The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)".
The mission of the Chinese Information and Advice Centre (the "Charity" or "CIAC") is to ensure that disadvantaged people of Chinese origin in the UK are able to access quality advice, information and support. In planning the Charity’s activities to achieve its aim, the Trustees have given considerations to the guidance of the Charity Commission on public benefit. The Charity’s main activities and who it helps are described below. All CIAC’s charitable activities are undertaken to further its charitable purposes for the public benefit.
The Charity historically specialised in providing advice and support on immigration and asylum law. It has developed a wide spectrum of services to meet the needs of the community. The services offered include a unique support programme for Chinese women and their children, in particular to those vulnerable to domestic violence; advice and advocacy on social welfare and benefits, housing and homelessness, which are extended to destitute refugees and asylum seekers. Through partnership initiatives, such as NHS, the Charity works towards the betterment of the life of the local community. Moreover, the Charity collects and disseminates information to the Chinese communities throughout the UK.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Legal Advice
The Charity continued the service under the licence granted by the Organisation of Immigration Services Commission (OISC) on the provision of legal advice on immigration and asylum law. The legal advisors have attained the required level of accreditation. The Charity makes referrals on complex cases.
Women’s and Children's Support
The Women's and Children’s Support project provides Chinese women safety planning who flee from domestic violence, emotional support, interpretation, assistance in finding refuge or temporary accommodation, and advice on immigration, housing, benefits and children issues. During the year under review, there were outreach volunteers providing on-going assistance to and befriending the service users. The Charity also raised the awareness of domestic violence amongst the Chinese community through multi-agency partnership, workshops, leaflets and newsletters, and the Chinese media and other social media.
ASCENT – Working to end violence against women and girls (VAWG)
Since April 2013, the Charity formed a consortium with 21 other voluntary organisations and works in partnership to end violence against women and girls. This project is funded by the London Councils and the Charity provides services under the “Advice and Support” theme and in particular specialist services in Chinese language (Mandarin and Cantonese). This innovative partnership strengthens referral pathways across organisations and identifies trends and emerging needs. The scope of services consists of frontline advice, outreach, referral, drop-in services supporting women survivors of abuse in accessing safety and services and in rebuilding their lives. This project also extends the support for single mothers affected by domestic violence. New round of funding has been approved to provide quality and sustainable support for women and girls affected by domestic abuse.
Women’s helpline and Third Party Reporting Centre
With the grant from the City of Westminster St James’s Ward in 2013, the Charity set up a third party reporting centre to provide a confidential channel of reporting violence crime against women and a helpline in Chinese language for women in the event of emergency. These services are still provided by the Charity as a self-funded service as we see the importance of maintaining this avenue for the Chinese women to seek help.
Domestic Violence Awareness
The Charity continues to raise awareness of domestic violence in the Chinese community. The film “Behind Closed Doors” was proudly produced by the Charity with the help of a team of professional volunteers. Since its premiere show on 5 September 2013, the short film is available on YouTube link here http://youtu.be/IvbXGyNk6LY.
Supporting women and girls who have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)
Women and girls who are affected by gender-based violence and at the time have NRPF are supported by our project funded by the Trust for London. The Charity provides the practical support for them on their rights and eligibilities. We also work closely with other organisation to provide crucial support for women and girls to address their immediate personal concerns.
Benefits and Tax Credits Advice and Advocacy
The Charity provides a one-stop advice service for the Chinese residents since 2011 to provide benefits and tax credits advice through telephone and face-to-face sessions. While this service for the residents of the Westminster Councils is funded, the Charity also extends the service outside the borough at a nominal administration fee.
Homelessness – Housing First Project
The official definition of homelessness includes those in temporary housing, overcrowding accommodation or facing eviction. There are a lot of other issues associated with homelessness. It is not uncommon that the Chinese who are in such a dire situation would be unaware of the appropriate channel to change their living environment. The Charity is in a good position to help and assist them to find suitable accommodation and tackle homelessness related problems.
