The Authority shall, from advances made to it by the Minister under section 39(1), fund its operational costs for a period of three years from establishment day. Subject to subsection (3), after those three years the Authority shall fund operational costs for each relevant financial period from the total amount of the charges imposed in accordance with section 41 for the period concerned.

Where monies from charges are insufficient for a relevant financial period, the Authority may request an advance from the Minister under section 39(2) or draw on any reserve established under subsection (4). Any charge income not required for that period may be retained to create a reserve, offset future charges or form a refund fund; a licensee who ceases to provide the licensed activity during the period may apply for a pro rata refund, but at least half of the charge is non‑refundable, and refunds are not available where cessation is due to suspension, revocation or a court order under section 220.