More than one in five Bradford charities fail to submit their accounts on time.

Independent regulator the Charity Commission is urging organisations to send their accounts and annual returns on time this year to avoid seeing their reputations damaged.

Of the 463 charities in Bradford that were required to submit documents to the Commission during 2009, 23 per cent did not submit their documents by the deadline.

Records of accounts are available on the Charity Commission’s website, with overdue documents outlined in red. The online register is visited by millions of people every year.

Dame Suzi Leather, chairman of the Charity Commission, said: “It’s not acceptable for charities to send their annual accounts and returns late. They are accountable not just to us but most importantly to their donors, to those whom they exist to help and to the wider public. As well as being a requirement, charities run the risk of damaging their own reputations and putting off potential donors if their financial affairs are not in order.

“Charities should provide up-to-date information on how they are spending their money.”

All charities must prepare accounts and make them available on request.

The duty to file accounts and the Trustees’ Annual Report with the Charity Commission applies to all registered charities with a gross income in excess of £25,000.

Charities with a gross income of more than £10,000 must also submit a completed annual return. Charities have ten months from the end of the financial year to send their accounts and annual return to the regulator.

The most convenient way to submit details is at charitycommission.gov.uk.