IRIS Accounts Production v25.4.0.155 09659729 Board of Directors 1.10.24 30.9.25 30.9.25 false true false false false true false iso4217:GBP iso4217:USD iso4217:EUR xbrli:shares xbrli:pure utr:tonnes utr:kWh 09659729 2024-09-30 09659729 2025-09-30 09659729 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 2023-09-30 09659729 2023-10-01 2024-09-30 09659729 2024-09-30 09659729 ns15:EnglandWales 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns14:PoundSterling 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:Director1 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:PrivateLimitedCompanyLtd 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:SmallEntities 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:AuditExempt-NoAccountantsReport 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:SmallCompaniesRegimeForDirectorsReport 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:SmallCompaniesRegimeForAccounts 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:FullAccounts 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 1 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:Director2 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:Director3 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:Director4 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns10:RegisteredOffice 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:CurrentFinancialInstruments 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:CurrentFinancialInstruments 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:Non-currentFinancialInstruments 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:Non-currentFinancialInstruments 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:ShareCapital 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:ShareCapital 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:RetainedEarningsAccumulatedLosses 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:RetainedEarningsAccumulatedLosses 2024-09-30 09659729 1 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:IntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:LandBuildings 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:PlantMachinery 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:ComputerSoftware 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:ComputerSoftware 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:ComputerSoftware 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:ComputerSoftware 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:LandBuildings 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:PlantMachinery 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:LandBuildings 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:PlantMachinery 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:LandBuildings 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:PlantMachinery 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:WithinOneYear ns5:CurrentFinancialInstruments 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:WithinOneYear ns5:CurrentFinancialInstruments 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:Non-currentFinancialInstruments 2024-10-01 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:Non-currentFinancialInstruments ns5:BetweenTwoFiveYears 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:Non-currentFinancialInstruments ns5:BetweenTwoFiveYears 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:WithinOneYear ns5:CurrentFinancialInstruments ns5:HirePurchaseContracts 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:WithinOneYear ns5:CurrentFinancialInstruments ns5:HirePurchaseContracts 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:HirePurchaseContracts ns5:BetweenOneFiveYears 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:HirePurchaseContracts ns5:BetweenOneFiveYears 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:HirePurchaseContracts 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:HirePurchaseContracts 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:WithinOneYear 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:WithinOneYear 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:BetweenOneFiveYears 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:BetweenOneFiveYears 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:AllPeriods 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:AllPeriods 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:Secured 2025-09-30 09659729 ns5:Secured 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:RetainedEarningsAccumulatedLosses 2024-09-30 09659729 ns5:RetainedEarningsAccumulatedLosses 2024-10-01 2025-09-30

REGISTERED NUMBER: 09659729 (England and Wales)

| Unaudited Financial Statements |

| for the Year Ended 30 September 2025 |

| for |

| Next Step Independence Limited |

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Contents of the Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 30 September 2025

Page |

Company Information | 1 |

Balance Sheet | 2 |

Notes to the Financial Statements | 4 |

Next Step Independence Limited

Company Information

for the Year Ended 30 September 2025

| DIRECTORS: | J W Balchin

| Mrs A D Balchin

| Mrs J Nicholson

| J N Hargreaves

| REGISTERED OFFICE: | Wellington House

| East Reach Court

| Queen Street

| Taunton

| Somerset

| TA1 3UF

| REGISTERED NUMBER: | 09659729 (England and Wales)

| ACCOUNTANTS: | A C Mole LLP

| Stafford House

| Blackbrook Park Avenue

| Taunton

| Somerset

| TA1 2PX

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Balance Sheet

30 September 2025

| 2025 | 2024 |

| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ |

FIXED ASSETS

Intangible assets | 4 | - |  | 5,413 |  |

Tangible assets | 5 | 1,645,402 |  | 1,691,142 |  |

1,645,402 |  | 1,696,555 |  |

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors | 6 | 852,742 |  | 525,208 |  |

Cash at bank | 237,371 |  | 334,155 |  |

1,090,113 |  | 859,363 |  |

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year | 7 | 1,465,209 |  | 1,245,749 |  |

