Registration number:
for the
Year Ended 31 March 2025
Sefton New Directions Limited
Contents
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Company Information |
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Strategic Report |
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Directors' Report |
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Statement of Directors' Responsibilities |
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Independent Auditor's Report |
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Profit and Loss Account |
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Balance Sheet |
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Statement of Changes in Equity |
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Notes to the Financial Statements |
Sefton New Directions Limited
Company Information
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Directors |
P P Cummins N Daly J Graham J A Hardman D L Neary |
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Registered office |
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Bankers |
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Auditors |
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Sefton New Directions Limited
Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
The directors present their strategic report for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Principal activity
The principal activity of the company is providing social care services for adults and those with learning and/or physical disabilities, and organic and functional mental health issues.
Fair review of the business
The trading results for the year and the company’s financial position at the end of the year are shown in the attached financial statements and are discussed in the business review below.
The company has been trading since 2007. Turnover for the year ended 31 March 2025 was £11,460,364 (2024 - £10,035,855) with a pre-tax loss of £742,897 (2024 - £1,065,407).
At the balance sheet date, the company had net assets of £1,495,148 (2024 - 2,238,045).
The Company has previously assisted Sefton Council by taking over some services that the prior providers had handed back to the Council because they were both loss-making and of poor quality (according to the Care Quality Commission). New Directions improved their quality and ensured their continuation; albeit at a significant financial detriment to New Directions. Operating at a deficit to support these vital services was a planned, strategic decision by the Board of New Directions. The decision was made because of the partnership mandate between Sefton Council and New Directions as the Social Care Provider of Choice and because we could not let local people be deprived of services they desperately need.
As a consequence of these planned investments and commitment from New Directions to expand its Reablement Service, the Directors of New Directions made the strategic decision to expend more than we received in income, resulting in a loss in 2023/24 and 2024/25.
It should be noted that without the Board of Directors' strong governance and the executive team's continuing financial diligence, New Directions would have posted even more significant losses in these two years.
The directors made the strategic decision to support the Council's request that the company use its reserves in 2023/24 to fully fund the inflation uplift and in 2024/25 to partially fund the inflationary uplift and expand reablement services.
The reason for this decision was twofold:
a) In 2023/24 and 2024/25, it enabled New Directions to continue to provide vital services for local, vulnerable people without adding additional financial pressure to Sefton Council's social services' adult care budget.
b) In addition, in 2024/25, we were willing to use reserves to meet a request from the Council (our shareholder) to fund the expansion of Reablement Services, which reduces pressure on other parts of the social care system and supports local people in retaining their independence.
The company has only been able to make these decisions to support Sefton Council because of healthy cash reserves. Operating with a continuous deficit position is not sustainable. Hence, Sefton Council and New Directions have jointly developed a financial sustainability plan involving a mixture of savings, revenue, and efficiencies. This is the first process stage that will ultimately lead to New Directions returning, at a minimum, a balanced and wholly sustainable financial outturn at the end of each financial year.
The company’s key performance measure is the quality of service delivery, as measured by:
- The volume of service user throughput
- The number and nature of compliments and complaints about service levels
- The quality rating provided by service commissioners and service regulators (Care Quality Commission) who consistently rated most services good or excellent.
- Quality assurance audits undertaken by an independent subject matter expert.
- Outcomes experienced by people who use the services,
Sefton New Directions Limited
Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Summary of key achievements from 2024/25
During 2024/25, the company has supported the broader system transformation and has been redesigning services, incorporating:
Transformational Activity
• Increased Reablement capacity by recruiting 19 staff in three months; supporting the wider system and enabling more individuals to be independent.
• Improving people's independence by working in partnership with Sefton Council and partners to launch the home-first pathway in January 2025; supporting wider system savings and contributing to reducing more expensive alternatives to reablement.
• Improved integration with Southport Hospital, enhancing patient flow and independence in collaboration with stakeholders and support system savings.
• Co-produced a new ‘Living Well’ model for day opportunities - responding to commissioning needs, which is set to launch in Spring 2025.
Internal Quality Assurance & Governance Metrics
• 94% customer satisfaction score reflects strong relationships with service users and families, and 97% customer satisfaction rate with professionals.
• Staff satisfaction improved by an average of 9.5% in the 2024 survey.
• Enhanced governance by recruiting two new Directors with expertise in social care, creating a quality and compliance sub-group, agreeing on a new risk appetite framework and commissioning seven external CQC audits.
• Improved governance between Sefton Council and the Company, including establishing new shareholder & commissioning Boards and collaborating on a financial settlement for sustainability.
