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Registered number:
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
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COMPANY INFORMATION
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CONTENTS
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
The directors present the Group Strategic Report for the year to 31 March 2026.
The principal activities of the group are the provision of family legal services across England and Wales; including divorce, financial and children related legal services.
The directors present the Group Strategic Report for the year to 31 March 2026. The comparative period ended 31 March 2025 reflected a 9-month period inclusive of 6 months of trading. 2026 was a period of further investment, consolidation, and expansion for the business. The group remains the UK’s largest specialist family law practice whilst also entering into new partnership arrangements in Scotland and Australia.
The group ended the financial year up to 31 March 2026 with 109 (2025: 99) offices, and 267 (2025: 204) full time equivalent family lawyers.
The group’s data and research confirm that our clients value the opportunity to be supported within their communities by locally based specialist legal advisors. This validates our strategy of opening modest sized offices, close to where our target client base resides or work, staffed by local teams of family law specialists.
Our plan for next year is to continue to consolidate and grow, striving to support more families within the existing communities we serve while also serving more clients through new locations. We will also attract and develop more outstanding Stowe colleagues and continue to innovate in terms of service delivery.
Complementing our organic growth, the group has continued to make strategic acquisitions, adding Kee Solicitors, Unified Lawyers and the trade and assets of Hatton Family Law in the year (adding to the 4 acquisitions made in previous years). The group will continue to assess opportunities and build a pipeline of potential future partners.
From a trading perspective, net fee income of the underlying trading business for the 12 months to 31 March 2026 increased year on year to £57.9m (from £49.6m in 2025) by working on over 18,600 client files in the period (2025: 12,400).
The group’s continued expansion leveraged earlier investments in IT, case management, marketing and client care infrastructure. These investments are expected to continue to support the growth of revenue in 2026 and beyond.
The group continues to manage its working capital cycle very efficiently. The directors have reflected on quantum and timing of amounts payable relating to contingent consideration, these are anticipated to be funded via a combination of operating cashflow, existing facilities and external debt.
The directors remain satisfied that the underlying financial performance of the business remains strong, and the business is well placed to continue its strategy of striving to serve more families by supporting both new communities and delivering growth within existing communities.
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
The principal risks and uncertainties within the group relate to the recoverability of amounts from clients and the carrying value of the investments and intangibles.
The principal risk arising from financial instruments within the group relates to the interest rates and ability to meet the repayment terms of the bank loans and preference shares issued by the group.
New business enquiries and chargeable activity have sustainably increased over the last 12 months. The group has continued to demonstrate its resilience and agility, including being able to operate effectively through challenging economic and social conditions, with its flexible approach to attracting new clients, resourcing and its property footprint.
Our plans for the business remain to continue to expand the group through opening offices in new locations, by maximising growth opportunities in our existing locations and by continuing to look for opportunities to innovate and change for the better. We will continue to assess our pipeline of inorganic opportunities and look at these to accelerate and compliment the organic growth strategy. The directors will continue to evolve Stowe’s client and colleague propositions to ensure that we continue to position ourselves as a group that delivers the best legal advice and client care to each of our clients, while attracting, developing, and retaining outstanding people who are aligned to our aspirations and values. During the year the group made a significant investment in its technology infrastructure. This investment will continue next year. The directors believe that this will be an important feature in the group's ability to meet client and colleague expectations and support ongoing growth.
In accordance with section172(1) of the Companies Act 2006, the board acknowledges its duties and responsibilities to act, individually and collectively, in good faith, on behalf of the group in a way to promote the success of the group for the benefit of its key stakeholders. In doing so having regard, amongst other matters to:
∙the likely consequences of any decision in the long-term;
∙the interests of the company’s employees;
∙the need to foster the company’s business relationships with suppliers, customers, and others;
∙the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment;
∙the desirability of the company maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct; and
∙the need to act fairly as between members of the company.
The directors also take into account the views and interests of a wider set of stakeholders when making decisions. The directors regard to these matters is embedded in their decision-making process, through the group's business strategy, culture, governance framework, management information flows and stakeholder engagement process.
The board acknowledges that not every decision will necessarily result in a positive outcome for all stakeholders and that there is frequently a need to make difficult and complex decisions based on balancing any number of competing priorities. By considering the group's strategic priorities, purpose, values and cultures and ensuring a robust decision-making process is in place. It does however, aim to balance these different perspectives to promote the success of the group for the benefit of its key stakeholders.
The directors consider the likely consequences of any decision in the long-term. The group is bound by policies consistent with the organisation's culture in key areas including, but not limited to, supplier management, customer conduct, human resources and the environment.
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
Directors' statement of compliance with duty to promote the success of the group (continued)
The board regularly receives information to enable them to consider the impact of the group's decision on its key stakeholders. This information can be in a variety of different formats, covering financial and operation performance, key transactions, KPIs, both financial and non-financial, and risk indicators.
The directors and management ensure the business is operated in a responsible manner with the aim of ensuring that the group maintains its reputation for high standards of business conduct, quality of both product and service, as well as good governance.
