Book-keeping on a voluntary basis

Flying Scarlet

Hi All

After a bit of advice.

Im employed full time but am looking to do some book keeping & accounts work at home, but on a voluntary basis. I have a couple of potential customers who have expressed an intrest in me doing this but what I was wondering whether there is anything more I need to be doing, i.e. membership wise?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

coojee

AFAIK as long as you're not being paid for it you can do whatever you like.

Flying Scarlet

coojee wrote: »

AFAIK as long as you're not being paid for it you can do whatever you like.

Thanks, thats what I thought but just wanted to check.

sdv

coojee wrote: »

AFAIK as long as you're not being paid for it you can do whatever you like.

This is interesting!

Does it mean that if I am training as a brain surgeon and I perform a free operation on a volunteer, I am absolved of any responsibilities?

anniem

sdv wrote: »

This is interesting!

Does it mean that if I am training as a brain surgeon and I perform a free operation on a volunteer, I am absolved of any responsibilities?

Very funny ....... first methinks you'll need to find your volunteer!!!!!!

Monsoon

If you are doing voluntary work you still have to speak to the MIP team but there aren't any fees payable, I believe.

Rinske

Yep, there is a form for exemptions that you need to fill in and as far as I know you also still would need PI insurance.

coojee

Rinske wrote: »

Yep, there is a form for exemptions that you need to fill in and as far as I know you also still would need PI insurance.

Just checked the members section and you're right you do have to fill in a form. How odd that you have to apply to do something that doesn't require permission. I've been doing voluntary book keeping as an ACCA for years and never had to fill anything in.

My understanding of the AAT form though was that you only needed PI insurance if you were ticking option 3 - fee income of less than £1000 pa.

Flying Scarlet

Ah thank you all, will get onto it & have a look.

Many thanks

Monsoon

coojee wrote: »

Just checked the members section and you're right you do have to fill in a form. How odd that you have to apply to do something that doesn't require permission.

I believe it's to do with statistics as much as anything - the AAT want to know how many of its members do voluntary work and this is the simplest way of doing it.

I guess it also brings home to the MAAT that they are doing professional work, albeit unpaid, and thus usual professional standards apply.

Given the ACCA's arguably draconian student practising rules, I'm really surprised they seem to be less stringent in this area!

coojee

Monsoon wrote: »

I believe it's to do with statistics as much as anything - the AAT want to know how many of its members do voluntary work and this is the simplest way of doing it.

I guess it also brings home to the MAAT that they are doing professional work, albeit unpaid, and thus usual professional standards apply.

Given the ACCA's arguably draconian student practising rules, I'm really surprised they seem to be less stringent in this area!

I know it's bizarre isn't it. Maybe there's some small print somewhere that I've been missing all these years.