• Created and implemented a custom training programme for first-line managers
• Delivering efficiencies, reducing the Agency Worker costs by c.£200k per year.
• Invested in 37 staff trained to become mental health first aiders - 10% of our workforce, demonstrating a commitment to employee wellbeing.
• Based on the current ‘as is’ workforce, the Company delivers efficiencies of £2.514m annually, had the current services remained with the Council.
Demonstrating how we performed in relation to our workforce challenges and compared nationally 1
• New Directions is proud to be a Real Living Wage employer. In England, 43% of adult social care workers are paid below this.
• Staff turnover is 14.4%, compared to a national average of 24.8% and a Sefton locality rate of 26.9%; showing strong retention and job satisfaction.
• 14% of employees identify as disabled, compared to a sector average of 2%.
• 85% of the operational workforce hold a relevant social care qualification, compared to a national average of 46%.
• Zero workers are employed on zero-hour contracts, compared to a national average of 21%.
• Our vacancy rate is 1.71%, compared to a national sector average of 8.3%.
• 87.7% of employees live within Sefton, 98% live in Merseyside, contributing to the local economy.
• 7 individuals volunteer with New Directions.
• Sickness absence decreased from 10.1% to 6.5% over 12 months in 2024/25.
• The July 2024 staff survey revealed notable enhancements across various metrics compared to 2022. Each question saw an average increase of 9.5%. For instance: -
- Trust in leadership rose by 9.78%.
- Feeling appreciated for work grew by 16.34%.
- Opportunities for skill development expanded by 12.02%.
The continued use of KPI and performance objectives for individual business units of the company has contributed to performance, and further refinement of this will help improve performance in the future.
1 The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England, published 2024
Principal risks and uncertainties
The management of the business and the nature of the company’s strategy are subject to a number of risks. The directors have set out below the principal risks facing the business. The directors are of the opinion that a thorough risk management process is adopted, which involves the formal review of all the risks identified below. Where possible, processes are in place to monitor and mitigate such risks.
Sefton New Directions Limited
Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Financial instruments
Objectives and policies
The company uses various financial instruments. These include cash and various items, such as trade debtors and trade creditors that arise directly from its operations.
The main risk arising from the company’s financial instruments is liquidity risk. The directors review and agree policies for managing the risk and they are summarised below.
Price risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and cash flow risk
The company seeks to manage financial risk by ensuring sufficient liquidity is available to meet foreseeable needs and to invest assets safely and profitably.
The directors are acutely aware that the financial position of the company is heavily reliant on the contracts with and funding from Sefton MBC and on the company’s ability to maintain the support of its employees in delivering saving in employment costs through improved efficiencies.
Approved by the
Director
Sefton New Directions Limited
Directors' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
The directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Directors of the company
The directors who held office during the year were as follows:
Employment of disabled persons
Applications for employment by disabled persons are given full and fair consideration for all vacancies in accordance with their particular aptitudes and abilities. The company has satisfactorily met the requirements to display the Disability Awareness symbol by meeting commitments in relation to recruitment, consultation, retention and awareness raising for disabled employees and potential employees. It is the policy of the company that training, career development and promotion opportunities are available to all employees.
Employee involvement
The company has a practice of keeping employees informed of matters affecting them as employees and the financial and economic factors affecting the performance of the company. This is achieved through consultation with Trade Union representatives, staff meetings, participation of employees in a number of Working Groups and Managers’ Away Days.
Going concern
The directors have given consideration to the basis of preparing the financial statements and have given particular consideration to additional one-off costs in 2026. However, taking into account the ongoing level of activity with Sefton Council (the company’s parent undertaking), the directors consider that the going concern basis remains appropriate.
Disclosure of information to the auditors
Each director has taken the steps that they ought to have taken as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company's auditors are aware of that information. The directors confirm that there is no relevant information that they know of and of which they know the auditors are unaware.
Reappointment of auditors
Hazlewoods LLP have expressed their willingness to continue in office.
Approved by the
Director
Sefton New Directions Limited
Statement of Directors' Responsibilities
The directors are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report, Directors' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
• | select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; |
• | make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; |
• | state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards has been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and |
• | prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. |
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 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 company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Sefton New Directions Limited
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Sefton New Directions Limited
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Sefton New Directions Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 March 2025, which comprise the Profit and Loss Account, Balance Sheet, Statement of Changes in Equity, and Notes to the Financial Statements, including a summary of 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:
• | give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of its loss for the year then ended; |
• | have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and |
• | have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. |
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 responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the 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 company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the original financial statements were 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 directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. 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.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, 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 audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. 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.
Sefton New Directions Limited
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Sefton New Directions Limited
Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
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the information given in the Strategic Report and Directors' Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and |
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the Strategic Report and Directors' Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. |
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Strategic Report and the Directors' Report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
• | adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or |
• | the 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. |
Responsibilities of directors
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors' Responsibilities set out on page 6, 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 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 company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
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.
Extent to which the audit was capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design 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:
We considered the nature of the company’s industry and its control environment and reviewed the company’s documentation of their policies and procedures relating to fraud and compliance with laws and regulations. We also enquired of management about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities.
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the company operates in and identified the key laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, including the UK Companies Act and tax legislation, and, those that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the company’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty.
We discussed among the audit engagement team regarding the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the organisation for fraud and how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements.
Sefton New Directions Limited
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Sefton New Directions Limited
In common with all audits under ISAs (UK), we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override. In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, we tested the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments; assessed whether the judgements made in accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and evaluated the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
In addition to the above, our procedures to respond to the risks identified included the following:
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reviewing financial statement disclosures by testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on the financial statements; |
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performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatements due to fraud;. |
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enquiring of management concerning actual and potential litigation and claims and instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations; and |
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reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance. |
Our audit procedures were designed to respond to risks of material misstatement in the financial statements, recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery, misrepresentations or through collusion. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures performed and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we are to become aware of it.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council's website at 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.
For and on behalf of
Windsor House
Bayshill Road
GL50 3AT
Sefton New Directions Limited
Profit and Loss Account for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
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Note |
2025 |
2024 |
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Turnover |
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Other operating income |
158,220 |
133,731 |
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Cost of sales |
( |
( |
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Gross profit |
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|
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Administrative expenses |
( |
( |
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Operating loss |
( |
( |
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Other interest receivable and similar income |
|
|
|
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Loss before tax |
( |
( |
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Tax on loss |
- |
- |
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Loss for the financial year |
( |
( |
The above results were derived from continuing operations.
The company has no recognised gains or losses for the year other than the results above.
Sefton New Directions Limited
(Registration number: 06052757)
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025
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Note |
2025 |
2024 |
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Fixed assets |
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Tangible assets |
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Current assets |
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Debtors |
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Cash at bank and in hand |
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||
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Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year |
( |
( |
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Net current assets |
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|
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Net assets |
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|
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Capital and reserves |
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Called up share capital |
1,000 |
1,000 |
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Profit and loss account |
1,494,148 |
2,237,045 |
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Total equity |
1,495,148 |
2,238,045 |
Approved and authorised by the
Director
Sefton New Directions Limited
Statement of Changes in Equity for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
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Share capital |
Profit and loss account |
Total |
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At 1 April 2024 |
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Loss for the year |
- |
( |
( |
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At 31 March 2025 |
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Share capital |
Profit and loss account |
Total |
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At 1 April 2023 |
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Loss for the year |
- |
( |
( |
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At 31 March 2024 |
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Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
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General information |
The company is a private company limited by share capital, incorporated in England and Wales.
The address of its registered office is:
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Accounting policies |
Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
Statement of compliance
These financial statements were prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and the Companies Act 2006'.
Basis of preparation
These financial statements have been prepared using the historical cost convention except for, where disclosed in these accounting policies, certain items that are shown at fair value.
The presentational currency of the financial statements is Pounds Sterling, being the functional currency of the primary economic environment in which the company operates. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest Pound.
Summary of disclosure exemptions
This company has not presented a cash flow statement on the grounds that the company is a wholly owned subsidiary and a group cash flow statement is included in the financial statements of Sefton Metropolitan Council.
Name of parent of group
These financial statements are consolidated in the financial statements of Sefton Metropolitan Council.
The financial statements of Sefton Metropolitan Council may be requested from the council.
Going concern
After reviewing the company's forecasts and projections, the directors have reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Council has agreed that Sefton New Directions Limited is an integral part of their delivery operations within social care and have agreed to provide the additional short-term financial support should further losses be incurred. The company therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.
Judgements and estimation uncertainty
These financial statements do not contain any significant judgements or estimation uncertainty. |
Revenue recognition
Turnover comprises the fair value of the consideration received in respect of the provision of social care services, where the amounts receivable relate to a period which covers the balance sheet date, that amount is apportioned over the period to which it relates.
Contracted financial income is recognised in accordance with the terms of the contract.
Supporting People Funding Income and other income is recognised when the income is receivable provided conditions for receipt have been complied with.
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Tax
The tax expense for the period comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the profit and loss account, except that a charge attributable to an item of income or expense recognised as other comprehensive income is also recognised directly in other comprehensive income.
