The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 March 2023.
The principal activity of AMG Care Services Group Limited (AMG) during the year is the provision of NHS and Local Authority funded community services. The business holds contracts with more than 10 public commissioning authorities across a range of services including community nursing, reablement and primary care.
The Directors expect the Group to continue to grow next year with revenue expected from additional contracts that we have successfully tendered for.
The Group is ideally placed to further improve frontline care for service users by developing innovative services in partnership with NHS and Local Authorities and has a strong track record of service redesign and transformation.
The Group has a well-established central administrative service, training, human resources, payroll and financial support. The comprehensive range of support enables the development and growth of the organisation and enables it to deliver high quality services.
The Group aspires to be the provider of choice for commissioners who are seeking the highest calibre NHS and related social care services and as such the organisation has continued to invest significantly to make the business capable of adapting quickly to meet those needs. There has been an increase in turnover (£2.45m) and a corresponding expenditure increase too (£1.46m). As a result, the group has seen a increase in gross profit of £987k (7.6%).
Profit after taxation increased from £5.46m to £5.62m.
During the year we have continued to focus on rebalancing the range of work undertaken within each Branch to ensure that there is an eclectic mix of contracts to provide sustainable work which ensures longevity, spend certainty within an agreed financial envelope.
The Group funds its growth and development projects through cash reserves. The Group has no external third party borrowings.
The Group generates positive cash flow from existing services as a result of good cash collection and tight cost control, using these funds to invest in new and existing services to expand the business.
At the balance sheet date net assets have increased by £2.31m from £12.32m to £14.63m.
Business Growth
The Directors ensure that the business has the capacity to respond to increases in service demands and to mobilise more than one large contract at a time. The Directors are satisfied that such matters are properly discussed by the senior management team and are adequately resourced.
Commissioning models and operating framework
Recent changes in the health and social care sector present as challenges and opportunities for the business. The commercial and political environment in which we operate is monitored by the senior management team. Having an awareness of the operating framework and appropriately responding to market changes within the sectors will mitigate the impact of any material risk.
Credit Risk
The Group ensures that Credit Checks are completed on all limited and non-limited companies prior to any new business relationship and any issues are escalated to the senior management team before work is scheduled. The senior management team are then in a position to open dialogue with the Group to see if a business relationship can be formed.
COVID-19 Pandemic
Although the regulations relating to COVID-19 have significantly changed, the measures to protect service users, care workers and staff have been integrated into the infection control measures deployed by AMG. Utilisation of the NHS supply chain has continued to improve access to PPE items. AMG remains vigilant to the risk of the spread of infection and new variants of COVID-19 virus which have the potential to affect all branches. Infection rates are constantly monitored to identify any capacity concerns within the workforce.
The Directors have identified three key operational priorities for the year ending 31 March 2023, which are summarised below:
Priority 1: Delivering high quality and safe services which are outcome focused and evidence based.
The Group has continued to focus on improving the quality and safety of its services. The Group has continued to employ nursing staff to support care workers in the delivery of care to meet complex care needs and to deliver clinical effectiveness programmes. Working closely with NHS colleagues we have continued to deliver a rapid response and enablement service to ensure that medical fit Service users are able to be discharged without delay. The Group has monitored Service User satisfaction and consequently has made a number of improvements to the services throughout the year.
Priority 2: Providing services underpinned by a robust governance framework and quality assurance processes:
The Group has enhanced its workforce to increase our clinical and care capability for rapid service mobilisation, development, and training. Investment in our IT infrastructure has enabled the Group to utilise real time data to enhance the quality of the services provided. A robust auditing programme has enhanced the quality assurance processes across the entire organisation ensuring that lessons learnt and audit outcomes are immediately addressed.
Priority 3: Enhance the service delivery model and extend our reach to a wider national coverage
The Group has identified key areas of growth across the country to develop alongside current procurement opportunities. The growth and development will be supported by established teams in the Midlands and North Wales.
The Group has a number of KPIs which are used to analyse current performance and assist with business development. Monthly KPIs are used to monitor financial and operational performance and are used to inform our business decisions. The KPIs include revenue growth, gross profit margin and cash management. They also include any contractual KPIs applicable to the services provided.
