How quickly must we report a serious incident, and who does it?

England and Wales: This page sets out the position in full. Scotland: not applicable — there is no equivalent report; a Scottish charity uses the general “raise a concern” route instead, and only if the issue was not dealt with satisfactorily — see Step 17. Northern Ireland: the same name, and CCNI says trustees must report, through its general concern form — see below.

Is there a deadline in days for reporting a serious incident?

No. No Charity Commission guidance for England and Wales states a day count for reporting a serious incident. The myth that one exists is persistent. The timing is set by events, not by the calendar: promptly — as soon as is reasonably possible after it happens, or immediately after the charity becomes aware of it. A source that tells you that you have five days, or seven, or ten has made that figure up.

This page assumes you have already decided the event is one; see recognise a serious incident.

Who is responsible for reporting a serious incident?

The trustees are, even when someone else makes the report. The act of reporting can be delegated to a member of staff or a specific trustee. Your decision and delegation framework is where that is written down. The responsibility cannot be delegated. If a delegate fails to report, the trustees are still answerable.

Many people want to wait until the facts are fully confirmed before reporting. That instinct is wrong here. The definition covers events that are “actual or alleged“. The timing runs from when the charity becomes aware, not from when the matter is resolved. A report can be updated later, including if someone involved is later cleared.

What the initial report does not need

Names are not required in the first report. The Commission’s own wording: it is “not necessary to provide the names or any other personal details of any individuals involved in the incident in your initial report – the Commission will come back to you if it needs this information.” Some charities delay reporting until an internal process has identified everyone involved. Nothing in the requirement gives a reason for that delay.

Good practice, and the declaration behind it

Reporting is good practice in the Commission’s own words. The annual return declaration behind it is a legal duty.

The guidance says: “As a matter of good practice, all charities, regardless of size or income, should report serious incidents to the Commission promptly.” Elsewhere the same source says “The Charity Commission requires charities to report”. The wording is in tension with itself. This page gives both statements rather than picking one.

The hard duty sits one step away. The declaration in the annual return must be made within 10 months of the charity’s financial year end. It cannot be made honestly while a known serious incident remains unreported.

So for most charities, the legal risk is not in the act of reporting itself. It is in what happens if the declaration gets signed anyway.

Scotland and Northern Ireland: different routes

Scotland runs no equivalent report at all. A Scottish charity that has resolved a problem satisfactorily reports nothing. Where it has not, the route is the general raise a concern form. Trustees, staff and the public all use that form. Recognise a serious incident explains why the old notifiable events process no longer applies.

Northern Ireland uses the same name as England and Wales. The report goes through CCNI’s general Concerns Form. Trustees, volunteers and members of the public all use the same channel to raise an issue.

A separate duty sits alongside it, and it belongs to auditors and independent examiners, not trustees. This is the “matters of material significance” channel. It reports certain findings directly to the regulator. The examiner’s duty does not cover the trustees’ own reporting, and the trustees’ report does not cover the examiner’s.

With the report made, the next step is to handle the aftermath of a report.

Common mistake: waiting for the facts to be confirmed before reporting

Reporting an allegation feels premature. The definition covers events “whether actual or alleged”, and the clock runs from when the charity becomes aware, not from when it is resolved.

Common mistake: putting individuals’ names in the initial report

Names are expressly not required at this stage. The Commission will ask if it needs them.

Worked example

Tollgate Youth CIO’s chair learns on a Friday of an allegation against its one member of staff. The guidance says to report promptly — as soon as is reasonably possible after it happens, or immediately after the charity becomes aware of it.

There is no grace period to wait out and no day count to work back from. The report goes in as soon as it is reasonably possible to make it. Names are left out until the Commission asks for them.