Today is the deadline for enrolled Environmental Bodies (EBs) to submit their Statutory Annual Return (Form 4) and the last chance for EBs to remain compliant with the Regulations.
As an enrolled EB it is a statutory requirement for all EBs to submit their return by 28 April 2016. EBs are required to complete a Form 4, even if they have not received or spent any LCF money during the reporting period (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016). This is known as a nil return.
After today an EB will be in breach of the Regulations and be subject to Enforcement Action.
1. EBs can complete the Form 4 quickly and easily and submit through ENTRUST online (EOL), our online database which will pre-populate many of the fields with the information we already hold.
2. If an EB has already registered for EOL and has forgotten their password, they can go to EOL, enter their email address and click on the forgotten password link. A reminder of the password will then be sent to them by email.
3. If an EB does not have access to EOL they can call us on 01926 488 300 and we can talk them through the other options for submitting the Form 4.
4. Further information on completing the Form 4 can be found in our 'How to' guides which are on the right hand side of this page.
If an EB fails to submit a Form 4 their EB status will be frozen...
In 2015 HMRC approved a condition which means that EBs who fail to submit an Annual Return will be 'frozen' until such time as they complete all outstanding Annual Returns. Any EB failing to submit an Annual Return by today (28 April 2016) will be subject to this enforcement action and will be frozen within two weeks of this deadline.
Once an EB is frozen it cannot receive further funds or spend funds. The frozen status will only be removed once the outstanding return has been received. EBs who transfer money to a frozen EB will also be deemed to be non-compliant and will be subject to enforcement action. We will therefore publish a list of frozen EBs on the ENTRUST website to ensure that all funding EBs are aware of the frozen status of an EB.
Submitting the Annual Return on time protects the reputation of the EB with funders, both existing and potential. It also demonstrates that the EB has robust procedures and good governance. Submitting the Annual Return on time will prevent the need for any enforcement action being taken which may affect applications for future funding.