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 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) (effective 1 January 2019)".
The charity’s objects were to relieve the stresses experienced by Carers in the Borough of Gateshead and surrounding areas in particular by the provision of information, advice and support services to such persons so as to assist them and their dependents.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
The last year has seen significant changes in our work, moving away from providing general information, advice and guidance to people providing unpaid care to our rights based approach. This decision was made because of a number of factors
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Firstly, our storm Caregiver report, based on our survey of unpaid carers in Gateshead, clearly showed that the challenges unpaid carers faced were increasing alarmingly, across all aspects of care provision and have been since our first report in 2011. This included increases in:
The number of people having to give up employment to provide care, the number of hours per week providing care, the number of years providing unpaid care, levels of social isolation, stress and anxiety, the range of caring tasks, exhaustion and the number of unpaid carers using Foodbanks.
Secondly, after the LA contract for unpaid carer services was awarded to another organisation we lost 80% of our income.
Thirdly, the majority of our staff became employees of the new provider, Caregivers Connected Gateshead, under the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) regulations.
Fourthly, we were aware that the council did not recognise unpaid carers rights, particularly in relation to the Care Act 2014. Our challenges to council policy, processes and practice were dismissed and our ability to insist on the changes needed was fettered by GCA being under contract with Gateshead Council to deliver unpaid carer services.
Fifthly, in our consultations with unpaid carers, there was overwhelming (100%) support for our move to rights-based action.
Of course, to achieve our ambition we need funding. The board has considered two scenarios which are listed below.
Worst Case Scenario
If we have not secured any of the funding we need by 31st March 2026, we will, with great sadness, have to begin the process of closing the organisation
Best Case Scenario
If we secure all of the funding needed by the end of March 2026, we will continue to grow and strengthen our rights-based approach in the ways outlined above.
At the time of writing this, we are awaiting the outcomes of two funding applications. More funding applications will be submitted over the next 6 months. The situation is fluid and one large grant award can change everything.
The scenarios are presented for clarity and transparency, no scenario is more or less likely to happen than the other scenario.
I would like to thank my fellow board members for their support and contributions to GCA and our staff and volunteers for the hard work, motivation and commitment they have shown over the last year.
The financial statements show a net deficit of £88,347 (2024 surplus of £58,888). In addition Cash balances remain healthy at £265,044 (2024 - £336,832). Within the bank the charity is holding £10,359 (2024 £46,246) on behalf of the John Haswell Memorial Trust.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The trustees aim to maintain free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately three months of unrestricted charitable expenditure; it is estimated that this currently equates to £83,000. At this level of unrestricted reserves, the charity could maintain operation for three months even if no income was being generated. Current unrestricted reserves after adjusting for fixed assets amount to £143,905. Sufficient funds have to be retained to finance the procurement contracts for the final five months of the contract.
The charity enjoys good liquidity and has no issue on meeting its liabilities when they are due. The trustees are confident for the next twelve months.
Reserves are needed to bridge the gap between the spending and receiving of income and to cover unplanned emergency bills, repairs and other expenditure
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 charity is a company limited by guarantee. The company was incorporated on 1 March 2007 and it registered with the Charity Commission on 25 April 2007. 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.
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:
Management committee members were recruited in a variety of ways including advertisements. Members are drawn from the wider membership of the Association, and elected at the annual general meeting, with additional members being co-opted because of their position or knowledge. Members serve for a three-year period and may then be elected for a further three-year period. Meetings take place approximately once a month. New members receive appropriate induction briefings and attend relevant courses for Trustees. Skills and training needs of members are identified through a periodic skills audit.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
Strategic decisions are taken by the Management Committee; with detailed deliberation sometimes being delegated to the Finance sub committee or personnel sub committee. Day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Officer who leads the staff team and who provides clear written reports to trustees at every meeting. Members of the management committee take a close interest in the work of the Association and often visit between formal meetings.
Under an amendment to a Uniting Direction dated 13 June 2016 the John Haswell Memorial Trust (Charity number 1118942-1) is linked to Gateshead Carers Association. The John Haswell Memorial Trust had previously been linked to Gateshead Voluntary Organisation Council before that charity entered liquidation.
The assets of the linked charity – John Haswell Memorial Trust comprised of a property known as “John Haswell House” and funds totalling £10,359. The value of the property has not been included within the accounts. The money transferred from Gateshead Voluntary Organisation Council has been used to fund building costs. Rents received from tenants have been added to the John Haswell Memorial Trust funds.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Gateshead Carers Association 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; 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.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Gateshead Carers Association (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Gateshead Carers Association is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is John Haswell House, 8-9 Gladstone Terrace, Gateshead, NE8 4DY.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“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)" (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, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments 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 funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
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.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Grants receivable
Employment allowance
Direct costs
IT
Annual general meeting
Premises
Office
Communications
During the year nil amounts (2024 £45) of expenses were reimbursed to trustees .
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The 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 unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
During the year the charity entered into the following transactions with related parties:
Included in the following note headed 'Acting as Agent' are details of income and expenditure relating to the John Haswell Trust which is a linked charity to Gateshead Carers Association.
Gateshead Carers Association agreed to administer the following funds of other entities as agent (the amounts received and expended are noted below along with any relevant closing balance):
Carers Trust (£50 opening balance, nil received; £50 expended) [£0.00 due to Gateshead Carers Association at March 2025]
John Haswell Trust (£46,246 opening balance, nil received; £36,187 expended) [ £10,059 held by Gateshead Carers Association at March 2025]
The charity had no material debt during the year.