Getting ready to submit your 2020/2021 Statutory Annual Return (Form 4)

26 Jan 2021

As an Environmental Body (EB) enrolled with us, it is a statutory requirement that you submit a Statutory Annual Return (Form 4) by 28 April 2021.

Please note that all enrolled EBs are required to complete an Annual Return even if they have not spent or received any Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) money during the reporting period (this is known as a 'nil' return) or if the EB intends to revoke from the LCF.

Nil Returns

A 'nil' return takes less than five minutes to complete, as all you are required to do, is login to ENTRUST Online (EOL), go to the 'Annual Return' tab, select your name from the drop down menu, EOL will pre-populate all of the fields for you with the information we hold. Once you have checked that the information is correct, press the 'reconcile and submit' button and your 'nil' return will be completed for 2020/2021.

The Annual Return covers the period of 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. Whilst 28 April 2021 is the deadline, you do not need to wait until then to complete your Annual Return if your LCF activity for the year 2020/2021 has been completed.

Funded EB Returns

If you hold or have received LCF funds within the reporting period, you will need to review each of your approved projects, looking at the project start and end dates, and ensure that any project expenditure falls between those dates. Once you have reviewed your projects you will need the following information to complete your Annual Return:

  • The value of LCF monies held and received during the period; and
  • The value and details of LCF expenditure during the period, including a breakdown for each project.

The Statutory Annual Return (Form 4) can be quickly and easily completed through EOL, our online database, which will pre-populate many of the fields for you, with the information we already hold.

'How to' Guides

We have helpful 'How to' guides to support your EB through every step of completing your Annual Return. You can find these guides on the right hand side of this page and on the Form 4: Statutory Annual Return page of our website.

Contacting ENTRUST about the Annual Return (Form 4)

From our experience we know that many EBs require additional assistance with submitting the Statutory Annual Return. To support EBs in completing their returns during these current challenging times and to ensure that your enquiry is dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible, we have a dedicated email Helpline service for all Form 4 enquiries - Form4annualreturn@entrust.org.uk which EBs should contact in the first instance, giving details of their query and stating a telephone contact number if you would like a call back rather than an email response. An ENTRUST member of staff will then email or call you to respond to your query.

If, due to COVID-19 or for any other exceptional reason, you anticipate that you will have any difficulty submitting your Annual Return, you should contact ENTRUST as soon as possible with details of the mitigating circumstances and we will provide advice on a case by case basis.

Accessing EOL

If you have already registered for EOL and have forgotten your password please go to EOL, enter your email address and click on the forgotten password link, which will email you with instructions on how to login. If you need to register to access EOL, please call us on 01926 488 300 or email helpline@entrust.org.uk

If you would like any further information about the Statutory Annual Return (Form 4) or require any help to complete your Form 4 please contact our Form 4 Helpline by emailing Form4annualreturn@entrust.org.uk