Who We Support — CIC (Community Interest Companies)
We help CICs set up, stay compliant and win funding: from the community interest statement and asset lock through to annual reporting, accounts, tax and payroll.
Talk to a CIC specialist
What we do for CICs
- Incorporation or conversion: community interest statement, draft Articles with asset lock, liaison with the CIC Regulator & Companies House.
- Accounts & reporting: FRS 105/FRS 102 accounts, CIC34 annual report, Companies House filing and deadline tracking.
- Corporation Tax & VAT: CT computations and CT600 filing; VAT registration/schemes and compliance where applicable.
- Payroll & pensions: PAYE, auto‑enrolment and charity‑style payroll quirks (grants & project funding).
- Grants & funder requirements: restricted vs unrestricted funds, project budgets and outcome reporting.
- Board & governance: conflict of interest policy, director duties, dividend caps, stakeholder comms.
Community first, compliant always
We align finance with your community purpose.
Incorporation or conversion — our 5‑step path
1) Scope
Guarantee or shares? Name checks; directors.
2) Purpose
Community interest statement draft.
3) Articles
Asset lock & dividend cap clauses.
4) Submit
Liaise with CIC Regulator & CH.
5) Setup
Banking, HMRC taxes, payroll/VAT.
Asset lock — what it means day to day
- Assets and profits must be used for community purposes (with limited distributions allowed by law).
- On dissolution, assets must transfer to another asset‑locked body.
- We configure your Articles and accounting policies accordingly.
Dividends & interest caps (if limited by shares)
CICs limited by shares may pay capped dividends and capped interest to investors. Many CICs choose the limited by guarantee model for simplicity and mission clarity. We’ll explain what fits your funding plan.
Funding, donations & VAT — what to know
- Donations & Gift Aid: CICs are not charities; Gift Aid normally doesn’t apply. Consider a charity arm if your model requires Gift Aid.
- Grants: We set up project codes and restricted/unrestricted fund tracking so you can report to funders.
- VAT: Grants vs supplies can be nuanced. We review eligibility, registration thresholds and scheme choice.
Grant‑ready reporting
Budgets, outcomes and restricted funds.
Reporting obligations (typical CIC)
| Requirement | When | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Companies House accounts | Usually 9 months after year end | Prepare and file statutory accounts (FRS 105/102); filleted if eligible. |
| CIC34 Annual report | Filed with accounts | Draft narrative, community impact, remuneration & dividends disclosures. |
| Confirmation Statement | Annually | Update PSC, shareholdings/guarantee members and SIC codes. |
| CT600 (Company Tax Return) | 12 months after period end | CT computation, iXBRL tagging and online filing; payment guidance. |
| PAYE & pensions | Monthly/ongoing | Payroll, RTI, auto‑enrolment and compliance support. |
| VAT returns | Quarterly/monthly | Registration, scheme choice and filing where applicable. |
Governance that supports your mission
Conflicts & registers
Simple policies and logs.
Board meetings
Agenda, minutes and actions.
Reserves policy
Plan for sustainability.
Impact reporting
KPIs that reflect outcomes.
CIC Start
Incorporation or conversion, Articles, CIC statement, registrations.
Operate & Comply
Bookkeeping, accounts, CIC34, CT600, payroll & VAT.
Grant‑Ready
Project budgets, funder reporting and board pack.
What we need to get started
- Proposed CIC name, directors and registered office
- Community purpose outline and activities
- Funding plan (donations, grants, trading)
- Preferred structure (guarantee or shares) and draft Articles
- Existing company details if converting
Ready to launch
We’ll map your first year calendar.