NET CURRENT LIABILITIES | (375,096 | ) | (386,386 | ) |

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES | 1,270,306 |  | 1,310,169 |  |

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due after more than one year | 8 | (1,015,694 | ) | (1,581,704 | ) |

PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES | (19,504 | ) | - |  |

NET ASSETS/(LIABILITIES) | 235,108 |  | (271,535 | ) |

CAPITAL AND RESERVES

Called up share capital | 200 |  | 200 |  |

Retained earnings | 12 | 234,908 |  | (271,735 | ) |

235,108 |  | (271,535 | ) |

The company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 30 September 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for:

(a) | ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b) | preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of each financial year and of its profit or loss for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company.

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Balance Sheet - continued

30 September 2025

The financial statements have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

In accordance with Section 444 of the Companies Act 2006, the Income Statement has not been delivered.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 3 March 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:

J W Balchin - Director

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 30 September 2025

1. | STATUTORY INFORMATION

| Next Step Independence Limited is a private company, limited by shares , registered in England and Wales. The company's registered number and registered office address can be found on the Company Information page.

| The presentation currency of the financial statements is the Pound Sterling (£).

2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES

| Basis of preparing the financial statements

| These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" including the provisions of Section 1A "Small Entities" and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of certain liabilities measured at fair value through the income statement.

| Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

| The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expenses.

| Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

| The company makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The directors are of the opinion that there are no estimates and assumptions that could have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

| Turnover

| Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, excluding discounts, rebates, value added tax and other sales taxes.

| Intangible assets

| Intangible assets are initially measured at cost. After initial recognition, intangible assets are measured at cost less any accumulated amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses.

| Website costs are being amortised evenly over their estimated useful life of three years.

| Tangible fixed assets

| Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

| Land and buildings | - | 10% on cost

| Plant and machinery etc | - | 33% on cost, 25% on reducing balance and 10% on cost

| Freehold property is not being depreciated as residual value is considered to be equal to or higher than cost.

| Financial instruments

| i) Financial assets

| Basic financial assets, including trade and other receivables and cash and bank balances are initially recognised at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost.

| At the balance sheet date financial assets are assessed for evidence of impairment. If an asset is impaired the impairment loss is recognised in the income statement.

| ii) Financial liabilities

| Basic financial liabilities, including trade and other payables are initially recognised at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost. Bank loans are initially recognised as transaction price and subsequently measured at fair value through the income statement.

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 30 September 2025

2. | ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued

| Taxation

| Taxation for the year comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the Income Statement, except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity.

| Current or deferred taxation assets and liabilities are not discounted.

| Current tax is recognised at the amount of tax payable using the tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date.

| Deferred tax

| Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences that have originated but not reversed at the balance sheet date.

| Timing differences arise from the inclusion of income and expenses in tax assessments in periods different from those in which they are recognised in financial statements. Deferred tax is measured using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the year end and that are expected to apply to the reversal of the timing difference.

| Unrelieved tax losses and other deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits.

| Hire purchase and leasing commitments

| Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.

| Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

| The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the company's pension scheme are charged to profit or loss in the period to which they relate.

3. | EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTORS

| The average number of employees during the year was 90 (2024 - 92 ) .

4. | INTANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

| Website

£ |

| COST

| At 1 October 2024

| and 30 September 2025 | 9,300 |  |

| AMORTISATION

| At 1 October 2024 | 3,887 |  |

| Amortisation for year | 5,413 |  |

| At 30 September 2025 | 9,300 |  |

| NET BOOK VALUE

| At 30 September 2025 | - |  |

| At 30 September 2024 | 5,413 |  |

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 30 September 2025

5. | TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

| Plant and |

| Land and |  | machinery |

| buildings |  | etc |  | Totals

£ | £ | £ |

| COST

| At 1 October 2024 | 1,518,285 |  | 551,211 |  | 2,069,496 |  |

| Additions | 4,814 |  | 48,607 |  | 53,421 |  |

| At 30 September 2025 | 1,523,099 |  | 599,818 |  | 2,122,917 |  |

| DEPRECIATION

| At 1 October 2024 | 33,046 |  | 345,308 |  | 378,354 |  |

| Charge for year | 9,685 |  | 89,476 |  | 99,161 |  |

| At 30 September 2025 | 42,731 |  | 434,784 |  | 477,515 |  |

| NET BOOK VALUE

| At 30 September 2025 | 1,480,368 |  | 165,034 |  | 1,645,402 |  |

| At 30 September 2024 | 1,485,239 |  | 205,903 |  | 1,691,142 |  |

6. | DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR |

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Trade debtors | 760,423 |  | 381,331 |  |

