Policies and Procedures for the Third Sector

This page is for charities, non-profit organisations, social enterprises and voluntary groups that need their documentation in order. Policy Pros writes bespoke governance policies, safeguarding frameworks and compliance documentation for the third sector, including the documents the Charity Commission expects trustees to hold.

We work with registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, community interest companies and unincorporated voluntary organisations. Whether you need a single safeguarding policy or the full governance set behind your annual return, every document is written for your organisation and your governing document, not pulled from a template.

Bespoke, audit-ready policies from £65 + VAT per document. Get a quote or call 020 3951 2875 for a free scoping conversation.

Policies Third Sector Organisations Need

Required by Law or Expected by the Charity Commission

• Safeguarding policy and procedures - the Charity Commission says protecting people and safeguarding responsibilities should be a governance priority for all charities
• Serious incident reporting procedure - responsibility for reporting serious incidents to the Commission rests with the charity's trustees
• Conflicts of interest policy and register of interests - Commission guidance CC29 expects trustees to identify, declare, manage and record conflicts
• Internal financial controls policy - Commission guidance CC8 sets out the controls trustees are expected to have in place
• Health and safety policy statement - required in writing once you have 5 or more employees (Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974)
• Data protection policy - UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 apply to the donor, beneficiary and volunteer data charities hold

Expected by the Commission, Funders and the Public

• Reserves policy - Commission guidance CC19 expects trustees to set, document and explain it in the trustees' annual report
• Risk management policy and risk register - Commission guidance CC26 expects trustees to identify and assess the major risks the charity faces
• Complaints policy - how donors, beneficiaries and the public raise concerns and get an answer
• Fundraising policy - the Code of Fundraising Practice sets the standards for charitable institutions and third-party fundraisers in the UK, with a new edition in force since 1 November 2025
• Volunteer policy - roles, induction, expenses and boundaries for the people who keep the sector running
• Trustee expenses policy - what trustees can claim, and how claims are evidenced and approved
• Campaigning and political activity policy - Commission guidance CC9 sets the rules on charities speaking out
• Social media and external speakers policies - protect the charity's name in public and on platforms

What the Charity Commission Expects

The Charity Commission regulates charities in England and Wales. A charity must register once its income is £5,000 or more a year, and charitable incorporated organisations must register whatever their income. Every registered charity then reports to the Commission each year, and the annual return asks trustees questions about the charity, including whether key policies are in place.

Our charity policies and procedures service writes the full set trustees are expected to hold. For the map of which policy answers which expectation, start with our charity policies and annual return guide.

Safeguarding Is a Priority for Every Charity

The Commission treats safeguarding as a governance priority for all charities, whatever their beneficiaries. Its safeguarding guidance for trustees expects reasonable steps to protect everyone who comes into contact with the charity, policies that are followed in practice, checks that people are suitable for their roles and a clear route for reporting concerns.

Our charity safeguarding policy guide explains what the policy should contain, and our safeguarding policy writing service drafts it around your activities, settings and reporting routes.

Financial Governance and the New Scrutiny Thresholds

Trustees carry ultimate responsibility for the charity's money. Our guides to the internal financial controls policy and the charity reserves policy turn the Commission's CC8 and CC19 guidance into working documents.

Charities holding invested funds also need an investment policy, and a clear trustee expenses policy keeps payments to board members inside the rules. Our trustee conflicts of interest guide covers declarations and the register of interests.

External scrutiny steps up with income. Accounts over £25,000 currently need independent examination or audit, and the government intends to raise the examination threshold to £40,000 and the audit threshold to £1.5 million from 1 October 2026, as set out in its response to the financial thresholds consultation.

Risk, Incidents and Reputation

The Commission expects trustees to identify and manage the major risks the charity faces, recorded in a risk register the board reviews. Our charity risk management policy guide covers the register, and our serious incident reporting guide explains what trustees must report to the Commission and when.

Reputation needs its own documents. Our guides to the charity complaints policy, charity social media policy and external speakers policy cover the public-facing side, and our campaigning and political activity guide explains the CC9 rules on charities speaking out.

New Charities, CICs and Voluntary Groups

If you are at the formation stage, start with our guides to setting up a charity in the UK and the policies a new charity should put in place. Getting the core set right at the start is far cheaper than scrambling when a funder or the regulator asks.

Social enterprises structured as community interest companies answer to the CIC Regulator rather than the Charity Commission, filing a community interest company report (form CIC34) with their annual accounts at Companies House. Employment, data protection and health and safety duties apply whatever your structure, so the core policy set looks similar across the sector.

Third Sector Policy and Procedure Writers

Policy Pros writes bespoke policies and procedures for charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations across the UK. You get a fixed-price quote before any work starts, review rounds included, and finished documents on professionally branded templates ready for trustees, funders or an inspection.

We offer reduced rates for charities, explained on our charity policy writing service page. Tell us what your annual return, your funders or your commissioners are asking for and we will scope exactly what you need. Get a quote or call 020 3951 2875.