{"id":3656,"date":"2025-10-22T08:14:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T08:14:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3656"},"modified":"2025-11-18T16:34:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T16:34:43","slug":"what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/","title":{"rendered":"How much should our charity hold in reserve?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In this blog, Lizzy Bird and Tim Wyatt from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wyattandco.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wyatt &amp; Co Chartered Accountants<\/a> explain how to decide what level of cash reserves your charity should hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a tricky balance to get right. In this guide, they\u2019ll unpack what the Charity Commission says, help you understand what counts as reserves, and share a practical three-step process for setting the right level for your organisation and creating a reserves policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-reserves\">What are reserves?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Charity Commission\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/charities-and-reserves-cc19\/charities-and-reserves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">definition<\/a> of reserves is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>&#8220;Part of a charity\u2019s unrestricted funds that is freely available to spend on any of the charity\u2019s purposes.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not simply the balance you hold at the end of the year. Freely available means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Not restricted income (which must be used for specific projects)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not designated funds (which trustees have set aside for particular future spending)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not tied up in fixed assets or investments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not liabilities or commitments already accounted for<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When you take away the above from your year-end balance, what&#8217;s left is your <em>free reserves<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-hold-reserves\">Why hold reserves?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most charities across the UK hold some level of reserves. They act as a financial buffer\u2014helping you continue your activities during unexpected changes, delays in funding, or rising costs. Reserves also give you the flexibility to respond to opportunities or emergencies when they arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recent years have shown how vital that resilience can be. Many charities had to draw on reserves during global events like the pandemic\u2014and now are in the process of rebuilding their reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a charity, you need to strike a balance. Trustees are stewards of the charity\u2019s funds\u2014not hoarders of them. You\u2019re expected to spend money to achieve your charitable aims, while also protecting the charity\u2019s future sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-does-the-charity-commission-say\">What does the Charity Commission say?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What level of reserves your charity should hold is a great question for church and charity leaders and finance teams to ask themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there is no ideal, set standard, or recommended level of reserves for small charities. The Charity Commission\u2019s guidance (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/charities-and-reserves-cc19\/charities-and-reserves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CC19: Charity Reserves \u2013 Building Resilience<\/a>) makes this clear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere is no single level or even a range of reserves that is right for all charities. Any target set by trustees\u2026 should reflect the particular circumstances of the individual charity and be explained in the policy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, it\u2019s up to trustees to think carefully, make a plan, and write it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_4E2XB5tvig\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">In this video, Tim Wyatt from Wyatt &amp; Co Chartered Accountants<\/a>, explores the concept of reserves further:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Essentials of Fund Accounting - What Level of Reserves should a Charity Hold?\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_4E2XB5tvig?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-writing-or-updating-your-reserves-policy\">Writing or updating your reserves policy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are 3 steps to help you decide what level of reserves you should hold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-1-check-your-current-policy\">Step 1. Check your current policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your charity may already have a reserves policy. It\u2019s usually included in the Trustees\u2019 Annual Report and reviewed each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start here. Is it still relevant? Has anything changed\u2014like your costs, risks, or future plans?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some organisations set a target amount (often based on a calculation, such as a number of months&#8217; running costs or an amount linked to future activities). Others set a target range, because a single number isn\u2019t appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever approach you use, it should be logical and justifiable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-2-calculate-what-you-need\">Step 2. Calculate what you need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if you have a policy, a fresh calculation can help you decide if your current reserves are too low, too high, or just right for your organisation at this point in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Things that are helpful to consider include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-regular-expenditure\">a) regular expenditure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>What outgoings do you have as a charity that you are committed to? This may be the cost of the staff team, running a building or loans you hold. Creating a list of your committed outgoing is a helpful exercise when considering what reserves you wish to hold. You can then consider how long you will need to meet these commitments. For the staff team, it may be the length of each team member&#8217;s notice period; for the building, it may be the reasonable timescale it would take to sell the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t forget the cost of living\/inflationary increases you\u2019ve awarded to staff, or which suppliers have passed on to you. Last year\u2019s reserve calculations amount might not be enough anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-b-your-future-plans\">b) your future plans<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have plans to expand your services, increase your staff team, do building works or start new projects in the future? You could consider holding increased reserves for possible future opportunities. It\u2019s common for organisations to link their reserves policy to their longer-term strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-c-risk-factors\">c) risk factors<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Risk factors may include whether you rely on single or multiple sources of