REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: SC146212 (Scotland)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: SC001130

Report of the Trustees and

Financial Statements For The Year Ended 31 March 2026

for

Glasgow (Central) Citizens' Advice

Bureau

Page

Reference and Administrative Details

1

Report of the Trustees

2

to

6

Report of the Independent Auditors

7

to

10

Statement of Financial Activities

11

Statement of Financial Position

12

Statement of Cash Flows

13

Notes to the Statement of Cash Flows

14

Notes to the Financial Statements

15

to

23

TRUSTEES

W J Bird Director

P Blackford Director

S Cunningham Director (appointed 12.3.26)

C M Irons Director

A Kalashnikova Director (appointed 19.11.25)

R Mcadam Director (appointed 19.11.25)

A M McKechnie Director (appointed 16.9.25)

M Razaq Director

T Virdee Director

K Kaur (appointed 16.9.25) (resigned 19.11.25)

R Hussain (resigned 16.9.25)

A M McTaggart (resigned 16.9.25)

M Kilgour (resigned 5.5.26)

M Chetty (resigned 14.5.26)

S Leonard (appointed 12.8.26)

REGISTERED OFFICE

The Mitchell Library 3rd Floor

201 North Street

Glasgow

G3 7DN

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER

SC146212 (Scotland)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER

SC001130

AUDITORS

Robb Ferguson

Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors

Regent Court

70 West Regent Street

Glasgow

G2 2QZ

BANKERS

Royal Bank of Scotland Plc

10 Gordon Street

Glasgow

G1 3PL

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2026. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and activities

Glasgow (Central) Citizens' Advice Bureau, originally the Citizens' Advice Service, opened on Bath Street in Glasgow on 15 January 1939 as the first CAB in the UK, and has since celebrated over 85 years' service to Glasgow. The bureau is a member of the Scottish Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux (t/a CAS) which allows access to development, training, IT and other support and Quality Assurance compliance through Membership Audits.

The aims of the service are:

- To ensure that individuals do not suffer though ignorance of their rights and responsibilities, or of the services available, or through an inability to express their needs effectively and equally,

- to exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policy and services, locally and nationally.

Service provision is free at point of delivery, confidential, independent and impartial.

The bureau measures its performance against targets set by agreement with its main funders. These include equality monitoring, demographics, client profiling, nature of enquiries, underlying issues, examining options (if any), key performance indicators and outcomes. A main objective is to offer an holistic advice and advocacy service to make an improved difference to clients' lives in the longer term. In recent years there has been more of an emphasis on the prevention of homelessness and outreach service provision to engage with the most vulnerable and those difficult to reach who would not normally engage with mainstream service.

The Citizens' Advice Bureau remains a volunteer led organisation where trained volunteers lead the front-line service provision supported by salaried staff, tutors and team leaders, Management, Project and Outreach workers are all salaried. Volunteers are trained in advice giving from the Information System provided by Citizens' Advice Scotland, administrative systems, electronic case recording and case work. Most volunteers are general advisers, but some also cover reception and administration duties. After more specific training some volunteers become specialists in certain areas such as Team Leadership, Case Checking and Quality Assurance Audits, Debt Management, Social Security, Employment and Social Policy.

Positivity in the year has been the number of clients engaging with the service, the success of outreaches at service points throughout the city, client financial gains, debt managed and hard and soft outcomes the latter making a difference in the longer term such as opening bank accounts, encouraging savings, energy efficiency, home insurance and better budgeting. There have been no major difficulties during the year from any staffing issues or service provision.

Achievements and performance

The principal activity of the Bureau is to promote charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in Glasgow and to provide a bureau for the supply of information, advice and practical assistance as requested by individuals. Volunteers are deployed to provide much of the advice and counselling. The bureau also aims to exercise a responsible influence on the development of Social Policy and services both locally and nationally.

The bureau operates services in a funding partnership with the Glasgow City Council Transitional Grants Fund (extension) with this grant aid attracting additional funding from other sources. The bureau operates other advice services from separate funding streams some of which are supported or administered by the Glasgow City Council or by Citizens' Advice Scotland (National Projects), the Bank of Scotland Foundation, Foundation Scotland and some by the organisation hosting the Glasgow (Central) CAB service such as Glasgow Helping Heroes. The national projects include Help to Claim Universal Credit with webchat and Money Talks Plus (incorporating Money Talks, Welfare Reform and Specialist Debt). Council Tax Debt and Gambling Awareness (for part of the year).

