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 Church'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 Charity's objects are the advancement of the Christian faith in Worthing, the United Kingdom and other parts of the world as the Trustees may from time to time think fit and to fulfil such other purposes which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales and are connected with the charitable work of the Charity.
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Church should undertake.
During 2025 we have continued to hold our Sunday Morning Services in Oak Grove College, catering for adults, children and young people. We continue to record our services and air them on Facebook and YouTube. Life Groups continue to meet on a regular basis to facilitate the fellowship and support essential to our church family life and for caring for one another. Further pastoral support is provided through home and hospital visits and assisting with appointments. The Jubilee Club outreach continues. It is a privilege to help and assist others and it is also part of our Christian principles.
CAP (Christians Against Poverty) services are still in place and our local New Life Church Food Bank continues to function. We also supply food to a local school for families in need of it and this continues to be a vital contribution to the welfare of the community.
Whilst we support our own communities locally, we also have a missionary undertaking where we support the work in other countries where we know that the donations that we give are used wisely to assist fully in that community. This system has been in place for many years and will continue to be part of our offering.
We have continued to experience difficulties with planning permissions over the year, and this has meant that we have not yet been able to build our new church. It is our intention to do so enabling us to have a permanent home where we can restore and enhance the facilities and activities previously provided.
As a Charity we have needed to continue with the suspension of some of our activities due to currently not having our own building, but we are still continuing to serve the community at large.
As part of our annual reporting function additional reports are prepared for individual activities that are run within the Charity. All members receive the Reports in respect of all the Charity is doing.
The overall results for the year showed a surplus on unrestricted funds after transfers of £15,404 (2024: surplus of £17,203) and a surplus on restricted funds of £35,169 (2024: surplus of £22,520). Unrestricted funds carried forward were £2,148,732 (2024: £2,133,328).
Reserves policy
It is the policy of the Church that free reserves should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s operating 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 Church’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 Church is a company limited by guarantee, company number 07365200, incorporated on 3 September 2010. It is also a registered charity, number 1138263.
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:
Trustees appointments are recommended by the Board of Trustees and are approved by the membership of the Church at Special Church Meetings. Newly appointed Trustees are provided with such induction and training as considered necessary for the role they are undertaking. 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.
The decision-making of the Charity rests, under its rules, with the Church Elders, Deacons and members, with responsibility for management being delegated to the Staff Team, Finance and Fabric Groups.
As part of the annual reporting process the Trustees have identified the major risks to which the Church is exposed, have reviewed these and ensured that systems have been established to mitigate these risks.
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Trustees, who are also the directors of New Life Church Worthing 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 Church 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 Church 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 Church 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 Church 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 New Life Church Worthing (the Church) for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the Church 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 Church’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 Church 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.
Caladine Ltd
Chartered Certified Accountants
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
New Life Church Worthing is a charitable company by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 10 Greenland Road, Durrington, Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 2RR.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church'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 Church is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The Church has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Church. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include 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 Church 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 Church 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 is recognised at the time of the donation.
Donated assets and services are recognised in the financial statements at the value when received.
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.
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category.
Property and equipment are measured at cost, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. Items below £1,000 are not capitalised.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives.
Freehold land and buildings are not depreciated as their residual value is considered to be greater than their book value. Legal and architects costs incurred on sites subject to future development are capitalised as they add value to the future resale amount achievable.
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.
The Land and buildings are held on Trust with the Baptist Union.
At each reporting end date, the Church 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 Church 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 with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
In the application of the Church’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.
Jubilee friendship club
Hall hire and sundry income
Fees paid to the independent examiner during the year comprised £2,664 for accountancy services (2024: £2,580), £720 for the independent examination (2024: £720), and £864 for payroll services (2024: £864).
Trustee Sean Carter has been employed by the church as the senior pastor since February 2024. During the year he was paid a gross salary of £29,575 (2024: £26,217) and the church paid employer pension contributions of £3,732 on his behalf (2024: £3,259). He is also provided with a church manse as part of his employment as the pastor.
Trustees donations during the year amounted to £28,764 (2024: £25,905).
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.
Within other receivables are the proceeds on the sale of the main church building and gardens together with interest accrued amounting to £395,435 at 31 December 2025 (2024: £383,708). These monies are currently held by the Baptist Union and will be released to the church to cover future costs of constructing the new building.
Interest is being accrued on these funds until they are paid out.
The figure for borrowings represent loans as follows:
South East Baptist Association loan
An interest free loan of £40,000 was received during the year ended 31 December 2016 to be repaid over 10 years with instalments of £2,000 becoming due in February and August of each year. The balance outstanding at the year end was £4,000 (2024: £8,000).
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.
Development fund - this fund represents amounts given specifically for building development and the establishment of a new Church building. All gifts received towards the development and expenses paid since that time have been recorded as such. As the monies raised were used for the purpose intended, the restriction is satisfied.
Welfare fund – This fund is monies given for the church to use to help those in need as needs arise.
Mission fund – This fund is for the support of those involved in missions activities or missions organisations as needs arise.
Restricted gifts – This fund is for the administration of gifts given with a specific designation.
CAP poverty project fund - this fund shows monies raised to fund the work of the CAP (Christian's Against Poverty) local branch.
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.
Church property fund - this fund consists of freehold land and buildings held in trust for charitable use by the church net of any outstanding borrowings. These properties are held by the Baptist Union Corporation Limited as custodian Trustees net of any outstanding borrowings.
This includes the Jubilee Hall and adjoining car park, 10 Greenland Road and garden and the Church manse at 52 Malthouse. In addition, land has been purchased which will be used to house a new Church building in the future.
Transfers of £27,587 were made during the year to reflect £4,000 of repayment of borrowings from the general funds, plus the addition of a garage £23,587. The closing balance represents the total capitalised cost of land and buildings less borrowings secured against them.
Gifts and legacies fund - significant gifts and legacies are set aside by the church to be spent when called upon.
Other designated funds - these funds represents the activity of various other church activities, clubs and projects.
Transactions with the trustees are disclosed in note 10. There were no other disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).