Unit Finances

At the start of each shift one member of staff should be designated as 'holding' petty cash. This would normally be the shift leader. They will be responsible for processing all petty cash transactions during that shift and adhering to procedures.

Staff to follow these principles:

1. At the start of the shift, cash in the petty cash tin and keys should be handed over to the next person holding petty cash (this is usually the shift leader). This member of staff should check the petty cash against the balance in the petty cash book and sign and date as checked and correct. If any discrepancies are noticed the following action should be taken:
   1. If a discrepancy is found and the mistake is clear e.g. a calculation error; this should be corrected in the petty cash book;
   2. If a discrepancy is found and the reason for the error is unclear then a note should be made in the petty cash book and a message left in the message book, but the balance should not be altered.
2. When taking money out of the cash tin a white cash voucher slip should be filled in with the amount taken, the date and the signature of the person receiving the money; it should then be placed into the cash tin. This ensures that a temporary account of monies taken can be verified. Where ever possible staff should plan ahead when going out on an activity and agree the amount of petty cash to be taken;
3. Receipts and change totalling the amount taken should be returned to the person holding petty cash for processing. Shift Leader's however, can delegate this responsibility to the person purchasing the goods. Although it is still the shift leader's responsibility to check that this process is completed correctly. This should be done on the day or at most the day after the money has been issued. All expenditure must be accompanied by a valid receipt to demonstrate that the purchase was legitimate and that the expenditure tallies with the amount recorded on the petty cash voucher. Travel tickets must be claimed within one month of the date on the ticket;
4. Once the receipt has been checked against the petty cash voucher, it should be crossed and signed by the authorising officer and attached to the back of the petty cash voucher. If a receipt is lost, a reason why must be stated e.g. return train ticket kept by machine;
5. The Petty cash vouchers should then be completed and should contain the following information:
   1. Voucher No.;
   2. Date purchase was made;
   3. Detailed description of goods purchased i.e. eggs, bread, potatoes and 2 pints of milk;
   4. Amount taken from petty cash;
   5. Gross amount of expenditure;
   6. Claimant's signature;
   7. Authorisation signature.

Tippex must not be used under any circumstances on Petty Cash Vouchers, cash book or on an Official Order.

1. The details and total amount of the voucher should then be entered into the petty cash book and the voucher given a number (see example). The voucher should then be placed in the petty cash wallet provided in the grey filing cabinet. Any unused cash should be returned to the cash tin;
2. The petty cash tin and cash book should always be locked away in the grey filing cabinet, in the shift office when not in use and should not be left unattended when in use. The Petty Cash should not hold more than £50.00 at any one time;
3. Whenever possible VAT receipts should be asked for, these will either show the breakdown of the VAT or say "VAT charged at 20%";
4. If the person holding petty cash will not be available to hand over to the next shift, then they should hand petty cash over to the Unit's Business Officer who will be able to hand over at the start of the next shift;
5. Upon review of the withdrawal of Unit monies system, two members of the team (BSO & ATM/Senior staff) will be required to attend the National Westminster Bank in Hounslow to withdraw funds for the Unit. This is to ensure appropriate Managerial oversight and safeguarding of staff and Unit funds.

Petty cash is a convenient way of reimbursing small items of day-to-day expenditure but should not be used in place of official orders. Expenditure must be processed via official orders and the invoicing system wherever possible, even if the expenditure is less than £150, which is the set limit for petty cash transactions.

It is not acceptable to split an expense with a total of over £150  into a series of smaller amounts i.e. total spend £100, split into two smaller amounts of £50.

Petty Cash Vouchers are not to be used for:

• Cashing anyone's personal cheques;
• Loaning money on an IOU basis;
• Paying parking fines or clamping fees.

If a parking fine has been issued the member of staff who incurred the fine is liable to pay it. Therefore, staff should familiarise themselves with the parking scheme regulations in the blue badge guide with particular emphasis on 'Where the scheme does not apply' and 'How to use the badge' Page 4 and 9 section 6, 7, 10 and 11 in the Blue Badge Guide.

If traveling into Central London, check first with the authorities' concerned see Page 5 in the Blue Badge Guide.

All young people and their families/carers are encouraged to send in an adequate amount of pocket money at the start of each stay or when required. The amount of pocket money received should reflect the length of stay and any planned activities. Each Young Person's pocket money is kept in their own purse/wallet in the locked filing cabinet in the shift office.

Each young person has a pocket money record sheet in the Pocket Money file in the shift office.

At the start of each shift the shift leader should check the pocket money for each young person receiving a service that night, against the balance recorded on his or her pocket money record sheet. If the balance is correct then the shift leader should date and sign the record sheet as 'Checked and Correct'. The amount of pocket money should also be entered against the Young Person's name on the shift planning form; this ensures that when staff are planning activities they are aware of the amount that can be spent.

If any discrepancies are identified the following action should be taken:

1. If a discrepancy is found and the mistake is clear e.g. a calculation error; this should be corrected on the young person's pocket money record sheet;
2. If a discrepancy is found and the reason for the error is unclear then a note should be made on the young person's pocket money record sheet and a message left in the message book, but the balance should not be altered.

Whenever possible a Young Person should contribute to the cost of the activity; any expenditure that a young person makes from their pocket money must be recorded on the pocket money record sheet.  Receipts for goods or services purchased should, where possible, be obtained and placed in the young person's wallet or purse. If no receipt is available then this should be recorded on the pocket money record sheet.

All young people should be sensitively supported to use their money independently. If a young person is able to use money independently and it is not stored with the other pocket monies, staff should support the young person to safeguard their money. A note of what activities or purchases they made and the costs should be recorded in their daily records.

Pocket money should be seen as an ideal opportunity to help develop understanding of money and independence skills.

A young person's pocket money should not hold more than £30.00.

Once per month the Unit's BSO will audit the pocket monies for all young people to ensure all of the young peoples' personal monies are accounted for and spent appropriately. The BSO must ensure that staff have submitted receipts for any goods purchased for the young people whilst in the Unit's care. Receipts must be available to produce to young peoples' parents or carers upon request.

The bank tin, cheque books and cash book should be locked away in the safe whilst not in use and should not be left unattended when in use.

The petty cash tin and young people's pocket money should always be kept in a lockable filing cabinet. The key for the filing cabinet and the petty cash tin are kept on the Manager and Business Support Officer's keys.

The only staff in the Unit to hold access to the Safe keys and pocket money cabinet keys are the Unit Manager, BSO and Assistant Team Managers.