The bureau's central operation is normally a drop-in service incorporation appointments provision by arrangement from within the Mitchell Library in Charing Cross. Co-location within the Mitchell Library is an excellent setting for partnership working in advice and information provision.

Within the Mitchell Library where there is also a small in-reach to assist the needs of homeless people who seek shelter in the library. Outreach services are co-located in multiple sites throughout the city including the 3 Glasgow City Council Homelessness Casework Teams - north west, north east and south; various hostels for the homeless, 5 Glasgow Life Community Libraries, Glasgow Helping Heroes and Govan Jopbcentreplus. Other services offered are Pensionwise for independent pension advice and Patients' Advice & Support Service for NHS complaints, a service offering assistance with Blue Badge applications and assistance with applications for e-visas.

Social Policy plays a key role in identifying and addressing bad rules and malpractices including discrimination. The bureau has a small team of dedicated volunteers led by a paid worker who collect information to highlight areas of concern both locally and nationally. During the year the team monitored the impact of welfare reforms, concerns with Universal Credit, its wider benefit professions and a number of awareness initiatives including a campaign on changes to Employment & Support Allowance.

Volunteers continue to play a very active part of CAB operations and are rewarded by the satisfaction of making a difference to people's lives, reaching achievements, training & learning opportunities and gaining / improving confidence. Mostly volunteers engage as advisers but some take other duties such as reception or administration and others become specialists is specific subjects. For those seeking employment the experience of volunteering in an advice agency greatly improves their employability prospects and, if not seeking gainful employment, it provides an interest and sense of purpose. Three volunteers became employed by the bureau in the year from fortynine who left having secured employment elsewhere or returned or entered into further education.

Altogether in the year 2025/26 the bureau from its various service points dealt with 8,772 new clients and 10,462 cases with 15,884 contacts. Client Financial Gains were £3,489,991 and Client Debt Managed was £978,045.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The total income for the year of £879,782 has been reduced by expenditure of £898,946 resulting in a decrease in all funds for the year of £19,164. The charity had net assets at 31 March 2026 of £149,527 (2025 - £168,691).

Reserves policy

The Bureau hopes to breakeven each year. However, this is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve due to limits on public spending. Ideally, the Bureau would wish to hold reserves covering at least 3 months of general wages and costs amounting to £224,736. At the Balance Sheet date, the Bureau has positive unrestricted reserves of £149,527.

Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

The trustees have prepared budgets covering a period of at least 12 months from the date of approving these financial statements. These show that the charity can pay its liabilities as they fall due and accordingly the financial statements are prepared on the going concern basis.

FUTURE PLANS

The Transitional Fund Grant from the Glasgow City Council was extended at the existing level while the redesign of funding for advice agencies is agreed and implemented by the Glasgow City Council under a new Glasgow Advice Partnership. Future plans include a review of staff salary grades, computer upgrades, explore organisations and trusts to secure financial stability, review the accounting system and upgrade if necessary, revise the volunteer recruitment process to streamline efficiency, create at least 90 days of funds in reserve and, funds permitting, employ an Office Manager responsible for all aspects of administration, human resources and finance. Further plans are to achieve Scottish National Standards, work towards a paperless office and continue to assess needs and apply modifications as required. With increased funding from Helping Heroes the outreach will extend to full time. The Articles of Association will change to a single tier governance in 2026/27.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

The Bureau is a company limited by guarantee and governed by a Board of Directors drawn from the company's membership. Eligibility for membership requires an individual aged 16 or over who works, lives and / or has an interest in the area of benefit which is Glasgow City-wide. Employees of the company are not eligible for membership.The Articles of Association provides for up to 15 Directors 12 of which are Member Directors and 3 Co-opted Directors who need not be members. The minimum number of Directors is 3. Member Directors shall retire at each Annual General Meeting and, subject to the Articles of Association, may be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. New Members and Member Directors may be appointed, subject to capacity and approval of the Board, at any time. Office Bearers are elected from the Directors themselves following the Annual General Meeting.

The Directors are the Trustees of the Bureau for the purposes of charity legislation. An annual induction and training course is run for the directors. The governing document is the Memorandum & Articles of Association.

