The chairman presents his statement for the year.
Each year, around 350,000 people are admitted to hospital in the UK with a brain injury of some sort, whether traumatic, vascular or degenerative. Most of these people will require some form of short- or long-term support or rehabilitation. Headway Suffolk recognises this and is committed to providing a wide range of support and rehabilitation services throughout Suffolk to ensure that those in our County who are affected by a wide range of Neurological Conditions, have services and facilities available to help and support them.
It is still a major challenge to procure adequate funding to enable us to provide our services. Most of our clients depend on grants from Social Services to fund their attendance with us. The fees have increased but cannot keep pace with the steady rise in the national minimum wage to say nothing of the changes in National Insurance which are coming next year. The continuing reduction in benefits to those most vulnerable is creating great hardship. The rise in the Minimum wage and increase in general costs and the demand for ever higher quality service means that finances are always under strain; and we are more and more dependent on grants which have helped us to continue services this year.
Numbers at both of our main hubs are growing but the hub in Bury St Edmunds is still only open 3 days a week due to lack of demand. During the year hubs have been opened in Newmarket, Hadleigh, Sudbury, Leiston and Aldeburgh; we were not able to continue all the hubs but those at Leiston and Aldeburgh remain open 1 day a week. The charity has continued to recruit new staff, some from the UK and overseas who provide a high quality of service; however, this remains a big challenge as we are required to ensure continuing higher standards of commitment and qualifications for staff while being limited in our ability to pay realistic wages when compared with commercial employers. The Charity continues to provide regular training to its staff, including a face-to-face training day on 2 Saturdays for all staff. Staff are continually monitored through supervisions, appraisals and spot checks.
The Home Care department of the Charity was inspected in August 2022. This was a robust inspection. Although the inspector was just looking at our regulated clients, she did take the time to look at the rest of the Charity acknowledging that this had an effect on all the clients. The inspector noted that she was frequently told by clients that without Headway Suffolk they would not be alive today. We were very pleased when we were awarded outstanding overall and in caring and well lead.
The Charity was pleased to hold events during the year such as an award ceremony at our AGM and Christmas events with Ipswich Salvation Army, and our annual Neuro Conference.
We returned to the Nancy Oldfield trust near Wroxham for 2 residential weeks of canoeing, sailing and activities. This helped the clients with their rehabilitation. The progress some clients made in that week was outstanding. It also gave family carers much needed respite.
Other clients were supported on individual holidays, helping with respite and rehabilitation.
Headway Suffolk was able to hold a face-to-face conference in May 2024. This featured Jenni Gow the F1 commentator as the lead speaker and included a family carer’s story, work on Headway Suffolk, Stroke during pregnancy and many other topics.
I am very proud of the standard of service that our dedicated and hardworking staff team continue to provide ensuring our clients are safe and well during these very challenging times.
The future remains challenging, but I remain confident that Headway Suffolk will continue to address the needs of those who require our services and that the Charity is well served by staff and trustees to ensure a continuing exciting and progressive future.
The Trustees present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of Headway Suffolk for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The Directors, who are also referred to as Trustees, are pleased to present their Annual Report together with the financial statements for Headway Suffolk Ltd (the "Charity" or the "Charitable Company") for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a Directors’ Report and financial statements for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and 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).
Since the Charitable Company qualifies as small under section 383 of the Companies Act 2006, the Strategic Report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.
The Objectives of the Charity are:
- To promote understanding of all aspects of brain injury and other neurological conditions; and
- To provide information, support, bespoke appropriate care and rehabilitation services to people with an
acquired brain injury or other acquired neurological condition, their families and carers.