The board promotes a culture of upholding the highest standards of both business and regulatory conduct and standards. It ensures these core values are communicated to the group's employees and embedded in the group's policies and procedures, employee induction and training and its risk control framework.
The board also recognises that building strong and lasting relationships with all stakeholders will help deliver our strategy in line with our long term values, and furthermore operate a sustainable business. The directors endeavour to understand and appreciate the importance of fully understanding their duties and obligations under all relevant and current legislation.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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DIRECTORS' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
The directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.
The loss for the year, after taxation, amounted to £12,525,918 (9 months to 31 March 2025: £6,724,813).
The directors who served during the year, and up to the date of signing this report, were:
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SPRING TOPCO (SFL) LIMITED
DIRECTORS' REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
The group’s operations expose it to a variety of other financial risks including credit risk, liquidity risk, market and interest risk and investment risk which the group seeks to limit the adverse effect of. The directors set risk management policies which are implemented by the group’s management team. The group’s policy is to finance working capital through retained earnings, and through borrowings where necessary, and to finance the acquisition of subsidiaries through borrowings at either fixed interest rates, prevailing market interest rates or via existing cash resources.
The group, alongside its competitors, is exposed to fluctuation in certain purchased materials and manages this risk, so far as is possible, by having long term relationships with key suppliers that aim to bring a high degree of stability and certainty to material costs. Our strategy also prioritises client experience and to achieve this we need to develop and maintain strong client relationships, this is achieved through regular communication and meetings, reviews, targeted marketing and the sharing of knowledge in formats such as our podcast channel Stowe Talks.
The group and company continues to meet its day to day working capital requirements through its own cash resources and the group has the additional benefit of a working capital facility with its bank to accommodate any unforeseen shifts in performance.
In this context the directors have considered the current macro economic uncertainties including the possibility of higher inflation, interest and tax rates, when preparing their going concern assessment. The directors have also considered the timing and quantum of the contingent considerations amounts expected to be payable within 12 months of the date of approval of these financial statements. These are anticipated by the directors to be funded via a combination of operating cashflow, existing committed facilities and new external debt as considered appropriate to the requirements of the group at the point the payments are due.
The group and company's forecasts and projections (for the period to 30 September 2027), taking into account reasonable changes in trading performance, show that the group and company should be able to operate within the level of its current resources and facilities.
This position gives the directors confidence that it is well placed to meet its interest payments on the external bank loans and continue to meet the associated covenants and navigate any further disruption in terms of the impact on trading results, its future order book, and most significantly, its committed and hard working Stowe team.
After making enquiries, the directors therefore have a reasonable expectation that the group and company have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, including at least twelve months from the date of approval of the financial statements.
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SPRING TOPCO (SFL) LIMITED
DIRECTORS' REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
The group consumes electricity and gas for its own offices. Consumption figures have been computed from utility bills provided by energy suppliers. The energy consumption in kWh for the year ended 31 March 2026 is disclosed as follows:
The group takes its responsibility for energy consumption and climate control very seriously and continues to take steps to monitor and control usage with a commitment to the reduction of consumption.
The group runs a salary sacrifice electric car scheme in an effort to encourage positive behaviour amongst its employees with regards to climate change. Our employees have also formed a colleague group, Sustainable Stowe, with the goal of making it easier to be greener and supporting Stowe to be more sustainable.
There have been no significant events affecting the company since the reporting date.
The auditor, Grant Thornton UK LLP, will be proposed for reappointment in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPRING TOPCO (SFL) LIMITED
We are responsible for concluding on the appropriateness of the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the group's and the parent company's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify the auditor’s opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our report. However, future events or conditions may cause the group or the parent company to cease to continue as a going concern.
In our evaluation of the directors' conclusions, we considered the inherent risks associated with the group's and the parent company's business model including effects arising from macro-economic uncertainties such as interest rates and ongoing global conflicts, we assessed and challenged the reasonableness of estimates made by the directors and the related disclosures and analysed how those risks might affect the group's and the parent company's financial resources or ability to continue operations over the going concern period.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPRING TOPCO (SFL) LIMITED (CONTINUED)
Conclusions relating to going concern (continued)
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' 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 group's and the parent 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 directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
∙the information given in the Group Strategic Report and the Directors' Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
∙the Group Strategic Report and the Directors' Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPRING TOPCO (SFL) LIMITED (CONTINUED)
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPRING TOPCO (SFL) LIMITED (CONTINUED)
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SPRING TOPCO (SFL) LIMITED (CONTINUED)
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the 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 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 company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Senior Statutory Auditor
for and on behalf of Grant Thornton UK LLP
Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants
Reading
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 31 MARCH 2026
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (CONTINUED)
AS AT 31 MARCH 2026
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes on pages 22 to 48 form part of these financial statements.
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COMPANY BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 31 MARCH 2026
The company has taken advantage of the exemption allowed under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not presented its own Statement of Comprehensive Income in these financial statements. The loss after tax of the parent company for the year was £8,743,065 (9 month period ended 31 March 2025: £4,120,850).
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes on pages 22 to 48 form part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
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COMPANY STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
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