Key Guides: The Charity Treasurer’s Handbook - New edition: pre-order now

Available to pre-order as print edition now. Published 17 September 2026.

(Digital copies will be available to purchase on publication).

This established guide, revised to incorporate recent threshold changes across the UK and the Charities SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice) 2026, offers you the perfect foundation for being a treasurer even if you are new to charity finance. Covering charity accounting across all four nations of the UK, this seventh edition will help you to swiftly gain confidence and knowledge.

What does it cover?

This fully updated guide has clear advice and useful tips that address the key aspects of being a charity treasurer or finance officer. It covers:

• Current legal and accountancy practice for charities across the UK
• Annual reporting and charity accounts, both under the receipts and payments basis and accruals accounts, in compliance with the Charities SORP 2026
• Corporation tax and VAT for charities: what you should be aware of
• Gift Aid: the benefits and how to get started
• Fund accounting and reserves
• Guidance for effective financial planning and management
• An introduction to risk and controls

Who should buy this book?

With plenty of helpful examples, this guide is suitable for treasurers, finance officers and voluntary sector workers with little or no accounting experience, students and those from other sectors seeking an update on charity accounting.

It is also a vital guide for trustees and charity managers, which will help them understand their own role, that of the staff they oversee, and their charity’s relationship with the external auditor or independent examiner.

‘This is a very reliable book that, over the years, I have found really helpful for dipping into to answer both queries that arise in my work and queries coming in from my charity clients.’

Ian Barrett FCA FCIE, Barretts Chartered Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisers

 

‘This plain-English guide will help trustees and managers navigate their way through the myriad of issues that any charity is likely to face. It will help them to make informed decisions, stay compliant and be more effective. The updates relating to SORP 2026 provide clear explanations with worked examples.’

Simon Bostrom FCIE, Chief Accountant, West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO

 

‘The Charity Treasurer’s Handbook is written in a very accessible manner, balancing the legal, regulatory and finance aspects with practical examples. Well-structured sections and chapters make it easy to find the help needed on specific subjects. It’s a ready reference for new and experienced treasurers, with the updates in the seventh edition being particularly useful.’

Carolyn Cordery, Adjunct Professor, Victoria University of Wellington and Chair, New Zealand Accounting Standards Board

 

‘Written in an accessible style and helpful format, this comprehensive and incredibly supportive book will be of immense value to charity treasurers and anyone who needs an introduction to charity accountancy, law and processes.’

Jon Dean, Sheffield Hallam University, Chair of the Voluntary Sector Studies Network

 

‘This is one of those books that earns a permanent place on your shelf. I have found it immensely useful both in my role as a treasurer and when
responding to queries from charity clients. Too often, the responsibility for financial oversight and compliance is disproportionately shouldered by the treasurer. This handbook’s clear, practical guidance will be an invaluable source of support to help them navigate their responsibilities with confidence, while also giving the wider board of trustees the understanding needed to contribute effectively to good financial governance.’

Siobhan Holmes FCA DChA, NFP and Charity Specialist Audit Partner, Azets and Treasurer, Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice

 

‘Having worked in the third sector for over 30 years and served on several charity boards in this time, I find The Charity Treasurer’s Handbook an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to better understand and get to grips with what good financial governance looks like. This handbook brilliantly takes complex concepts and makes them accessible for both the finance novice and more experienced treasurer.’

Neil Mathers,Executive Director for Scotland, Samaritans

 

‘Having supported micro and small charities to build their financial confidence for over 20 years, I can honestly say this isn’t just a brilliant guide to being a charity treasurer or finance officer – it’s an essential guide to the whole wonderful world of small charity finance, full stop. I come back to this resource over and over in my own work, and it is the one I signpost others to as well. The content of this handbook will elevate the financial governance in any micro or small charity. It’s perfect for all those accidental finance heroes out there!’
Liz Pepler, Founder, Embrace Finance

 

‘My copy of the previous version of this handbook was so dog-eared from overuse that I definitely needed a new edition! It’s my first port of call to check facts, which have been updated and comprehensively revised to reflect the world in which we, charity treasurers, now live. I happily recommend this seventh edition of the book to our members and anyone else concerned with charity finances.’

Nicola Silverleaf, Treasurer and Trustee, The Honorary Treasurers Forum 

Buy all six Key Guides titles for just £99 here.

Look inside at the previous edition

Have a look inside The Charity Treasurer’s Handbook.

About the authors

Elaine Alsop

Elaine is a chartered accountant working solely with charities and other third sector organisations. She advises small to medium-sized charities on a wide range of finance and governance issues, including annual reporting and independent examination. A passion for making charity finance more accessible, she particularly enjoys working closely with trustees to support them in meeting their responsibilities.

Elaine is a Fellow of the Association of Charity Independent Examiners, holds the ICAEW Diploma in Charity Accounting and has an MSc in Charity Resource Management. In addition to running her accountancy practice, Elaine is the finance manager of a local charity supporting children and a trustee of a women’s charity. All together providing a well-rounded insight into charity financial management.

Gareth G. Morgan

Gareth is Emeritus Professor of Charity Studies at Sheffield Hallam University, where for many years he led the University’s MSc in Charity Resource Management and the inter-faculty Centre for Voluntary Sector Research. Now based in Scotland, he also worked for many years as a consultant to numerous small and medium charities. He is the author or co-author of many research papers and articles and is author of two DSC books: The Charity Treasurer’s Handbook and Charitable Incorporated Organisations. He was active for many years in Association of Charity Independent Examiners, the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and the Charity Law Association. He served for six years on the Charity Technical Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and then on the Charity Expert Panel of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) and is now on the Charity Law Policy Sub-Committee of the Law Society of Scotland.

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