The vision that shapes our annual activities remains the promotion of a comprehensive understanding of the devastating effects of brain injury along with the provision of the most advantageous care and support to those affected and is guided by the following Values Statement:-
Headway Suffolk
- Values the individual and believes in the equal right of all to realise their potential;
- Believes in countering the disadvantage and social exclusion experienced by people with brain injury and other neurological conditions, their families and carers, by encouraging voluntary action in its diverse forms;
- Values and respects diversity and disability, race, culture, religion and sexual orientation;
- Believes that people with brain injuries, neurological conditions their families and carers and concerned professionals should work together in pursuit of shared goals;
- Believes that the Headway Suffolk movement has a vital role to play in lobbying for improvements in statutory services and is proud to provide services to Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB);
- Values the commitment to improving the lives of people with brain injury, neurological conditions, their
families and carers, shown by its Trustees, Employees, Volunteers, Members and Supporters;
- Recognises and values the work which Headway Suffolk Group's carry out with people who have survived all types of acquired brain injury and neurological conditions, their families and carers; and
- Believes that carers and people with brain injuries and neurological conditions who use services should be consulted by service providers and involved in service delivery wherever possible.
Activities
Headway Suffolk offers a wide range of activities in the hubs, including music, art and craft, cooking, life skills, basic skills, communication groups, cognitive games, drama, men's and ladies’ groups, and IT experience; the activities offered depend on the individual client, it is a bespoke service delivered at a time and place to suit the client.
Social Rehabilitation
Headway Suffolk is able to offer social day rehabilitation to clients with a wide range of neurological conditions at our main hubs in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and satellite hubs. After assessment clients are able to engage in a wide range of activities to suit their needs. This may include art and craft, basic skills, living skills, IT, music and drama in addition to physical activities provided by regular visits to the local outside gym together with working on our own allotment to produce some of the food used in our teaching kitchen at Ipswich. In the course of the year, with financial support from a local business, we offered courses in the use of Air-Fryers and produced a book of recipes. All of these activities are instrumental in assisting clients to achieve their short- and long-term goals.
Free shop
Food parcels continue to be given to our clients who are struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis. Headway Suffolk is registered as a food bank.
Home Care - Community Support
The Charity continues to support people in their own home, helping them with personal care, taking medication and daily living tasks. In addition, they have supported them to take part in leisure activities, to attend health care appointments and to follow hobbies. For some clients we give 24-7 care. Headway Suffolk Home Care team are inspected by the Care Quality Commission ('CQC') and were given a rating of OUTSTANDING at the 2022 inspection.
Transport
The charity continues to lease 19 pool cars for use predominantly by the home care team. We still have 1 van and one mini bus. We hope to replace the minibus very soon into the new financial year. We now have 6 wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV's), which means that the clients can be taken out in their wheelchair saving them having to transfer and saving staff having to lift heavy wheelchairs into boots of cars. The WAVs are used in home care but also to bring clients into the hubs.
Brainy Dogs
We continue to run our companion dog scheme but on a much smaller scale as it is not funded. The dogs have paid monthly visits to people with a brain injury who are in local prisons. This has helped the prisoners to prepare for life outside prison.
Clinical Therapies
The service has been unfunded during the last 12 months. Trustees have used general fund raising and reserves to fund the therapists, but this cannot continue into 2025. The CEO is researching alternative ways of delivering clinical therapy to our service users. As well as providing one to one support, the therapists deliver dementia groups, understanding brain injury courses, and carers support groups. We continue to employ occupational therapist and mental health nurse. We are accessing physiotherapy, clinical psychology speech and language therapy with support from a local university.
Campaigning
During the last year Headway Suffolk has continued to provide education in all aspects of brain injury to local schools, local authority, and healthcare. Our CEO meets regularly with Suffolk County Councillors from all parties, writes to all District Borough and Parish Councillors on a regular basis and is in contact with all Suffolk's MPs so that they understand the needs of our clients and the work that Headway Suffolk carries out. Useful contacts have also been formed with the Suffolk High Sheriff and the County Lord Lieutenant.
The financial review and statement of financial affairs shown later in this document provides a detailed picture of the financial performance of the charity. 2024/25 was another busy year for Headway Suffolk with many challenges but with good progress on many fronts. During the last year the Charity maintained its compliance with CQC and Headway UK Governance Standards which assists in bringing continuing confidence and recognition from funders and other professional bodies.
GDPR
We maintain a data register and ensure we are compliant with legislation.
Volunteers Value
The value of volunteers is difficult to quantify but volunteers contribute in many ways to the running of the charity both in the centres as volunteer support to permanent staff, together with various other external activities. We continue to value our volunteers as an essential part of our operations.
