Charity financial year-end close checklist

Ivan Siyanko August 25, 2026

How to use this: start it a few weeks before your year-end and work through to sign-off. It keeps the close orderly and your accounts accurate.

Reconcile and record

[ ] All bank and cash accounts reconciled to the year-end date.
[ ] Income recorded and matched to the correct fund (restricted vs unrestricted).
[ ] All invoices and expenses entered; accruals and prepayments considered if using accruals accounts.
[ ] Petty cash and card transactions accounted for.

Funds and restrictions

[ ] Restricted funds tracked and spent only on their purpose; balances confirmed.
[ ] Any restricted funds fully spent or carried forward correctly.
[ ] Free (unrestricted) reserves calculated and checked against your reserves policy.

Get audit / examination ready

[ ] Confirm whether you need an audit or independent examination against current thresholds.
[ ] Supporting documents organised for your examiner or auditor.
[ ] Fixed asset register and depreciation reviewed if using accruals accounts.

Report and file

[ ] Trustees’ Annual Report drafted, covering achievements and reserves.
[ ] Accounts reviewed and approved by trustees.
[ ] Filing deadlines diarised (annual return within 10 months; Companies House if a charitable company).