The day-to-day running of the Bureau is under the operation of Vincent Chudy as Chief Officer. The bureau currently has an average of 53 volunteers. Active recruitment of volunteers continues while aspiring to a level of c.75. External funding has afforded a volunteer recruitment co-ordinator in addition to the other salaried staff who support the volunteers in addition to their leading outreaches and other projects from the main bureau. In the last year there were 113 applications to volunteer from which 29 were accepted mainly as advisers accepted with a few doubling up in administration and social policy.

The key management personnel are the Trustees, Vincent Chudy and Gwynneth James. The salaries for Key Management Personnel are based on average Local Authorities' gradings and similar positions within the third sector and are agreed by the finance sub-committee of the Board of Directors.

Risks

The directors have considered the major risks to which the Bureau is exposed and are satisfied that systems have been established to mitigate those risks.

Risk assessment is continuous by management as multiple projects change and develop given the current cost of living and general financial climate. Any potential risk is reported to the board at their meeting for consideration if and when appropriate, a Finance and Development sub-committee of the board will meet and act as necessary. A cashbook is produced and updated each month and an accumulative Finance Variance Statement produced against the approved annual budget is prepared each month and circulated to board members. The financial position is then reported on and discussed at each board meeting.

Directors and their interests

The directors who served during the year together with the dates of appointments and resignations are shown on page 1. Any conflict(s) of interest is declared at the start of each Board Meeting. Details of Membership and Directorship of the Company are shown on page 1. As the Bureau is limited by guarantee it does not have a share capital, therefore none of the directors holds any shares.

EVENTS SINCE THE END OF THE YEAR

Information relating to events since the end of the year is given in the notes to the financial statements.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees (who are also the directors of Glasgow (Central) Citizens' Advice Bureau for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees 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. Under that law, the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law).

Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those 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;

-	prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

-	there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditors are unaware; and

-	the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 3 September 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

P Blackford - Trustee

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Glasgow (Central) Citizens' Advice Bureau (the 'charitable company') for the year ended 31 March 2026 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Statement of Financial Position, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

-	give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2026 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

-	have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

-	have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' 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 charitable 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 trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report, other than the financial statements and our Report of the Independent Auditors thereon.

Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

-	the information given in the Report of the Trustees for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

-	the Report of the Trustees has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Report of the Trustees.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

-	adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

-	the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

-	certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

-	we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

-	the trustees were not entitled to take advantage of the small companies exemption from the requirement to prepare a Strategic Report or in preparing the Report of the Trustees.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue a Report of the Independent Auditors that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

- The engagement partner ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

- We identified the laws and regulations applicable to the company through discussions with directors and other management, and from our wider knowledge and experience;

- We focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the charitable company, including the The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and Financial Reporting Standard 102 Statement of Recommended Practice.

- We assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management and inspecting legal correspondence; and

- Identified laws and regulations were communicated within the audit team regularly and the team remained alert to instances of non-compliance throughout the audit.

We assessed the susceptibility of the company's financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

- Making enquiries of management as to where they considered there was susceptibility to fraud, their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and

- Considering the internal controls in place to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations

Audit response to risks of irregularities identified

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

- Performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships;

- Tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions;

- Assessed whether judgements and assumptions made in determining the accounting estimates set out were indicative of potential bias; and

- Investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

- Agreeing financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;

- Reading the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;

- Enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation and claims; and

- Reviewing correspondence with HMRC, OSCR and the charitable company's legal advisors.

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Report of the Independent Auditors.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006, and to the charitable company's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members and the trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' 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 charitable company and the charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Alex Webb BAcc FCCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

for and on behalf of Robb Ferguson

Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors

Eligible to act as an auditor in terms of Section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006

Regent Court

70 West Regent Street

Glasgow

G2 2QZ

3 September 2026

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

funds

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

2

10

-

10

-

Charitable activities

3

Advice services

95,000

784,772

879,772

794,552

Total

95,010

784,772

879,782

794,552

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

4

Advice services

114,174

784,772

898,946

778,268

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(19,164

)

-

(19,164

)

16,284

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

168,691

-

168,691

152,407

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

149,527

-

149,527

168,691

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

funds

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

10

7,206

-

7,206

6,336

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

11

4,271

-

4,271

30,479

Cash at bank and in hand

152,614

-

152,614

151,497

156,885

-

156,885

181,976

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

12

(14,564

)

-

(14,564

)