Training
Headway Suffolk now has a respected internal training department which ensures all staff reach their full potential. All care staff hold the care certificate and carry out a large range of training. All staff receive training in first aid, medication training and manual handling by our qualified in-house trainers. We have developed a partnership with a local commercial company to deliver e-learning to our staff on a range of topics. This training is also available and attended by some Trustees. The Trustees attended their own training day ensuring that the Charity has good Governance and is compliant with employment and charitable law.
Public Benefit
The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims, objectives and operations. They are of the opinion that the provision of a range of services, free at the point of delivery, enables Headway Suffolk to meet its obligation to provide public benefit. These services include the provision of information to local organisations, raising the awareness of brain injury in the County. The provision of Drop-in Advice and Support Groups for service users and their families. Provision of work experience to college and university students, apprenticeships and placements have taken place.
Overview
The services that the Charity provide have continued to improve and expand slowly and it continues to provide a high level of training to its staff. The Charity’s transport fleet generates a significant expenditure therefore it has been downsized with transport being delivered in a different way. At the same time the Charity is offered care rates by social services which do not fully cover the costs and the shortfall must be funded from other sources to keep a healthy balance and ensure that it does not drive people away due to funding difficulties.
Income
The Charity’s total income has seen an increase during the year to £1,772,630 from £1,577,409 in the prior year. One main stream of income, not directly within the Charity’s control, is Grants and Donations. This year Grants and Donations amounted to £206,576 a decrease from last year (2024: £261,098). The majority of this income £141,489 is Restricted Income, i.e. tied to specific expenditure not normally available for general revenue purposes and in some instances the expenditure is expected to be incurred in future accounting periods.
Expenditure
Charitable activities expenditure has seen an increase of £268,052 compared to the prior year.
The Board and Management Team review the Charity’s finances on a monthly basis. In November 2024, it became apparent that the organisation was heading towards a significant deficit in the year ending 31 March 2025 for the first time in its history. Immediate action was taken to address the situation; however, due to contractual notice periods and redundancy obligations, some cost savings took time to be realised.
As a result of these measures, the Charity has achieved annual savings of £130,313 going forward. These funds will be returned to reserves during 2025–26 to safeguard the long-term viability of the organisation.
Balance Sheet
Debtors & Creditors - The Charity's finance group monitors all income and expenditure on a monthly basis and particularly focuses on trade debtors and trade creditors to ensure this does not become a problem. The mortgage on the Charity's Epsilon House property is its only long-term creditor and the sum outstanding on it has reduced from £257,345 to £241,910 at the year end. In addition, the finance agreement obligations on the fleet cars has an outstanding balance of £85,280 as at 31 March 2025 (2024: £125,545).
The Charity's net assets amounted to £934,072 as at 31 March 2025 or 50% of our Annual Expenditure.
Balances are held at six different banks so that the guarantee for such funds is not exceeded. The payroll is therefore sourced from more than one bank as it averages £118,659 a month, which is above the guaranteed limit. £129,461 worth of Restricted Funds have been expended during the year leaving £80,518 on 31 March 2025, in comparison with the £68,490 remaining unspent from previous year.
Risk Assessment, Reserves and Investment Strategy
The Trustees and the CEO are conscious that revenue is difficult to predict, but reserves need to be kept at a realistic level to enable the Charity to function effectively and they consider that at least 3 months operational reserves should be held and available at all times for this purpose and have a risk management strategy which comprises:
An annual review of the risks the Charity may face;
The establishment of systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified in the annual review; and
The implementation of procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the Charity should the identified risks materialise.
Through the risk management processes established for the Charity, the Trustees are satisfied that any major risks identified have been adequately mitigated where necessary. It is recognised that the systems in place can only provide reasonable but not absolute assurance that all major risks have been adequately managed. The overall financial situation continues to be at a sustainable level to enable the Charity to continue with present projects and services, even though external funding is increasingly difficult to guarantee long-term. The Trustees continue to believe the strategy of building and maintaining reserves for the future to a realistic level is the correct one to enable the charity to continue with its work into the foreseeable future, and this is reflected in the overall value of reserves shown on the balance sheet. However, it should be noted that the majority of this has been accumulated over the years from grants, donations and legacies and is not accrued from revenue income which continues to be very difficult to obtain at a realistic level.
