The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 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 governing document, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) 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) (effective 1 January 2019)".
New/extended funding this year included:
Health & Social Care Partnership - We received £654,374 for our core Centre services and Carers.
Care at Home - Our Social Enterprise, Care at Home which provides high quality personalised social care support brought in £748,295
Shared Care Scotland – Time to Live Fund- We received £144,958 an increase of £1,414 from last year for Breaks for Carers.
Inspiring Scotland - Self Direct Support funding of £24,208 to support and advice on the SDS process.
Voluntary Sector Development Fund - Received £15,975 to provide SVQ 2 training for our Care at Home staff.
Carers Trust – Study Buddy’s funding of £11,200 to provide bespoke tutors to support young carers during secondary education.
Shared Care Scotland –Creative breaks funding of £10,070 for respite breaks for Adults and Young Carers.
Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund - Engage Renfrewshire to support Ethnic Minority Carers’ mental health and wellbeing activities, £8.124.
Carers Trust Grants for Carers- £7,390.
Margarets Trust funding - £921.
Carers Trust funding - £400 to help part fund the Young Carers Festival
The income for the Centre in 2024/25 was £1,484,957, a increase on the prior year figure of £1,445,142 (£39,815 + 2.8%). This was due to the increased provision of support services in the community provided by Care at Home service coupled with an increase in Health & Social Care Partnership funding following a full year of the new contract now in place and an increase in grant funding. Expenditure increased in the year to £1,670,087 compared to £1,412,561 in the prior year (£257,527 +18.2%). This has resulted in a deficit of £185,130.
As noted in the accounts, a repayment of £167,092 for unspent restricted grant funding in current and prior years was made after the year end, the accounts have been adjusted to reflect this. This has increased both the deficit on restricted funds and the related liability. The deficit on restricted funds therefore reflects the requirement to return unspent grant income rather than overspending on restricted activities.
The charity is committed to building up their reserves to safeguard the activities of the charity. At 31 March 2025 the charity had £78,940 (2024 - £76,898) in unrestricted reserves and £156,196 (2024 - £343,368) in restricted reserves
Reserves policy
The board of trustees regularly review the reserves available to ensure adequate funds are available to fulfill its obligations and objectives and aim to have level sufficient to provide 1 to 3 months running costs (£150,000 to £450,000).
Risk management
The trustees has 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 risks and uncertainties facing the charity are in relation to continuity of funding to enable the charity to perform its objectives.
The trustees identify and manage this risk by meeting regularly and reviewing the incoming and outgoing resources as well as actively seeking and securing new sources of funding and working closely with existing funders.
Priorities for the coming year are to secure the HSCP contract which expires on 30th June 2026 this will enable the continuation of current services , develop new funding streams to enable the expansion of the range of services provided to Carers, increase the identification of hidden Carers and the focus is on tight cost control of costs as we face challenges due to HMRC increases to National Insurance costs.
Governing document
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 27 December 1995 and is registered as a charity. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
The trustees
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:
New trustees are recruited by advertising in the Charity’s newsletters, social media and word of mouth. Applicants are screened by the board before appointment.
All Board members take part in an Induction Programme which includes their obligation under charity and company law and the financial performance of the Centre.
Volunteers
Volunteers with the exception of the 10 Board members the centre in 24/25 have delivered a total of 1,421 hrs of activities throughout the year
Reference and administration details
Reference and administration details are shown in the schedule of members of the board and professional advisers on page 1 of the accounts.
The centre is managed on a day to day basis by Diane Goodman.
The Trustees consider the Centre Manager, Carers Support Manager, Carers Service Manager & Care at Home Manager as comprising the key management personnel of the Charity in charge of directing and controlling the Charity. Details of key management remuneration expenditure is detailed on note 20.
The Key Management Personnel's remuneration is currently set for three years from July 2023 to June 2026 as part of the HSCP contract negotiations which involved members of the board and Centre Manager.