Financial KPIs:
2023 2022
% %
Revenue growth/(decline) 5.8 9.1
Gross profit margin 30.9 30.4
£ £
Cash at bank and in hand 10,894,787 8,199,191
The Group places a strong emphasis on providing the highest quality service under pinned by a comprehensive range of policies and procedures. Our approach to delivering safe and effective care is underpinned by evidence-based practice and a range of non-financial KPIs focused on compliance with regulatory standards and Service User experience.
Regulated by Care Quality Commission and Care Inspectorate Wales our branches were rated:
Branches 2023 2022
Chester (inc Wales) Good Good
Burton Good Good
Nottingham Good Good
Crewe Requires improvement Requires improvement
Lincoln Good Good
Wolverhampton Good Good
Stone Good Good
Additional quality audit measures have been introduced in 2022/23 to improve performance and compliance with regulatory standards across all branches. Staff have been recruited into new roles in the Crewe branch with specific responsibilities to improve the services provided.
Service User experience is key to the achievement of our strategic objectives. A number of metrics are used to assess Branch performance in meeting service user expectations. New systems of collating information have been introduced to measure satisfaction levels and demonstrate improvements.
The individual Directors are aware and mindful of their duty under s.172(1) of the Companies Act 2006 to act in the way which they consider, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of AMG and in doing so have regard (amongst other matters) to the likely consequences of any decision in the long term, the interests of AMG care workers and staff, the need to foster the business relationships with commissioners, service users and others, the impact of AMG's operations on the community and the environment, the desirability of maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct and the need to act fairly.
The Directors recognise that difficult decisions must sometimes be taken which requires each Director to exercise independent judgment and apply reasonable care, skill and diligence in the decision-making process. In doing so, the Directors recognise their responsibilities to AMG's different, but mainly interrelated, stakeholder groups.
The Directors have determined the AMG key stakeholder groups to be: Commissioners (both Health and Social Care), Care Regulators England and Wales, the service user community, care workers and staff (together, the "Stakeholder Groups"). Each Stakeholder Group plays an important role in the ability of AMG to execute its strategy to deliver high quality services in accordance with our values.
AMG has processes in place to capture and consider the views of its Stakeholder Groups and share their views at relevant levels within the business, to ensure that regard is given to these views in decision-making processes.
Examples are provided below of typical methods of engagement with the Stakeholder Groups and how the Directors stay appraised of their views to inform their decision-making.
Engagement with care workers and staff employees
The Directors recognise that AMG care workers and staff are fundamental and core to our business and to the delivery of our strategic ambitions. The success of our business depends on attracting, retaining, and motivating our care workers and staff. From ensuring that we remain a responsible employer, from pay and benefits to our health, safety and workplace environment, the Directors factor the implications of their decisions on care workers and staff where relevant and feasible.
AMG employs various tools to seek and utilise the views of its people including via informal feedback, meeting forums, periodic opinion surveys and formal reporting through the governance framework. The Operations Director keeps the Directors directly informed as to people and culture matters. In 2021, the care workers and staff of each Branch participated in an online opinion survey, the results of which were shared with the Branches and actions were taken to improve the work life experience for all concerned. Feedback was given to the care workers and staff to ensure that the actions taken had the desired impact and this was subsequently monitored in later surveys.
Working in accordance with government guidelines, the additional safety measures introduced within the work environment to ensure care workers and staff remained safe during the COVID-19 pandemic were incorporated into our infection control measures. Additional PPE continues to be provided to keep care workers and service users safe within their own home. Although the changes made to the office environment to meet the statutory guidance were relaxed, heightened surveillance of staff sickness absences to monitor infections rates and to ensure that staff remained safe was continued.