In common with many other Charities, Headway Suffolk continues to face continuing long-term uncertainty and difficulty in sourcing and competing for external funds. The Trustees continue to consider it prudent to maintain sufficient liquid assets to enable the charity to function correctly. Consequently, the Charity’s funds, both restricted and unrestricted, are still held in accessible cash form as any rewards from short term investment still currently produce meagre returns. The funds are not considered excessive in the context of total expenditure.
The Finance team regularly monitors the amounts held in current and investment accounts and authorises regular transfers to maximise interest with security. The reserves and investments are reviewed annually and require the Charity to maintain sufficient assets to cover operating costs. The Trustees actively monitor and review on a regular basis the major operational and business risks which the charity faces and put into operation policies and actions to reduce known risks where appropriate.
During 2025/26 the Trustees will continue to review the free reserves policy.
Future Plans
Day Centre Attendance
Efforts continue to seek to increase day centre attendance both at Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds to maximise on the resources and facilities available, to provide additional services and facilities and to continue in the establishment of Satellite Centres to enable us to provide a true county wide service to people with an acquired neurological condition.
Home Care
This is an area that continues to have ongoing potential and that Headway Suffolk is ideally placed to take over the specialist care required to ensure our service users are able to lead sociably acceptable lives. This service will be gradually expanded in the future as demand and resources permit. It is recognised that this is a much needed specialist service for clients with a wide range of neurological conditions.
Constitution
Headway Suffolk is constituted under the Companies Act 2006 (Registered No 03731392) and is limited by guarantee. It is governed according to the provisions contained in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, dated 22 February 1999.
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:
Appointment of Trustees
Voting members are entitled to nominate individuals to stand for election to the Board of Trustees. Nominees are elected by ballot at the Annual General Meeting for a period of three years. All retiring members are eligible to stand for re-election at the end of the three-year appointment.
The Articles of Association allow a minimum number of 3 and a maximum number of 15 on the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees may Co-opt additional members to the Board within minimum & maximum numbers, any such Co-opted members are eligible to stand for election by members at the next AGM.
Trustee Induction and Training
New Trustees undergo a comprehensive induction to make them aware of their legal obligations under charity law, the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the structure and governance of the Charity as well as policies and procedures, their obligations under the Trustees Code of Conduct, the current business plan and budget together with details of recent financial performance. Trustees are also regularly updated by the Chair and CEO with relevant information from the Charity Commission and the Rules of Affiliation with Headway Suffolk UK.
Tax Status
The Charitable Company is a Registered Charity No. 1075338 and is potentially exempt from Corporation Tax & Income Tax.
Organisation
Regular Management meetings with the Chairman, Board Members & The Chief Executive are held to ensure application of policies and procedures and to promote the smooth running of the Charity.
Main Board Meetings
The Board of Trustees meet 12 times per year to discuss all aspects of the Charity's business and to carry out its legal obligations.
Capacity of Trustees
All members of the Board of Trustees exercise their authority in the capacity as directors under the relevant companies’ legislation and as trustees of the Charity. Given the Company’s charitable status, the term "Trustee” rather than "Director” is used throughout.
Trustees' liability insurance
Headway Suffolk has maintained insurance during the year for Trustees against liabilities in relation to their duties as Trustees.
The trustees (who are also the directors of Headway Suffolk Ltd for the purpose of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The auditor SCC Chartered Accountants is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.
The report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Headway Suffolk Ltd (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the 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).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
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 charitable 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.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the 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 charitable 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 trustees 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 trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and 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.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the report; or
sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
As explained more fully in the statement of responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purpose of company law, 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 trustees 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 trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable 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 trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.
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.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We designed procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
Based on our understanding of the charitable company, we identified the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to general data protection regulations, employment law and health and safety regulations. We also considered those laws that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements.
We evaluated the trustees incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements. We communicated the identified laws and regulations throughout the audit team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit. Audit procedures performed by the auditors included, but were no limited to:
Discussions with management including consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud;
Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;
Reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;
In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments and assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of management bias.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
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 charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees 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 charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The Charity is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the Charity are the Trustees named on page 1. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the Charity.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - 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 Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland and the Companies Act 2006.