| Other debtors | 39,873 |  | 43,686 |  |

| Tax | - |  | 60,316 |  |

| Prepayments | 52,446 |  | 39,875 |  |

852,742 |  | 525,208 |  |

7. | CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR |

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Bank loans and overdrafts (see note 9) | 248,239 |  | 331,824 |  |

| Hire purchase contracts (see note 10) | 6,409 |  | 19,050 |  |

| Trade creditors | 11,696 |  | 16,453 |  |

| Social security and other taxes | 143,682 |  | 192,438 |  |

| Other creditors | 414,243 |  | 409,773 |  |

| Directors' current accounts | 179,944 |  | 180,832 |  |

| Accruals and deferred income | 210,907 |  | 61,528 |  |

| Accrued expenses | 250,089 |  | 33,851 |  |

1,465,209 |  | 1,245,749 |  |

8. | CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR |

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Bank loans (see note 9) | 756,746 |  | 945,038 |  |

| Hire purchase contracts (see note 10) | - |  | 6,409 |  |

| Other creditors | 258,948 |  | 630,257 |  |

1,015,694 |  | 1,581,704 |  |

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 30 September 2025

8. | CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR - continued

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Amounts falling due in more than five years:

| Repayable by instalments

| Bank loans more 5 yr by instal | 161,088 |  | 286,941 |  |

| Included within bank loans is a loan in respect of the properties and a draw down in September 2020 and March 2021 under the CBILS provisions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

| The loan, which includes a 12 month interest and capital repayment holiday, carries interest at a fixed rate of 7.93% and is repayable in 48 monthly instalments from March 2022. The loan is repayable by February 2026.

9. | LOANS

| An analysis of the maturity of loans is given below:

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Amounts falling due within one year or on demand:

| Bank overdrafts | 65,575 |  | - |  |

| Bank loans | 182,664 |  | 331,824 |  |

248,239 |  | 331,824 |  |

| Amounts falling due between two and five years:

| Bank loans - 2-5 years | 595,658 |  | 658,097 |  |

| Amounts falling due in more than five years:

| Repayable by instalments

| Bank loans more 5 yr by instal | 161,088 |  | 286,941 |  |

10. | LEASING AGREEMENTS

| Minimum lease payments fall due as follows:

| Hire purchase |

| contracts |

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Net obligations repayable:

| Within one year | 6,409 |  | 19,050 |  |

| Between one and five years | - |  | 6,409 |  |

6,409 |  | 25,459 |  |

| Non-cancellable |

| operating leases |

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Within one year | 158,681 |  | 87,307 |  |

| Between one and five years | 557,152 |  | 359,610 |  |

715,833 |  | 446,917 |  |

Next Step Independence Limited (Registered number: 09659729)

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued

for the Year Ended 30 September 2025

11. | SECURED DEBTS

| The following secured debts are included within creditors:

2025 | 2024 |

£ | £ |

| Bank loans | 939,410 |  | 1,276,862 |  |

| Hire purchase contracts | 6,409 |  | 25,459 |  |

945,819 |  | 1,302,321 |  |

| The bank holds charges over all legal interest in the properties by way of legal mortgages and have a fixed charge over any other interest in the properties, all rents receivable from any lease granted of the properties, and the proceeds of any insurance affecting the properties.

| The bank also has a fixed and floating charge over all the property or undertaking of the company.

12. | RESERVES

| Retained

| earnings

£ |

| At 1 October 2024 | (271,735 | ) |

| Profit for the year | 506,643 |  |

| At 30 September 2025 | 234,908 |  |