Engagement with Suppliers, Customers and Others
Service User Community:
AMG prides itself on anticipating the needs of the people it cares for so it can deliver a high quality and safe service to its Service User. Various methods are utilised to understand Service User’s experience, including surveys, visits, complaints, and compliments. Views gathered from Service Users are reported, discussed and lessons learnt utilised at all levels of the performance and governance framework. In 2022, the Group further developed its online reporting system to maximise the time available for client interactions within commissioned parameters. It also provided assurance that the right care was given at the right time and to the right person. Real time monitoring enabled the branches to immediately address any concerns to enhance the care experience of Service Users.
Although the COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed, robust Infection control measures have remained in place for the care workers and staff. Provision of enhanced PPE and monitoring of infection rates has ensured that AMG has the workforce capability and capacity to meet the care needs of all Service Users. The utilisation of a capacity model for service delivery has ensured that AMG has remained a significant contributor to the NHS enablement pathway.
Commissioners:
The Directors recognise the need to foster mutually beneficial relationships with a wide range of Health and Social Care commissioners. They ensure the Branch Managers have processes in place to engage and consult with commissioners on a regular basis to develop and maintain lasting and meaningful relationships. The Directors conduct regular strategic reviews with Local Authorities, ICBs and CHCs to understand their strategic agenda, key strategic initiatives and identify opportunities for business development.
Regulators:
The Branches proactively participate in periodic meetings and interactions with the regulators as appropriate to fully understand regulatory views and feedback, including full and active participation in thematic reviews and application of any resulting learnings to drive business improvements. The senior management operates a horizon-scanning process to ensure that upcoming regulatory change, consultations, guidance and "hot topics" are known and understood by the business, enabling any resulting internal actions to be taken.
Regulatory matters are reported, discussed, and actioned at all levels within the Group's governance framework. The Business Transformation Director reports regulatory matters and briefings into regulatory topics are held as and when required. This ensures that Directors are kept informed of regulatory views and matters to enable them to make decisions which are aligned with regulatory objectives and views. We continually review our quality audit process which resulted in changes to reflect the approach that regulators took during inspection providing feedback on the key lines of enquiry. Outcomes of inspection and audits were shared with the other branches. Improvement plans were agreed and monitored via performance management and governance. This ensured that lessons learnt were applied, enabling other branches to successfully achieve a good rating at inspection.
As members of the CQC oversight group, regular meetings are held with the CQC oversight team which has the responsibility of ensuring AMG remain financially viable and have good governance structures in place to provide services of high quality and which are safe. AMG is considered to be low risk in all areas.
Environment and social responsibility:
As part of AMG's environment and social responsibility, the Group actively engages in strengthening its local community, while operating its business with a meaningful environmental commitment. For example, the Group participates in local network groups to better understand what matters to those in its community and how the Group can utilise its expertise and support to add value. In 2022, social responsibility and sustainability matters were discussed at Board meetings which were informed by both internal briefings and emerging regulatory views, particularly relating to climate change considerations.
On behalf of the board
The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023.
The results for the year are set out on page 14.
Ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £3,320,050 (2022 - £3,100,000). The directors do not recommend payment of a further dividend.
The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:
The group's policy is to consult and discuss with employees, through unions, staff councils and at meetings, matters likely to affect employees' interests.
Information about matters of concern to employees is given through information bulletins and reports which seek to achieve a common awareness on the part of all employees of the financial and economic factors affecting the group's performance.
We fulfil the statutory requirements for Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting which includes disclosure of the Group's carbon emissions. Under the Companies Act 2006 / SECR Regulations, 'Large' companies' are required to report their annual emissions in their Directors' report.
AMG Care Services Group Limited Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting statement covers the reporting period 1st April 2022 - 31st March 2023 and has been prepared in line with the requirements of the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting regulations and the relevant areas of the Greenhouse Gas ('GHG') Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.
The group has followed the 2019 HM Government Environmental Reporting Guidelines. The group has also used the GHG Reporting Protocol – Corporate Standard and have used the 2022 UK Government’s Conversion Factors for Company Reporting. NUS Consulting Group have assisted with calculating the energy consumption figures presented above.
The chosen intensity measurement ratio is total gross emissions in metric tonnes CO2e per £1m of turnover.
The group have installed solar panels on the roofs of two of the properties it operates from to improve energy efficiency.