Headway Suffolk Ltd meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charitable company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis.
The Charity has prepared budgets and forecasts which indicate that the Charity will be able to continue to meet its liabilities as they fall due and continue to trade for the foreseeable future, being at least twelve months from the date of approval of these financial statements.
All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
Income for attendance fees and associated income and income for home care fees are recognised based on the dates of attendance.
Grants and donations are accounted for at the date of receipt, unless they are subject to conditions
being met. Grants and donations given for a specific purpose are shown as restricted income in the Statement of Financial Activities.
Income from other sources is accounted for in the year in which it is receivable.
Government grants
Government grants relating to tangible fixed assets are treated as deferred income and released to the Statement of Financial Activities over the expected useful lives of the assets concerned. Other grants are credited to the Statement of Financial Activities as the related expenditure is incurred.
Interest receivable
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.
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.
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. All expenses including support costs and governance costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure headings.
Charitable activities and governance costs are costs incurred on the Charity's educational operations, including support costs and costs relating to the governance of the Charity apportioned to charitable activities.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charity's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.
Tangible fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.
Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.
Assets in the course of construction are included at costs incurred to date. Depreciation on these assets is not charged until they are brought into use.
At each reporting date the Charity assesses whether there is any indication of impairment. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is determined to be the higher of its fair value less costs to sell and its value in use. An impairment loss is recognised where the carrying amount exceeds the recoverable amount.
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.
Donated assets provided for use by the Charity are capitalised in the financial statements at their estimated market value.
Cash at bank and in hand is represented by cash in hand and deposits with financial institutions repayable without penalty on notice of not more than 24 hours. Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that mature in no more than three months from the date of acquisition and that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash with insignificant risk of change in value.
In the Statement of Cash Flows, cash and cash equivalents are shown net of bank overdrafts that are repayable on demand and form an integral part of the Charity's cash management.
The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. A defined contribution pension scheme is a pension plan under which the Charity pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the Charity has no further payment obligations.
The contributions are recognised as an expense in the statement of financial activities when they fall due. Amounts not paid are shown in other creditors as a liability in the Balance Sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the Charity in independently administered funds.
Assets obtained under hire purchase contracts and finance leases are capitalised as tangible fixed assets. Assets acquired by finance lease are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term and their useful lives. Assets acquired by hire purchase are depreciated over their useful lives. Finance leases are those where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership are assumed by the Charity. Obligations under such agreements are included in creditors, net of the finance charge allocated to future periods. The finance element of the rental payment is charged to the Statement of Financial Activities so as to produce a constant periodic rate of charge on the net obligation outstanding in each period.
Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the lease term.
Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any discounts due.
Creditors
Creditors are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any discounts due.
Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the company and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Property and office
Services
Staff training and recruitment
None of the trustees received any remuneration or benefits from the charitable company during the year. (2023: NIL)
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
Redundancy and termination costs totalling £12,780 were incurred in the reporting period.
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Leasehold land and buildings with a carrying amount of £612,858 (2024 - £612,858) have been pledged to secure borrowings of the charitable company.
Motor vehicles with a carrying amount of £87,247 (2024 - £130,707) have been pledged as security under finance lease agreements.
The bank loan is secured on the long term leasehold property and is repayable by instalments of £2,198 per month (inclusive of interest at 4.37%) with a final payment of £120,055 due in November 2031.
Amounts payable between two and five years amount to £70,619 (2024: £69,169) and the amount payable after five years is £155,201 (2024: £172,731).
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.
All unrestricted funds apart from general funds are designated funds. During the year to 31 March 2025 an amount of £44,032 of therapists payroll costs were covered by the Therapists designated fund and an amount of £17,701 of depreciation relating to the air conditioning asset was covered by the Air Conditioning designated fund. Both uses of designated funds were agreed by the board of trustees.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The operating lease relates to a rental lease for the Bury hub. The lease expires on 31 December 2025 and the charity is currently agreeing lease terms for the beginning of 2026 for the same premises.
At the reporting end date the charitable company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows: