The Scottish Accreditation Board - Charities report

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: SC290305 (Scotland)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: SC036902

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2026

for

The Scottish Accreditation Board

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

Independent Examiner's Report

4

Statement of Financial Activities

5

Balance Sheet

6

Notes to the Financial Statements

8

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2026. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

To advance the education of prospective licensees in Home Office legislation relating to scientific biomedical research, by the provision of a service for the assessment and accreditation of training courses provided by various training organisations in accordance with relevant Home Office legislation.

Public benefit

The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

Grantmaking

Grants are available to assist third parties providing accredited training courses and others to develop and share new and improved teaching, training and assessment materials.

Volunteers

In accordance with FRS 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the financial statements as this cannot be reliably measured.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

In the year, 994 SAB training certificates were awarded to trainees who successfully completed accredited courses.

The charity continued to liaise with its two counterparts in England, namely the Royal Society of Biology and the Universities Accreditation Group. All three accrediting bodies convene, correspond and converse on a regular basis to ensure that similar standards are applied in accrediting all UK training courses.

SAB meets regularly with the training providers whose courses are accredited by the charity; attends the Home Office liaison meetings; and has established a tripartite working group with the other two UK accrediting bodies, working with others to develop a single platform for education, training and assessment in the UK that meets Home Office requirements.

SAB regularly meets/liaises with training providers (in addition to attending courses) to discuss topical issues including changes to training as required by the UK training provisions.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

All income has been generated from occasional accreditation fees and fees for training certificates. During the year under review, total fees earned amounted to £21,813 (2025 - £23,518), investment income was £1,357 (2025 - £1,808), total costs were £17,314 (2025 - £17,350) including grants paid in the sum of £1,350 (2025 - Nil), resulting in a surplus for the year of £5,856 (2025 - £7,976).

Principal funding sources

The principal funding source for the charity is fees from SAB training certificates issued.

Reserves policy

At 31 March 2026 the charity held unrestricted reserves of £69,888 (2025 - £64,032). These will be applied against future running costs and expenditure to promote the charity's stated objectives.

FUTURE PLANS

The charity plans to continue providing services for the assessment and accreditation of training courses provided by various training organisations in accordance with relevant Home Office legislation.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital. The maximum amount due to be contributed by members in the event of winding up the company is £1 per member. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed by its Articles of Association.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Selection of trustees is by invitation from existing trustees to experienced people usually, but not exclusively, from, or with a background in, UK Further and Higher Education and other forms of education and training, Government research institutes, and public policy.

Organisational structure

All decisions in connection with the Charity are made by the trustees. The trustees are responsible for assessing and providing quality assurance of courses. Administrative support is outsourced where necessary as the charity has no employees.

Induction and training of new trustees

The Trustees are familiar with the Memorandum and Articles of Association and they have been made acquainted with the Charity's procedures. They consider that the induction process undertaken is sufficient and future training will be given when considered necessary and appropriate.

Key management personnel

The Trustees do not consider one party to be key management but manage the charity on a collective basis.

Risk management

The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the charity, and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate our exposure to the major risks. Risk assessments are made on a regular basis.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

SC290305 (Scotland)

Registered Charity number

SC036902

Registered office

Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre

Third Floor

Shelley Road

Glasgow

G12 0ZD

Trustees

Professor S Phillips

Professor C Adams

Professor CA Duthie

Mrs C A Godfrey

Mrs S J McHugh

Dr J A Rooke

Dr K M D Rutherford (resigned 2.3.26)

Mr T E Betts (resigned 19.5.25)

Dr H Jiang

Professor A Michie

Professor J F Turnbull (resigned 7.11.25)

K Dunn

K Dunford (appointed 3.6.25)

Company Secretary

Mrs C A Godfrey

Independent Examiner

Alastair Stewart BA (Hons) CA

Gillespie & Anderson

Chartered Accountants

147 Bath Street

Glasgow

G2 4SN

Bankers

Royal Bank of Scotland

339 Byres Road

Glasgow

G12 8QP

TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT

The trustees (who are also the directors of The Scottish Accreditation Board for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law, the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law).

Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to

-	select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

-	observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

-	make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

-	prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Independent Examiner

The Independent Examiner, Alastair Stewart BA (Hons) CA of Gillespie & Anderson, Chartered Accountants, has expressed a willingness to continue in office.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 15 June 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

Professor A Michie - Trustee

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2026 set out on pages five to fourteen.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity's trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(a) to (c) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under Section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of the independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention :

(1)	which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements

-	to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and

-	to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations

have not been met; or

(2)	to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Alastair Stewart BA (Hons) CA

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland

Gillespie & Anderson

Chartered Accountants

147 Bath Street

Glasgow

G2 4SN

15 June 2026

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Charitable activities

3

Main charitable activity

21,813

23,518

Investment income

2

1,357

1,808

Total

23,170

25,326

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

4

Main charitable activity

17,314

17,350

NET INCOME

5,856

7,976

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

64,032

56,056

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

69,888

64,032

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

12

468

902

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

13

3,366

6,072

Cash at bank

67,637

58,510

71,003

64,582

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

14

(1,583

)

(1,452

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

69,420

63,130

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT

LIABILITIES

69,888

64,032

NET ASSETS

69,888

64,032

FUNDS

15

Unrestricted funds

69,888

64,032

TOTAL FUNDS

69,888

64,032

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2026.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with and delivered in accordance with the special provisions applicable to small charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 15 June 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:

Professor A Michie - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Presentation currency

The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity.

Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. There are sufficient cash resources and reserves at the year end to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

The Trustees have made judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported within the financial statements during the year. Actual results may differ from these estimates. Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. The Trustees estimates, assumptions and judgements that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities within the financial statements are addressed and detail is provided in the associated notes.

Income

Charitable activities income is received from the issue of training certificates and occasional accreditation fees. Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliability.

Investment income is received from both a savings bank account and a bond, it is included when receipt is probable and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Expenditure has been classified under the headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis when a legal liability is incurred, payment of the liability is probable and the amount can be measured reliably. The amount includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered. VAT is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.

Charitable activities comprise all resources expended undertaking work to meet the charity's charitable objectives. Such costs include the direct costs of charitable activities approved by the charity and all support costs relating to these activities. Governance costs include direct resources expended in the general running of the charity and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements. These costs are allocated entirely to charitable activities.

Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.

Allocation and apportionment of costs

Support costs are allocated wholly to charitable activities. Whilst the Trustees recognise that a small part of some items of expenditure included in support costs do relate to indirect governance costs, they are of the opinion that the time and costs involved in performing such an analysis outweigh the potential benefits arising from any such work.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its estimated useful time, or if held under a finance lease, over the lease term, whichever is the shorter.

Computer equipment - 33% on cost

It is the policy of the charity to capitalise fixed assets at an initial cost of £500 or more.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Funds are classified as unrestricted funds and defined as follows:

Unrestricted funds are expendable at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. If parts of the unrestricted funds are earmarked at the discretion of the Trustees for a particular purpose, they are designated as a separate fund. This designation has an administrative purpose only and does not legally restrict the Trustees' discretion to apply the funds.

Financial instruments

The charity has no complex financial instruments but does hold basic financial instruments of; cash at bank, debtors and creditors.

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash at bank and on hand, demand deposits with banks and other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less and bank overdrafts. A bank overdraft would be shown within current liabilities.

Debtors are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less losses for bad debts except where the effect of discounting would be immaterial. In such cases, trade and other debtors are stated at cost less losses for bad debts.

Creditors are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate unless the effect of discounting would be immaterial. In such cases, trade and other creditors are stated at cost.

Volunteers

In accordance with FRS 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the financial statements as this cannot be reliably measured.

Provision for liabilities

A provision is initially recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date as the result of a past event, it is probable that there will be the transfer of funds in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be estimated reliably. The provision is subsequently measured by placing a charge against the provision only for expenditure for which the provision was originally recognised.

2.	INVESTMENT INCOME

2026

2025

£

Deposit account interest

1,357

1,808

3.	INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

2026

2025

Activity

£

Fees

Main charitable activity

21,813

23,518

4.	CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Grant

funding of

Direct

activities

Support

Costs (see

(see note

costs (see

note 5)

6)

note 7)

Totals

£

Main charitable activity

14,392

1,350

1,572

17,314

5.	DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

2026

2025

£

Administration

9,496

11,431

Sundries

132

332

Computer expenses

395

165

Travel & subsistence

3,935

3,772

Depreciation

434

198

14,392

15,898

6.	GRANTS PAYABLE

2026

2025

£

Main charitable activity

1,350

-

The total grants paid to institutions during the year was as follows:

2026

2025

£

Universities

1,000

-

7.	SUPPORT COSTS

Governance

costs

£

Main charitable activity

1,572

Support costs, included in the above, are as follows:

Governance costs

2026

2025

Main

charitable

Total

activity

activities

£

Examination fee

1,572

1,452

8.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

2026

2025

£

Depreciation - owned assets

434

198

9.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2026 nor for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Trustees' expenses

In the year, 8 Trustees received money: £3,935 for travel and subsistence expenses. (2025 - 5 - £3,772) and £118 for sundry expenses (2025 - £Nil).

10.	STAFF COSTS

The charity had no contracts of employment in place in this or the prior year.

11.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

fund

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Charitable activities

Main charitable activity

23,518

Investment income

1,808

Total

25,326

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Main charitable activity

17,350

NET INCOME

7,976

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

56,056

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

64,032

12.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Computer

equipment

£

COST

At 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026

1,847

DEPRECIATION

At 1 April 2025

945

Charge for year

434

At 31 March 2026

1,379

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 March 2026

468

At 31 March 2025

902

13.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2026

2025

£

Other debtors

3,366

6,072

14.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2026

2025

£

Accrued expenses

1,583

1,452

15.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

movement

At

At 1.4.25

in funds

31.3.26

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

64,032

5,856

69,888

TOTAL FUNDS

64,032

5,856

69,888

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

23,170

(17,314

)

5,856

TOTAL FUNDS

23,170

(17,314

)

5,856

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

movement

At

At 1.4.24

in funds

31.3.25

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

56,056

7,976

64,032

TOTAL FUNDS

56,056

7,976

64,032

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

25,326

(17,350

)

7,976

TOTAL FUNDS

25,326

(17,350

)

7,976

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net

movement

At

At 1.4.24

in funds

31.3.26

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

56,056

13,832

69,888

TOTAL FUNDS

56,056

13,832

69,888

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

48,496

(34,664

)

13,832

TOTAL FUNDS

48,496

(34,664

)

13,832

Unrestricted

General Fund - income and expenditure relating to the primary activities of the charity.

16.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions in the year. Trustee expenses paid are disclosed in note 9.

There were no Trustee donations made in the year nor in the prior year.