The trustees' report was a signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Renfrewshire Carers Centre 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.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Renfrewshire Carers Centre (the 'charitable company') for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement 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 (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 Auditors' 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 the provisions available for small entities, 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 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 trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report, other than the financial statements and our Report of the Independent Auditors 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 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.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Report of the Trustees. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate and proper 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 take advantage of the small companies exemption from the requirement to prepare a Strategic Report or in preparing the Report of the Trustees.
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 a Report of the Independent Auditors 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.
Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
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, and to the charitable company's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members and the trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' 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
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
*The reduction in restricted funds includes the repayment of unspent grant funding made after the year end. Further explanation is provided in the Financial Review section of the Trustees’ Report.
Renfrewshire Carers Centre is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is St James House, 25 St James Street, Paisley, PA3 2HQ.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) 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) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus, the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
At the date of signing, the trustees have reviewed the current and future position and believe they have sufficient funding in place to continue for a period of at least 12 months. As such, the trustees consider that it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income, any performance related conditions attached have been met or are fully within the control of the charity, the income is considered probable and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Donations and legacy income is received by way of donations, legacies, grants and gifts and is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable.
Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant. Income from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance of the specified activities.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates. Costs of raising funds comprise the costs associated with attracting donations, grants and legacies and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes. Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the sofa on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis, as set out in the notes to the accounts.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the charity transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
The charity is a participating employer in the Strathclyde Pension Scheme which is a multi-employer defined benefit pension scheme. As there is insufficient information available to use defined benefit accounting the charity has accounted for the contributions as a defined contribution plan under Para 28.11 of FRS 102 and 28.11 a of FRS 102, as the charitable company was part of the pension scheme at 31 March 2025 therefore no surplus had crystalised. Contributions are recongnised as an expense in the period in which the related service is provided. Prepaid contributions are recongnised as an asset to the extent that the prepayment will lead to a reduction in future payments or a cash refund.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
RHSCP Contract
Care at Home
Investments
Provision of centre services
Provision of centre services
Carers training
Computer costs
Travelling
Activities and outings
Premises
Communication & IT
General office
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
At the year end, the charity had unspent balances relating to several restricted grant-funded projects. In accordance with the terms of the grant agreements, these amounts were required to be repaid to the funders after the year end. A liability of £167,092 has therefore been recognised within other creditors. Further explanation of this repayment and its impact on the restricted funds deficit is provided in the Financial Review section of the Trustees’ Report.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes was £13,852 (2024 - £11,220)
Defined benefit scheme
The charitable company participates in the Strathclyde Pension Fund (SPF) which is a statutory multi-employer defined benefit scheme. It is administered by Glasgow City Council in accordance with the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 1998, as amended. The assets of the scheme are held in separate trustee administered funds.
A triennial actuarial valuation of this scheme is carried out by a qualified actuary. The most recent valuation was carried out as at 31 March 2023. The scheme has ceased on 30th June 2025. The Board has obtained formal actuarial information from the scheme actuary as at 31 March 2023, this showed an actuarial surplus of £1,080,000 at 31 March 2023. This surplus has not been recognised in these financial statements as the charitable company was part of the pension scheme at 31 March 2025 therefore no surplus had crystalised.
The Board however has also obtained actuarial information from the scheme actuary as at 25 April 2025, this showed an actuarial surplus of £1,390,000. Again this surplus has not been recognised in these financial statements as the charitable company was part of the pension scheme at 31 March 2025 therefore no surplus had crystalised.
The principal actuarial assumptions used by the actuary are as follows:
| 2025 % p.a. | 2024 % p.a. |
Pension Increase Rate | 2.60% | 2.70% |
Salary Increase Rate | 3.30% | 3.40% |
Discount Rate | 5.90% | 5.50% |
Life expectancy is based on the fund’s VitaCurves, with mortality improvements projected based on members’ individual year of birth. Based on these assumptions, average future life expectancies at age 65 are summarised below:
| Males | Females |
Current Pensioners | 18.8 | 21.9 |
Future Pensioners | 20.6 | 23.5 |
The total pension cost to the charitable company in the year was £10,989 (2024: £49,954). The contribution rate payable was 17.5% for the year (2024: 31.6%).
