Some things in 2010 have been easy to predict – the Budget, a Spring election and the public benefit regime.  But changes in VAT and tax can catch the unwary,  and undoubtedly there are inherent uncertainties in the lingering effects of the recession and how charities can demonstrate their worth. So I hope this newsletter helps equip you to meet all of these challenges.

Sudhir Singh
Chairman – Charities and Education Group

In this issue

Charities affected by VAT measures

Hard on the heels of the increase in VAT rate back to 17.5% comes more bad news and further challenges for charities.  This update touches on three of them.

Survival of the fittest: the appliance of science

Whether it’s the threat of declining public funding or donors getting more discriminating, many charities are responding to this by the appliance of science.

Fit enough or do you need to get in shape with the F Plan diet?

With the economy looking a little stronger, what is in store for the Third Sector for the next 12 months and is your organisation in shape to succeed?

Public Benefit: testing times?

When public benefit testing of charities in England and Wales finally commenced, only one quarter of the tested charities passed the assessment without further comment or recommendation from the Charity Commission. What lessons can charities in England and Wales or Scotland learn from this?

What tax changes might a new government have in store?

The general election will be upon us shortly.  What tax changes is a new government going to have in store for the charity sector?