The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 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 trust's Memorandum and 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) (effective 1 January 2019)".
The trust's objects are the prevention or relief of poverty by the provision of funds, goods or services of any kind in Brighton and Hove and in such parts of the United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees think fit.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the trust should undertake.
2025 was a year in which the centre focused on getting our new debt coaches, Jaclyn and Roger, signed off as debt coaches, and I am glad to say this has been completed. It was also a year for getting to know each other and bonding as a team. .
This was reflected in our 2025 client figures:
Visits 267 + 34 Triage = 301
DRO 22
Bankruptcy 2
Independent 3
We currently have 55 active clients
Looking ahead, we continue to focus on getting a strong group of befrienders to attend visits and pray for our clients. We hope to have our current befrienders complete training this year.
Our clients continue to have complex needs, which has led to an increase in case closures as clients are unable to get the paperwork we need.
Our two main challenges going forward are the CAP system change, which means all three of us have to be retrained on the new systems. Therefore, from the end of May until 24 June 2026, we will not be taking on new clients, and initially, the system will be slower.
Secondly, is how to speak to clients about Jesus when they are consumed by debt and mental health issues, and some do not even leave their home, and others do not feel able to join anything.
The trust had unrestricted income of £59,404 (2024: £46,958) and expenditure of £59,528 (2024: £45,528) resulting in a deficit of £124 on general funds for the year (2024: surplus of £1,430 on general funds).
It is the policy of the trust that reserves should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s operational expenditure. The trustees considers that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the trust’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. Reserves have been maintained at this level during the year . At 31 December 2025 unrestricted funds were £12,499 (2024: £12,623). The Trustees are aware that this should be at a higher level to accord with the policy.
The trust is a charity and a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 10 April 2013. The trust commenced activities on 1 January 2014 with the transfer of activities from the restricted fund of Holland Road Baptist Church Trust.
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:
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Brighton Light Trust 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 trust 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 trust 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 trust 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 trust 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 Brighton Light Trust (the trust) for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the trust are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the trust’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
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 trust as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
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 Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements 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 financial statements 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.
The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.
Brighton Light Trust is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 71 Holland Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 1JN.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the trust's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" 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)". The trust is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The trust 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 trust. 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 trust 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 trust 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.
Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred and allocated to the particular cost centre to which they relate. These costs include irrecoverable VAT.
There are no fixed assets.
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 only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value. Basic financial assets include trade and other receivables and cash and bank balances. Basic financial liabilities including trade and and other payables where trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired on the ordinary course of operations from suppliers.
Basic financial assets, which include trade and other receivables 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 trade and other payables 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 payables 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 payables are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the trust’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 trust 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.
Taxation
In the opinion of the trustees, the company is not liable to United Kingdom corporation tax on its charitable activities.
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 trust operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the trust 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.
St Bernard's Grant - This represents funds received from St Bernard's charity (registration no. 207727) and is used to relieve hardship for vulnerable women in crisis.
Acts 435 - This represent funds given through the Acts 435 charity giving platform (registration no.1131305) and is used to provide financial assistance for individuals in need.
Chalk Hill Trust Grant - This is a contribution to fund work on debt relief orders/bankruptcy costs.
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.
None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received remuneration during the year and none were reimbursed any expenses.
The aggregate donations from the Trustees during the year were £1,894 (2024: £1,320).
The Trust are able to use the facilities of Holland Road Baptist Church Trust, a Trust with common Trustees, to carry out its function effectively.
The Trust received gift income of £30,539 (2024: £21,775) from Holland Road Baptist Church Trust.
The Trust paid Holland Road Baptist Church Trust £5,476 (2024: £5,476) for management services during the year.