The current tax charge is calculated on the basis of tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date in the countries where the company operates and generates taxable income.
Deferred tax is recognised on temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts in the financial statements and on unused tax losses or tax credits in the company. Deferred tax is determined using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date.
The carrying amount of deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and a valuation allowance is set up against deferred tax assets so that the net carrying amount equals the highest amount that is more likely than not to be recovered based on current or future taxable profit.
Tangible assets
Tangible assets are stated in the balance sheet at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.
The cost of tangible assets includes directly attributable incremental costs incurred in their acquisition and installation.
Depreciation
Depreciation is charged so as to write off the cost of assets, over their estimated useful lives, as follows:
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Asset class |
Depreciation method and rate |
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Leasehold improvements |
10% / 20% straight line basis |
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Fixtures and fittings |
20% straight line basis |
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Office equipment |
20% straight line basis |
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
Trade debtors
Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for services performed in the ordinary course of business.
Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.
Trade creditors
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the company does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities.
Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and all are repayable within one year and hence are included at the undiscounted amount of cash expected to be paid.
Leases
Leases in which substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are retained by the lessor are classified as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases are charged to profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.
Share capital
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Equity instruments are measured at the fair value of the cash or other resources received or receivable, net of the direct costs of issuing the equity instruments. If payment is deferred and the time value of money is material, the initial measurement is on a present value basis.
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Defined contribution pension obligation
A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the company has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.
Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as employee benefit expense when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.
Financial instruments
Classification
Recognition and measurement
Financial assets and liabilities are only offset in the statement of financial position when, and only when there exists a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and the Group intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Impairment
A non-financial asset is impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after initial recognition, the estimated recoverable value of the asset has been reduced. The recoverable amount of an asset is the higher of its fair value less costs to sell and its value in use.
The recoverable amount of goodwill is derived from measurement of the present value of the future cash flows of the cash-generating units ('CGUs') of which the goodwill is a part. Any impairment loss in respect of a 'CGU' is allocated first to the goodwill attached to that CGU, and then to other assets within that CGU on a pro-rata basis.
Where indicators exist for a decrease in impairment loss, the prior impairment loss is tested to determine reversal. An impairment loss is reversed on an individual impaired asset to the extent that the revised recoverable value does not lead to a revised carrying amount higher than the carrying value had no impairment been recognised. Where a reversal of impairment occurs in respect of a CGU, the reversal is applied first to the assets (other than goodwill) of the CGU on a pro-rata basis and then to any goodwill allocated to that CGU.
For financial assets carried at amortised cost, the amount of an impairment is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated future cash flows, discounted at the financial asset’s original effective interest rate.
For financial assets carried at cost less impairment, the impairment loss is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the best estimate of the amount that would be received for the asset if it were to be sold at the reporting date.
Where indicators exist for a decrease in impairment loss, and the decrease can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the prior impairment loss is tested to determine reversal. An impairment loss is reversed on an individual impaired financial asset to the extent that the revised recoverable value does not lead to a revised carrying amount higher than the carrying value had no impairment been recognised.
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
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Turnover |
The total turnover of the company has been derived from its principal activity wholly undertaken in the United Kingdom.
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Other operating income |
The analysis of the company's other operating income for the year is as follows:
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2025 |
2024 |
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Other income |
158,220 |
133,731 |
Other income within the year consists of monies received from Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council for additional services.
