The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2025.
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 Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 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)" (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2019).
Jews' Temporary Shelter was founded in 1885 in London and established to render assistance to the tens of thousands of impoverished Jews then coming out of Eastern Europe in an attempt to escape poverty and discrimination which were part of their every day lives at that time.
The charity's main activity is to continue with the provision of assistance to the distressed and the unfortunate. It now participates in the network of social services and welfare organisations providing an important element in the daily life of many of the Jewish families throughout the United Kingdom. Grants are approved by the Grants Committee who meet regularly.
The charity primarily makes grants to applicants with housing or household needs or who require support for emergency accommodation which it continued to do throughout the year. All applications must be made through social services and welfare organisations who will represent applicants. No grants are made directly to individuals concerned.
The charity can and does occasionally make one off grants to other charities and organisations. These grants are to be used by them for housing or household needs.
The activities of the charity are for the public benefit. By achieving its objectives the charity aims to benefit communities throughout the United Kingdom. The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Grants made in the year to 30 April 2025 were 152 compared to 200 last year. The grants made in the year were paid to applicants for housing and household needs. Grants made to applicants were £112,674. Grants not spent or not needed and deposits refunded to the charity were £7,035, leaving expenditure for the year of £105,639 relating to applicants.
The charity is dependant upon its investment portfolio to fund its activities. The charity's investment managers in the year were J M Finn & Co and Brewin Dolphin. They are regulated by and are members of the Financial Conduct Authority.
Under their advice the trustees keep what is regarded as a proper balance between equities, fixed interest holdings and cash. The portfolio of investments is summarised and reviewed regularly by the trustees.
At 30 April 2025 the market value of the charity's investments was £3,107,738 (2024: £4,179,426), there was a further £1,000,000 held in cash awaiting reinvestment. The overall unrealised gain within the investment portfolios stood at £477,921 at the year end.
The financial statements summarise the activities of the charity during the year ended 30 April 2025.
Total incoming resources during the year amounted to £133,225 (2024: £132,431) which is attributable to investment income of £127,700 (2024: £126,806), donations of £5,525 (2024: £5,525) and other income of nil (2024: £100).
Financial review (continued)
Total resources expended in the year amounted to £158,767 (2024: £165,374) which included grants of £105,639 (2024: £114,724). Careful review is being taken of the grants policy to increase where possible the amounts of grants being made so that all income is distributed to applicants who qualify. Grants are funded out of incoming resources and out of reserves.
The trustees regularly review the reserves required to meet known and estimated expenditure in furtherance of the charity's objectives and for its administration. At 30 April 2025 the charity's reserves were £4,148,370 (2024: £4,211,309). These were unrestricted funds, the charity has no restricted funds.
The trustees meet throughout the year. In conjunction with the reviews prepared by the Treasurer and the Grants Committee, the trustees agree on the levels of reserves required. The accounts include the amount of reserves, which are represented by investments, required as at the end of the accounting date to generate sufficient income together with donations and other income to meet known and estimated expenditure.
The charity's plans for future periods is at least to maintain and hopefully increase the current level of grants.
The charitable company is limited by guarantee. It was incorporated on 25 February 2003 and registered as a charity on 29 July 2003. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed by its Articles of Association. On 1 May 2004, the company took over the assets and liabilities of The Jews' Temporary Shelter (charity number 212071) to continue that charity's objectives and activities.
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 recruited for their skill and experience which they can then bring to the operation of the charity. New trustees are fully briefed on their responsibilities.
The trustees are responsible for the control of the charity and its assets. There should be at least four trustees and not more than fifteen, all of whom must be members. One third of all trustees must retire at each Annual General Meeting. Members elect trustees when vacancies arise on retirement.
The trustees must hold three meetings each year at which there must be a quorum of four trustees. Issues at these meetings are determined by a simple majority of votes. Every trustee has one vote except the chairman who has a casting vote. The Grants Panel is an essential element of the charity and meetings are held regularly to consider the grant applications received.
The number of members that the charitable company may have is unlimited. Membership of the charity is open to any individual or organisation that is interested in promoting the objects of the charity. Membership of the charity is approved by the trustees. Members are entitled to attend general meetings. Issues at these meetings are decided by majority vote except where provided by legislation. If the charity is dissolved then members at the time of dissolution will contribute £1 towards the cost of dissolution and the liabilities of the charity.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the charity.
Apart from one paid part time employee the charity operates on a voluntary basis and is dependant upon voluntary support.
Structure, governance and management (continued)
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. The principal risk of the charity is the preservation of its capital, the source of its income. The charity seeks to maximise its income and its ability to fund the payment of grants but at the same time preserving its capital for future years. It does this by regular review of its investments with its investment managers. The charity ensures that grants are made to appropriate beneficiaries by working with social services and welfare organisations. The charity has an insurance policy in place that provides management liability cover, corporate legal liability cover and crime cover.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Jews' Temporary Shelter for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' 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 charity 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;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have 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 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 charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that FMCB be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Jews' Temporary Shelter (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 30 April 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet and the 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:
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 charity 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 trustees' 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 charity’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, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the trustees' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the trustees' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, 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 trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the trustees' report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
As explained more fully in the statement of trustees' responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity 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 charity’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.
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.
In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we considered information including the following:
the nature of the charity and its environment;
results of our enquiries of trustees and management regarding identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;
the internal controls and procedures established to detect and mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;
the legal and regulatory framework that the charity operates in;
considering factors that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the charity’s ability to operate.
As a result of considering the above we use audit procedures to respond to any potential risks. Procedures used include the following:
reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations which have a direct effect on the financial statements;
performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;
enquiring of trustees and management to obtain an understanding of any provisions and testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments;
evaluating the rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of activities.
In addition to the above procedures the engagement team remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above 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 would become aware of it.
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 charitable 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 charitable 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Investments
Investment management
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Jews' Temporary Shelter is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 3rd Floor, Hathaway House, Popes Drive, Finchley, London, N3 1QF.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) 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)" (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2019). 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 accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of fixed asset investments at fair value. 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 income funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. All the charities funds are unrestricted, it has no restricted or endowed funds.
All incoming resources are accounted for when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Investment income is included in the accounts on an accruals basis.
Grants and donations are included in the accounts when receivable unless the donor has specified otherwise.
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with use of the resources.
Grants are recognised in the accounts once the application has been approved.
Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year.
Investments
Operating costs
The grants committee approve grants in accordance with the authority delegated by the trustees.
Grants are made to applicants who have housing or household needs and applicants who require support for emergency accommodation. All applications must be made through social services and welfare organisations who will represent the applicants. No grants are made directly to individuals concerned. Applicants are offered not more than £3,000 in any two year period unless there are exceptional circumstances. Grants were made to 152 (2024: 200) applicants.
Insurance
Charitable activities
Other
Charitable activities
Charitable activities
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the two years ended 30 April 2025 None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received expenses in the two years ended 30 April 2025.
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The investment portfolio comprises listed investments and investment funds held with the charity's investment advisors, J M Finn and Brewin Dolphin. These investments have been stated at their market value at the balance sheet date with the valuation changes being included in the net gains or losses on the revaluation of investments.
The historic cost of the investment portfolio at the balance sheet date was £2,608,920 (2024: £3,248,771).
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).