Net pension surplus movement:
|
| 2023 | 2025 | Movement |
|
| £ | £ | £ |
Assets |
| 2,450,000 | 2,730,000 | 280,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities – Active members |
| 630,000 | 680,000 | (50,000) |
Liabilities – Deferred members |
| 450,000 | 400,000 | 50,000 |
Liabilities – Pensioners |
| 290,000 | 260,000 | 30,000 |
|
| ─────── | ─────── | ─────── |
Total Liabilities |
| 1,370,000 | 1,340,000 | 30,000 |
|
| ─────── | ─────── | ─────── |
Surplus / (Deficit) |
| 1,080,000 | 1,390,000 | 310,000 |
|
| ═══════ | ═══════ | ═══════ |
The overall surplus shown above is not recognized in the financial statements, as the charitable company has no unconditional right to the surplus and it cannot be used to reduce future contributions. Therefore, the scheme asset in the accounts is restricted to nil.
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 restricted funds received can only be spent on the following purposes and have arisen from the following sources;-
RHSCP Contract / Contract – centralised funding for the following projects:-
Young Carers: provides support, activities and trips for YC.
Volunteer Project: recruits, trains and supports volunteers in a wide range of activities to enhance carers lives.
Training Project: provides relevant training to assist carers.
Support groups: provide peer and emotional support.
Information and advice: keep Carers up to date with relevant timely information.
Identify hidden carers.
Adult Support team: identify need and offer support to carers.
Advocacy: to improve the quality of life for carers over 18 through the provision of a 1:1 issue based service.
YAC Non Contract - To fund Young Adult Carers activities / outgoings.
ADHD Respite - Grant from Children in Need for carers of ADHD children through support groups / activities.
Staff Training - To fund SVQ2 for social care staff.
Young Carers Sibling - Monies received from various sources which aim to assist Yc through activities and Respite breaks.
YAC LAC - Local Area Commitee grant for Young Adult Carers.
Self Directed Suport - Support, advise and inform carers of the self-directed process.
Creative Breaks - To provide short breaks opportunities to young and adult carers.
Study Buddies - To provide bespoke yutor support for young carers during secondary school education.
Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund - to support community based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing and/or mitigate and protect against the impact of distress and mental ill health within the adult population.
Time to Live – Provides carers looking after over 21 year olds, with short breaks.
PSG - Parent Support Group donations / fundraising to support Parent Carers.
Young Carers Celebrate Renfrewshire - YC activities.
Carers Partnership - Carers Partnership Officer 35hrs, Autism Worker 16hrs, BAME worker P/T, Counselling, CAB surgery within centre, RAMH activities and Accord Hospice - money came to the centre and also given to other organisations.
Life Changes Trust - Music therapy and aromatherapy.
Bank of Scotland Foundation - assistance with new premises- for figures and fittings, chairs, tables, desks, IT laptops and computers, flooring, decorating, cabinets etc.
BAME Carers - Donation from HSCP to support black and ethnic minorities.
Autism post- Worker to facilitate autism support groups and support to parent carers looking after someone with Autism.
Time to Live - Admin - Costs to administer Time to Live grants.
Better Breaks - Provides fun activities throughout the school holidays for parents and children with complex difficulties.
Carers Capacity - Grant received from SVCO for carers organisations to build capacity within carers centre post Covid.
Orbis YC - Grant received from Orbis via community benefit strategy to fund outside garden.
Respite - Providing RHSCP respite.
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Transfers
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Transfers
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
Trustees' remuneration and benefits in the year totalled £nil (2024 - £335).
Expenses paid to the trustees in the year amounted to £nil (2024 - £87).
During the year no trustee had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity (2024 – none).
The charity had no debt during the year.