Wellbeing and Healthcare Projects
In respond to the NHS campaign appealing to the people to quit smoking in early 2014, CIAC joined the Kick-It task force with two staff trained and qualified as NHS Quit Smoking Advisors in mid-2014. CIAC recognised the linguistic need for the Chinese community in order to benefit from the NHS wellbeing program. The Charity has completed the 3 years project as Kick-It Stop Smoking Chinese community delivery partner in the Tri-borough areas (City of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham). The Charity on the other hand addresses the issues of problematic gambling by hosting regular community forum with other community Stakeholders and professionals in the field. During the pandemic, the Charity took on the initiative, working closely with the Westminster City Council and NHS to organise Pop-up COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics especial to support those who do not have a fixed address and/ or uncertain immigration status. With our dedicated team of volunteers providing logistic and translation support, this initiative had benefited over 7,000 individuals.
Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support
The Charity provides advice and assistance in the areas of asylum support, welfare benefit, housing, healthcare and education for Chinese new arrivals. Due to the lack of funding, we now mainly make referrals to other refugee organisations and with limited services carried out by volunteers. During the year reported, the Charity had hosted monthly Home Office surgery to support those who have immigration concern and assist some undocumented migrants to voluntarily return to their home country. Home Office has promised there will be NO enforcement action in these surgeries so vulnerable individuals have the trust and confidence to approach us for assistance.
Information Development
The Charity published quarterly bilingual newsletters (traditional Chinese and English) to provide news on immigration and nationality laws, public policy and events within the Chinese community. This is a self-funded project with the help of volunteers from research and editing to translation and final production. Four issues of the newsletter have been published during the year including an electronic version available online.
UK Visas and Immigration (previously UK Border Agency) Surgery and Police Community Service Surgery
The Charity hosts regular Police Community Service surgery at its office. Depending on the availability of the police officer, this is normally held every other month and opens to the general public with free interpreter provided by the Charity for the non-English speaking Chinese service users. Since November 2012, the Charity collaborated with the Home Office to host the first UKVI community surgery at its office. It is now scheduled on the first Tuesday of each month. The Home Office officers attend the Charity to answer enquiries from the local community regarding immigration issues. The enquiries can be personal to them or regarding general immigration policies.
Social Enterprise
CIAC provides fee charging services under the social enterprise initiative which comprises of translation, interpretation and printing facility. This service benefits the local community as the Charity has a team of volunteers with a high proficiency of Chinese-English language standard and specialising in translation and interpretation.
The net outgoing resources for the year amounted to £49,390 (2023: £20,137) after which there was a retained unrestricted surplus of £71,887 (2023: £121,277).
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital incorporated in the United Kingdom on 18 October 1988 with registration no. 02306765. The company is a registered charity with registration number 800646.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Trustees are elected at AGM, and new Trustees may be recruited during the year to fill up a vacancy or take on additional responsibilities. New Trustees are recruited through introductions, enquiries and the Charity's website.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The company's current policy concerning the payment of trade creditors is to follow the CBI's Prompt Payers Code (copies are available from the CBI, Centre Point, 103 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DU).
The company's current policy concerning the payment of trade creditors is to:
settle the terms of payment with suppliers when agreeing the terms of each transaction;
ensure that suppliers are made aware of the terms of payment by inclusion of the relevant terms in contracts; and
pay in accordance with the company's contractual and other legal obligations.
Trade creditors of the company at the year end were equivalent to XX day's purchases, based on the average daily amount invoiced by suppliers during the year.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Chinese Information and Advice Centre (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Chinese Information and Advice Centre is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Basement, 2 Gerrard Place, London, W1D 5PB, UK.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a statement of cash flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. 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.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
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 statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible 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).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with 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.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans 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 operations 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 charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
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 charity 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.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees 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.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2023 - none).
Substantial adjustments have been made to the comparative Statement of Financial Activities and both opening & closing Balance Sheets. These restatements relate to a previously omitted savings account which has been brought into the accounts this year. The impact has reduced incoming resources by £78,245 in the comparative as the income should have already been recorded in retained surplus.
Upon examination it has been determined that whilst certain donations and grants are made in anticipation or during various charitable events, there are no legally restricted funds in place. As such all references to restricted funds have been removed from these accounts.
These adjustments have been specifically reviewed and agreed with the Independent Examiner.