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Operating profit |
Arrived at after charging:
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2025 |
2024 |
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Depreciation expense |
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Operating lease expense |
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Other interest receivable and similar income |
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2025 |
2024 |
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Bank interest receivable |
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Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
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Staff costs |
The aggregate payroll costs (including directors' remuneration) were as follows:
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2025 |
2024 |
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Wages and salaries |
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Social security costs |
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Pension costs, defined contribution scheme |
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The average number of persons employed by the company (including directors) during the year, analysed by category was as follows:
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2025 |
2024 |
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Care staff |
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|
|
Administration and support |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors' remuneration |
The directors' remuneration for the year was as follows:
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Remuneration |
|
|
|
Contributions paid to money purchase schemes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auditors' remuneration |
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Audit of the financial statements |
|
|
|
Taxation |
The tax on profit before tax for the year is lower than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK (2024 - lower than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK) of
The differences are reconciled below:
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Loss before tax |
( |
( |
|
Corporation tax at standard rate |
( |
( |
|
Tax increase from effect of capital allowances and depreciation |
|
|
|
Effect of expense not deductible in determining taxable profit (tax loss) |
|
|
|
Tax increase from effect of unrelieved tax losses carried forward |
|
|
|
Total tax charge/(credit) |
- |
- |
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|
Tangible assets |
|
Long leasehold land and buildings |
Furniture, fittings and equipment |
Total |
|
|
Cost |
|||
|
At 1 April 2024 |
|
|
|
|
Additions |
|
|
|
|
At 31 March 2025 |
|
|
|
|
Depreciation |
|||
|
At 1 April 2024 |
|
|
|
|
Charge for the year |
|
|
|
|
At 31 March 2025 |
|
|
|
|
Carrying amount |
|||
|
At 31 March 2025 |
|
|
|
|
At 31 March 2024 |
|
|
|
|
Debtors |
|
Note |
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Trade debtors |
|
|
|
|
Amounts owed by parent undertakings |
|
|
|
|
Other debtors |
|
|
|
|
Prepayments and accrued income |
|
|
|
|
Corporation tax asset |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Creditors |
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Due within one year |
||
|
Trade creditors |
|
|
|
Social security and other taxes |
|
|
|
Outstanding defined contribution pension costs |
|
|
|
Other creditors |
|
|
|
Accrued expenses |
|
|
|
Deferred income |
- |
|
|
|
|
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|
Share capital |
Allotted, called up and fully paid shares
|
2025 |
2024 |
|||
|
No. |
£ |
No. |
£ |
|
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
1,000 |
|
Obligations under leases and hire purchase contracts |
Operating leases
The total of future minimum lease payments is as follows:
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Not later than one year |
|
|
|
Later than one year and not later than five years |
|
|
|
Later than five years |
|
|
|
|
|
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|
Pension and other schemes |
Defined contribution pension scheme
The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the company to the scheme and amounted to £
The company operates a defined benefit pension scheme in the UK.
The valuation for FRS 102 purposes as at 31 March 2025 was based on a set of assumptions and assumes that the experience of the fund will be in line with these assumptions.
The pension liability previously recognised in the company's balance sheet as at 31 March 2021 amounting to £4,687,470 was derecognised during the 2022 financial year and credited to the statement of comprehensive income. The company's parent entity Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council has given a full guarantee to the company in respect of future pension liabilities and therefore the directors have deemed the derecognition of the liability to be appropriate. Future employer pension contributions in respect of the defined benefit pension scheme will be expensed to the profit and loss account when incurred/paid.
Reconciliation of scheme assets and liabilities to assets and liabilities recognised
The amounts recognised in the balance sheet are as follows:
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Fair value of scheme assets |
|
|
|
Present value of defined benefit obligation |
( |
( |
|
13,923,000 |
10,127,000 |
|
|
Other amounts recognised in the balance sheet |
( |
( |
|
Defined benefit pension scheme surplus/(deficit) not recognised |
- |
- |
Defined benefit obligation
Changes in the defined benefit obligation are as follows:
|
2025 |
|
|
Present value at start of year |
|
|
Current service cost |
|
|
Interest cost |
|
|
Actuarial gains and losses |
( |
|
Benefits paid |
(2,026,000) |
|
Member contributions |
|
|
Present value at end of year |
|
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Fair value of scheme assets
Changes in the fair value of scheme assets are as follows:
|
2025 |
|
|
Fair value at start of period |
|
|
Interest income |
|
|
Actuarial gains and losses |
( |
|
Benefits paid |
(2,026,000) |
|
Administrative expenses |
( |
|
Member contributions |
153,000 |
|
Fair value at end of year |
|
Analysis of assets
The major categories of scheme assets are as follows:
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
|
|
Equity instruments |
|
|
|
Debt instruments |
|
|
|
Property |
|
|
|
27 |
29 |
|
|
100 |
100 |
Return on scheme assets
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Return on scheme assets |
|
|
The pension scheme has not invested in any of the company's own financial instruments or in properties or other assets used by the company.
Principal actuarial assumptions
The principal actuarial assumptions at the balance sheet date are as follows:
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Discount rate |
|
|
|
Future salary increases |
|
|
|
Future pension increases |
|
|
|
Inflation |
|
|
Post retirement mortality assumptions
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
|
Current UK pensioners at retirement age - male |
21.00 |
21.00 |
|
Current UK pensioners at retirement age - female |
24.00 |
23.00 |
|
Future UK pensioners at retirement age - male |
22.00 |
22.00 |
|
Future UK pensioners at retirement age - female |
25.00 |
25.00 |
Sefton New Directions Limited
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|
Related party transactions |
Summary of transactions with parent
At the balance sheet date, the amount due from Sefton MBC was £127,448 (2024 - £1,248,357).
|
Parent and ultimate parent undertaking |