income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, your income might be unpredictable if you are reliant on grants. Or you might want to consider the timings of your fundraising cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-d-your-risk-appetite\">d) your risk appetite<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, you should consider, as a board of trustees, what your risk appetite is. Some will wish to be risk-averse and try to save a high level of reserves in case of an unexpected emergency. Others may be more risk-tolerant, especially faith organisations who trust that God will provide. This is a discussion for the trustee board as to where you lie along this spectrum and what risk factors affect you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-e-your-charitable-objectives\">e) your charitable objectives<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>For some charities, a higher level of reserves is required due to the nature of their charitable activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Guide Dogs for the Blind have charitable objectives to provide dogs and support to the beneficiaries for the length of time that the dog is alive. Or a veteran Charity that supports ex-service members for the rest of their lives. This commitment to their beneficiaries means that they desire to hold a higher level of reserves to maintain the longevity of their support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-3-communicate-it-clearly\">Step 3. Communicate it clearly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the considerations above, set a level of reserves that is appropriate for your charity. This might be a specific amount, a range, or a figure based on expenditure (e.g. four months of unrestricted costs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once your trustees have agreed on the right approach, write it up in a clear and simple policy. It should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How reserves are defined<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The target level (or range) you aim to hold<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why that amount is needed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What the current level is<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any plans to build up or reduce reserves<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This should then be included in your Trustees\u2019 Annual Report and reviewed every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-do-you-need-to-include-in-your-year-end-accounts\">What do you need to include in your year-end accounts?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a charity reporting under <a href=\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-is-the-charities-sorp-and-how-does-it-affect-my-church-or-charity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SORP<\/a> as you prepare accounts on an accruals basis, your Trustees&#8217; Annual Report <strong>must<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Explain any policy for holding reserves<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>State the amount of reserves held at the year-end<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain why you hold reserves<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If reserves are being built up or invested, explain the purpose in your financial review<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clarify any separate designated reserve funds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Larger charities (income over \u00a3500,000) <strong>must also<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Show how free reserves are calculated<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compare actual reserves to the target range<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain what steps are being taken if reserves are above or below the target level<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating a reserves policy isn\u2019t just a box-ticking exercise\u2014it\u2019s a key part of your charity\u2019s financial planning. Done well, it gives your trustees clarity, helps you explain your approach to funders and the public, and builds long-term resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For questions about year-end accounts, speak to your Independent Examiner or Auditor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-further-resources\">Further resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Always review the Charity Commission\u2019s resources. They offer useful guidance for trustees and finance teams:<br>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/charities-and-reserves-cc19\/charities-and-reserves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CC19: Charity Reserves \u2013 Building Resilience<\/a> (2016)<br>\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sayervincent.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/BeyondReserves.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Beyond Reserves<\/a> (2012), by ACEVO, CFG, IoF, and Sayer Vincent<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>ExpensePlus<\/strong><\/a> is a cloud-based fund accounting software package designed for churches and charities. ExpensePlus makes managing fund accounts simple and straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lizzy Bird and Tim Wyatt and from Wyatt &#038; Co Chartered Accountants explain what level of cash reserves your charity should hold.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":990012,"featured_media":3661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-and-resources"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Reserves - what level should a charity hold? | Fund Accounting Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lizzy Bird and Tim Wyatt and from Wyatt &amp; Co Chartered Accountants explain what level of cash reserves your charity should hold.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How much should our charity hold in reserve?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lizzy Bird and Tim Wyatt and from Wyatt &amp; Co Chartered Accountants explain what level of cash reserves your charity should hold.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Fund Accounting Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ExpensePlus\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-22T08:14:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-18T16:34:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/What-Level-of-Reserves-should-a-Charity-Hold.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"770\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"452\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lizzy Bird\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@expenseplus\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@expenseplus\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lizzy Bird\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lizzy Bird\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/#\/schema\/person\/e48b345939cc21f3de73b0fee98929ce\"},\"headline\":\"How much should our charity hold in reserve?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-22T08:14:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-18T16:34:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/\"},\"wordCount\":1296,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/What-Level-of-Reserves-should-a-Charity-Hold.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Tips and Resources\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/expenseplus.co.uk\/fund-accounting\/what-level-of-reserves-should-a-charity-hold\/\",\"name\":\"Reserves - what level should a charity hold? 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