We are pleased to welcome you to the Spring 2026 edition of our Professional Institutes and Membership Bodies (PIMBs) briefing.
A focus of this edition is a significant accounting change on the horizon for membership organisations. Tom Brain, Partner, and Jackson Berry, Director, take a detailed look at revenue recognition under the revised FRS 102, effective for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026. Drawing on practical experience with professional institutes and membership bodies, they explain how the new five step model applies in practice, why membership income and joining fees require careful analysis, and what organisations should be doing now to prepare for this transition to avoid any surprises at implementation.
Nick Bustin, Director and Head of Employment Tax, examines the introduction of mandatory payrolling of benefits from April 2027, highlighting how the shift to real time reporting will require early planning, system readiness and close coordination between HR, payroll and finance teams.
Regulatory change also features in an update on Gift Aid and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Jamie Whale, Senior Manager, explores how forthcoming changes to consumer protection rules, including mandatory cooling off periods for subscriptions, have caused concern across the sector, particularly for charitable membership bodies that rely on Gift Aid. He explains HMRC’s interim position and the Government’s recent confirmation that many charity membership subscriptions will be excluded from the new cooling off rules, while highlighting where some subscription models may still require careful review.
Risk and resilience are examined from a broader governance perspective in an article on business resilience and third party risk management. Rakesh Vaitha, Director, Risk Assurance & Advisory Services, highlights how increased reliance on external suppliers has expanded organisations’ risk profiles, particularly in relation to cyber security and operational continuity. He explains why third party risk should now be treated as a core governance issue and embedded within risk registers, business continuity planning and board oversight.
Finally, Jackson Berry, Director, explores the importance of belonging, values and organisational vision within membership organisations. These themes are vital to understanding the revised trustee reporting requirements, including the renewed emphasis on strategic, ethical and governance reporting, and consider how organisations can ensure that their narrative reporting genuinely reflects who they are, what they stand for, and how this informs both decision making and long term sustainability.
We hope this edition provides useful insight and practical guidance as you navigate the evolving regulatory and operational challenges facing membership organisations. If any of the topics resonate with your organisation, please do get in touch with the authors or your usual HaysMac contact.