The group also encourages all office staff to turn off all office equipment at the end of each working day. This is monitored by the IT department with emails sent for non-compliance.
We have audited the financial statements of AMG Care Services Group Limited (the 'parent company') and its subsidiaries (the 'group') for the year ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the group income statement, the group statement of comprehensive income, the group statement of financial position, the company statement of financial position, the group statement of changes in equity, the company statement of changes in equity, the group statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group's and parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the parent company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the parent company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:
the engagement partner ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
we identified the laws and regulations applicable to the company through discussions with directors and other management;
we focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the company, including legislation such as the Companies Act 2006, taxation legislation, data protection, employment, health and safety legislation and CQC regulations; and
we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management and reviewing expenditure on legal & professional services.
We assessed the susceptibility of the company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:
making enquiries of management as to where they considered there was susceptibility to fraud, their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and
considering the internal controls in place to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations.
To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:
performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships;
tested journal entries posted during the period and at the period end to identify unusual transactions; and
investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions.
In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:
agreeing financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;
enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation and claims;
reviewing correspondence and inspection reports for the company from the CQC and where no new reports had been issued during the period, reviewing the record held by the CQC to ensure there have been no changes along with a review of the results of internal audits carried out;
confirming for a sample of relevant employees that DBS procedures were followed; and
reviewing legal and professional fees incurred during the period to identify any potential indications of non-compliance with laws and regulations.
There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.
Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
As permitted by s408 Companies Act 2006, the company has not presented its own profit and loss account and related notes. The company’s profit for the year was £3,319,779 (2022 - £3,099,729 profit).
AMG Care Services Group Limited (“the company”) is a private company, limited by shares, domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Rugby House, Brooms Road, Stone Business Park, Stone, Staffordshire, England, ST15 0SH.
The group consists of AMG Care Services Group Limited and all of its subsidiaries.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
The company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements for parent company information presented within the consolidated financial statements:
Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;
Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’
Section 26 ‘Share based Payment’: Share-based payment expense charged to profit or loss, reconciliation of opening and closing number and weighted average exercise price of share options, how the fair value of options granted was measured, measurement and carrying amount of liabilities for cash-settled share-based payments, explanation of modifications to arrangements;
Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Compensation for key management personnel.
The company has taken advantage of exemption, under the terms of Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland', not to disclose related party transactions with wholly owned subsidiaries within the group.
The consolidated group financial statements consist of the financial statements of the parent company AMG Care Services Group Limited together with all entities controlled by the parent company (its subsidiaries).
All financial statements are made up to 31 March 2023. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the financial statements of subsidiaries to bring the accounting policies used into line with those used by other members of the group.
All intra-group transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between group companies are eliminated on consolidation. Unrealised losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred.
Subsidiaries are consolidated in the group’s financial statements from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Turnover is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for services provided in the normal course of business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts and settlement discounts.
Revenue from contracts for the provision of professional services is recognised once the work completed, costs incurred and costs to complete can be estimated reliably. Revenue is measured for agency work based on the number of visits at the contracted rates. Legal work revenue is measured based on agreed quotes for the work to be completed. For both revenue streams, revenue is recognised once the work has been completed.
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the income statement.
In the parent company financial statements, investments in subsidiaries are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses.
A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the group. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.
At each reporting period end date, the group reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.
Recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use.
If the recoverable amount of an asset is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset is reduced to its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss.
Recognised impairment losses are reversed if, and only if, the reasons for the impairment loss have ceased to apply. Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses, the carrying amount of the asset is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, but so that the increased carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss been recognised for the asset in prior years. A reversal of an impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss.
The group has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the group's statement of financial position when the group becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amounts presented in the financial statements when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Financial assets are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.
Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.
If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.
Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the group transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the group after deducting all of its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the group's contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
Equity instruments issued by the group are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the group.
The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.
The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the income statement because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The group’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.
Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.
Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset if, and only if, there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.
The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
Equity-settled share-based payments are measured at fair value at the date of grant by reference to the fair value of the equity instruments granted using the Black-Scholes model. The fair value determined at the grant date is expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period, based on the estimate of shares that will eventually vest. A corresponding adjustment is made to equity.
