---
title: "How do I know if a UK charity is financially transparent?"
description: "Check that it files accounts on time, publishes a clear trustees’ annual report, and shows cause spend, fundraising costs and reserves."
source: https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/financially-transparent-charity
retrieved: 2026-08-18T02:43:23.936Z
license: "Charity data © Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0"
---

Checking a charity

# How do I know if a UK charity is financially transparent?

**In short:** Check that it files accounts on time, publishes a clear trustees’ annual report, and shows cause spend, fundraising costs and reserves. On CharityCompare, Clarity Score — especially Accountability & Transparency — is a filing-based transparency rating. Registration shows the charity exists; open filings show it accounts for money clearly.

Data from [CharityCompare editorial](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/), last updated 12 August 2026.

Financial transparency for a UK charity means **you can see the money trail in regulator filings**, not only in an appeal video.

Practical checklist:

- Confirm the [charity number](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-charity-number).

- Check filing dates on the Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI register.

- Read cause spend, fundraising cost and reserves on the CharityCompare profile.

- Skim the trustees’ annual report for explanations of odd figures.

Clarity Score summarises stewardship on paper. It is not an impact score and not a user-review rating.

## Related questions

- [→ How do I check a CCNI Northern Ireland charity number?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/ccni-charity-check)
- [→ Are charity collection bags through my door genuine?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/charity-collection-bags)
- [→ Are doorstep charity collectors legit?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/doorstep-charity-collectors)
- [→ How do I check a charity is registered?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/how-do-i-check-a-charity-is-registered)

Look up any UK charity's free Clarity Score from regulator filings.

[Search charities](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity-directory) [Read the guides](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides)

**Information only** — see [guides](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides) for more detail.