Note 2 Accounting policies

This standard list of accounting policies has been applied by the charity.

INCOMING RESOURCES

Recognition of incoming

These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:

resources

· the charity becomes entitled to the resources;

· the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources; and

· the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Incoming resources with related expenditure

Where incoming resources have related expenditure (as with fundraising or contract income) the incoming resources and related expenditure are reported gross in the SoFA.

Grants and donations

Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the resources.

Tax reclaims on donations and gifts

Incoming resources from tax reclaims are included in the SoFA at the same time as the gift to which they relate.

Contractual income and performance related grants

This is only included in the SoFA once the related goods or services have been delivered.

Gifts in kind

Gifts in kind are accounted for at a reasonable estimate of their value to the charity or the amount actually realised.

Gifts in kind for sale or distribution are included in the accounts as gifts only when sold or distributed by the charity.

Gifts in kind for use by the charity are included in the SoFA as incoming resources when receivable.

Donated services and facilities

These are only included in incoming resources (with an equivalent amount in resources expended) where the benefit to the charity is reasonably quantifiable, measurable and material. The value placed on these resources is the estimated value to the charity of the service or facility received.

Volunteer help

The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.

Investment income

This is included in the accounts when receivable.

Investment gains and losses

This includes any gain or loss on the sale of investments and any gain or loss resulting from revaluing investments to market value at the end of the year.

EXPENDITURE AND LIABILITIES

Liability recognition

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.

Governance costs

Include costs of the preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of trustee meetings and cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters.

Grants with performance conditions

Where the charity gives a grant with conditions for its payment being a specific level of service or output to be provided, such grants are only recognised in the SoFA once the recipient of the grant has provided the specified service or output.

Grants payable without performance conditions

These are only recognised in the accounts when a commitment has been made and there are no conditions to be met relating to the grant which remain in the control of the charity.

Support Costs

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, eg allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.

ASSETS

Tangible fixed assets for use by charity

These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and cost at least £500. They are valued at cost or a reasonable value on receipt.

Investments

Investments quoted on a recognised stock exchange are valued at market value at the year end. Other investment assets are included at trustees' best estimate of market value.

Stocks and work in progress

These are valued at the lower of cost or market value.