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Working with charity accountants
who understand your mission

Running a not-for-profit organisation effectively can be a challenging task and is often a balancing act between maximising resources, minimising outgoings and keeping on top of constantly changing regulatory and legal framework.

But the right professional advice makes all the difference and PEM can help you overcome these challenges. We’re well known for our experience in this sector as advisers to over 300 local and national charities such as:

Membership organisations
Grant makers: charitable trusts and foundations
Arts, culture and heritage
Education: colleges, schools and universities.

No city is as strongly identified with education as Cambridge. In fact, we provide audit and taxation services to more than two thirds of the Cambridge colleges, with many of these relationships stretching back for decades. We also work with independent schools, language schools and universities.

As well as providing audit, independent examination, accounts preparation, bookkeeping and taxation services, we advise trustees and executives on everything from strategic plans, internal controls and trustee responsibilities to risk reviews, fundraising controls and investment policies.

Our team not only draws on their knowledge as auditors but also as members of the Charity Finance Group, Charity Tax Group and many are trustees themselves – all of which puts us in the best position to support and inform our clients.

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Not-for-profit accountants
in Cambridge

As accountants for charities, we seek to connect with and add real value to trustees and management. We do this by providing support and challenge to those working in the sector through tailored reviews of governance, charity-wide risk reviews, assessing strengths and weaknesses of internal controls, accounting and reporting as well as advising on reserves policies.

We also provide resources to those new to, or established in the sector on governance, tax and accounting matters which support the detailed guidance made available by the Charity Commission.

Looking for experienced accountants for charities? Get in touch with the PEM team today.

Get in touch

Kelly Bretherick, Partner in PEM's Charities and Not-for-Profit team

How we can help

Assurance services

A statutory audit is a legal requirement for many businesses, but it can be much more than a compliance exercise. Done well, it gives you a clearer picture of your financial position, highlights risks before they become problems and shines a light on ways to improve your business operations.

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PEM Start-up package - Accounting and compliance

Accounting services

Keeping up with the latest changes in tax and accounting regulations while staying on top of your annual accounts can feel overwhelming. That’s where we can help. Whether you’re self-employed, employed, a business owner or a trustee, we’ll simplify the accounts process and make sense of your accounts, bookkeeping and finances.

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Tax services

Great tax advice isn’t just about compliance. It’s about understanding your business finances well enough to make sure you’re structured efficiently, claim everything you’re entitled to, and don’t pay more than you should.

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Specialist services for charities

Payroll

Running payroll in-house takes time, specialist knowledge and ongoing investment. What was once a straightforward task is now increasingly complex. And finding staff with the right skills can be a challenge.

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Carbon accounting

Reducing and tracking your carbon footprint isn’t just good practice; it’s essential. Carbon accounting enables you to identify your carbon footprint, take steps to lower it and mitigate the impact of climate change.

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Creative Industries Tax Relief

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Resources for charities

Our team have compiled a list of useful resources for
Charities and trustees:

Latest Charities & Not-for-Profit newsletter
FRS 102 Hub
SORP 2026 Guidance
SORP 2026 Trustee’s Report – Checklist (ICAEW website)
Trustees’ Basic Accounting & Governance guides

James Rayson, Senior Manager in PEM's Charities & Not-for-Profit team

Hear from our clients

“PEM have been our auditors for 2 years. During these audits we have found them to be professional, efficient and robust in their approach, whilst being cognisant of the demands of running our business. Communication has been excellent throughout. The Board and Management team are very happy with the services provided.”

Cambridge Junction

“PEM delivered a professional and efficient audit service during our first year of working together. Their team demonstrated strong technical expertise and a clear understanding of governance and compliance requirements, supported by a well-structured audit process. We experienced a positive onboarding and appreciated their commitment to building a supportive working relationship. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.”

DHL UK Foundation

“Fitzwilliam College values the strong partnership it has developed with PEM. From the outset, the PEM team has taken time to understand our culture and priorities, building genuine rapport that makes collaboration straightforward and productive. Their reliability and professionalism give us confidence that every stage of the audit process will be handled with care and precision. Communication is always clear and timely, and their insight ensures issues are resolved efficiently without unnecessary complexity. Above all, the trust we have in PEM’s expertise and integrity means we can focus on our responsibilities knowing that our audit requirements are in safe hands.”

Fitzwilliam College

“Christ’s College greatly values its audit relationship with PEM Audit. The Audit Partner, Manager and Team are engaging and collaborative and there is a strong working relationship between them and the College team, with a shared understanding of respective workloads and time pressures. Communication is open, proactive and timely – there are no surprises when the Audit Matters report is delivered. PEM adopt an appropriately pragmatic approach to issues and a clarity of reporting that is appreciated by the College’s Trustees.”

Christ's College

“We have worked with PEM now for four years. They have been extremely professional and diligent through that time, proactively offering advice and guidance which we greatly value. Always on hand, they have been a pleasure to work with.”

Bell Educational Trust

““PEM has provided an efficient and enjoyable audit service to us for a number of years. The team have been a pleasure to work with and have made us feel suitably audited whilst delivering a positive outcome. We have also benefitted from using other services provided by PEM and find them a useful one-stop shop.””

Cathedral Music Trust