The expense in relation to options over the parent company’s shares granted to employees of a subsidiary is recognised by the company as a capital contribution, and presented as an increase in the company’s investment in that subsidiary.
When the terms and conditions of equity-settled share-based payments at the time they were granted are subsequently modified, the fair value of the share-based payment under the original terms and conditions and under the modified terms and conditions are both determined at the date of the modification. Any excess of the modified fair value over the original fair value is recognised over the remaining vesting period in addition to the grant date fair value of the original share-based payment. The share-based payment expense is not adjusted if the modified fair value is less than the original fair value.
Cancellations or settlements (including those resulting from employee redundancies) are treated as an acceleration of vesting and the amount that would have been recognised over the remaining vesting period is recognised immediately.
Leasing commitments
Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leases asset are consumed.
In the application of the group’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Key sources of estimation uncertainty
The directors consider that there are no key estimates or assumptions used in preparing the financial statements.
The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the group and company during the year was:
Their aggregate remuneration comprised:
The number of directors to whom retirement benefits were accruing was 3 (2022 - 3).
The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:
Factors affecting future tax charges
The main corporation tax rate was legislated to increase from 19% to 25% with effect from 1 April 2023, significantly increasing the tax payable on profits earned.
Given the change to the main corporation tax rate, deferred tax has been provided for at 25% where appropriate.
Details of the company's subsidiaries at 31 March 2023 are as follows:
The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the group and company, and movements thereon:
A defined contribution pension scheme is operated for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the group in an independently administered fund. Contributions totalling £96,662 (2022 - £22,346) were payable to the fund at the balance sheet date and are included in creditors.
The shares vest to the option holder on a sale of the entire share capital of the Company to a third party at arms length or on flotation of the Company. This is an equity-settled share based payment arrangement and the maximum term of the options granted is 10 years. We have estimated the share options to vest to the option holders over 10 years.
The Company is unable to directly measure the fair value of employee services received. Instead the fair value of share options granted during the year is determined using the Black-Scholes model. The model is internationally recognised as being appropriate to value employee share schemes similar to this scheme.
The key assumptions used are the exercise price of £1,234 per share option set out in the option agreement, a share price based on a valuation of the company, the government risk free interest rate and the life of the option from the date of grant to the estimated date of exercise. The volatility of the share price was determined by utilising historic variations in earnings.
The total carrying amount at the end of the period for liabilities arising from the share-based payment transactions is £nil (2022 - £nil).
The A ordinary, B ordinary, C ordinary and D ordinary shares have attached to them full voting, dividend and capital distribution rights and do not confer any rights of redemption.
Profit and loss reserves represents the accumulated profits less accumulated losses and distributions up to the reporting date. This is a distributable reserve.
At the reporting end date the group had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
Directors' loan account
At the balance sheet date the group owed £492,983 (2022 - £659,740) to the directors.
Dividends paid to directors
Amounts paid to directors in their capacity as shareholders were £3,320,050 (2022 - £3,100,000).
Other transactions with related parties
During the year the group paid rent to the Directors' pension scheme of £109,044 (2022 - £122,271).
At the year end, amounts were owed to the group by the Directors' pension scheme of £nil (2022 - £3,786 owed by the group).
Loans to related parties
At the year end, total amounts owing from a related party company in respect of a loan were £100,100 (2022 - £100,100).
No repayments of amounts for this loan have been made and no interest has been charged on this loan.
The group has previously made loans to the Directors' pension scheme. At the year end, amounts owing from the Directors' pension scheme to the group totalled £550,379 (2022 - £779,005).
Interest is being charged on the loan to the Directors' pension scheme plus the base rate of interest. Interest income in relation to this loan during the year totalled £29,017 (2022 - £22,342).
These loans to related parties are presented in debtors.
Key management personnel
During the year, amounts of key management personnel paid were £1,634,831 (2022 - £1,597,130).
Mr J R Trippett and Mrs S Trippett, the directors, control the company jointly as a result of holding 91% of the issued share capital of AMG Care Services Group Limited.