheme has not prepared a governance statement. Should that impact on our audit report?
Most defined contribution pension schemes need to prepare a governance statement which is included in the annual report. Although the auditor opinion on the truth and fairness of the accounts will not be affected by the exclusion of such a statement, reference should be made to the issue in the section of the audit report that deals with ‘other information’. In addition, the auditor should consider need to make a whistle blowing report to the Pensions Regulator.
Housing Associations
A housing association client has received a substantial number of solar panels through a third party which has arranged a grant on its behalf. All of the equipment has now been installed. How should this be accounted for?
Regardless of whether a grant has been received directly or through an intermediary, we would expect it to be recognised within the housing association’s accounts.
The accounting treatment here is going to depend on whether the grant received by the third party was a government grant or a non-government grant.
Where a government grant has been received, Housing SORP para 13.18 states that it should be recognised on a systematic basis over the estimated useful life of the asset (i.e. using the accrual model). Para 13.29 goes on to say that where a grant is received from a non-government source, the performance model should be used.
Therefore, use of the accrual or the performance model will depend on whether it’s been received from a government or non-government source. Use of the accrual model will involve the grant being credited to deferred income and being released to the SOCI to match against the related costs. Use of the performance model would likely lead to the grant being recognised in the SOCI on receipt.