(19,621

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

142,321

-

142,321

162,355

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

149,527

-

149,527

168,691

NET ASSETS

149,527

-

149,527

168,691

FUNDS

14

Unrestricted funds

149,527

168,691

TOTAL FUNDS

149,527

168,691

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

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

P Blackford - Trustee

M Razaq - Trustee

Cash flows from operating activities

Cash generated from operations

1

3,526

(9,571

)

Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities

3,526

(9,571

)

Cash flows from investing activities

Purchase of tangible fixed assets

(2,409

)

(5,507

)

Net cash used in investing activities

(2,409

)

(5,507

)

Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period

1,117

(15,078

)

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period

151,497

166,575

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period

152,614

151,497

1.	RECONCILIATION OF NET (EXPENDITURE)/INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

2026

2025

£

£

Net (expenditure)/income for the reporting period (as per the Statement of Financial Activities)

(19,164

)

16,284

Adjustments for:

Depreciation charges

1,539

445

Decrease/(increase) in debtors

26,208

(30,479

)

(Decrease)/increase in creditors

(5,057

)

4,179

Net cash provided by/(used in) operations

3,526

(9,571

)

2.	ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET FUNDS

At 1.4.25

Cash flow

At 31.3.26

£

£

£

Net cash

Cash at bank and in hand

151,497

1,117

152,614

151,497

1,117

152,614

Total

151,497

1,117

152,614

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £.

Legal status

Glasgow (Central) Citizens' Advice Bureau is a registered Scottish charity.

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1.

Going concern

The Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

In their assessment of going concern, the Trustees have reviewed the charity’s forecasts and budgets, which take account of expected income, expenditure and available cash resources, and are satisfied that it is appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported for assets, liabilities, income and expenditure. Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis, with revisions recognised in the period in which the estimates are revised.

The Trustees do not consider that there are any critical accounting judgements or key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

Income

Income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably. Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

Income from government and other grants, whether 'capital' or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

Income received in advance of the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. All expenses including support costs and governance costs are allocated or apportioned to the applicable expenditure headings. For more information on this attribution refer to below policy on allocation of support and governance costs.

Expenditure on charitable activities includes costs of running the bureau and other activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure is incurred.

Donated services and facilities

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised. Refer to the Trustees' annual report for more information about their contribution.

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

Allocation of support and governance costs

Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support costs. Governance costs comprise all costs involving the public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. These costs include costs related to statutory external scrutiny and legal fees together with an apportionment of overhead and support costs.

Governance costs and support costs relating to charitable activities have been apportioned based on staff time spent.

Tangible fixed assets

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

Fixtures and fittings

-

20% on cost

All assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised and valued at historical cost.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Restricted income is allocated to expenditure on an income received basis. Where expenditure is incurred on a restricted fund for which there is both a brought forward balance and income received during the year, the brought forward restricted fund balance is utilised first, unless the terms and conditions attached to the funding require an alternative treatment.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

Operating leases

The charity classifies the lease of printing as operating leases; the title to the equipment remains with the lessor and the equipment is replaced every 5 years whilst the economic life of such equipment is normally 10 years. Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease, including allocation within the rent free period.

Employee benefits

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets. 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.

2.	DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

2026

2025

£

£

Donations

10

-

3.	INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

2026

2025

Activity

£

£

Grants

Advice services

879,772

794,552

Grants received, included in the above, are as follows:

2026

2025

£

£

Glasgow City Council

465,693

437,731

NHS Project

-

13,478

Citizens Advice Scotland

304,887

234,204

Bank of Scotland

45,000

51,775

Helping Heroes

14,192

10,055

Foundation Scotland

50,000

-

Money Matters

-

28,709

Culture and Sport

-

18,600

879,772

794,552

4.	CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Support

Direct

costs (see

Costs

note 5)

Totals

£

£

£

Advice services

806,644

92,302

898,946

5.	SUPPORT COSTS

Governance

Other

costs

Totals

£

£

£

Advice services

65,312

26,990

92,302

6.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

2026

2025

£

£

Auditors' remuneration

10,662

5,622

Depreciation - owned assets

1,539

445

Operating lease charges

34,317

35,353

7.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2026 nor for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2026 nor for the year ended 31 March 2025.

8.	STAFF COSTS

2026

2025

£

£

Wages and salaries

683,388

571,759

Social security costs

67,925

66,956

Other pension costs

18,604

27,573

769,917

666,288

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

2026

2025

Employees

26

25

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

9.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

funds

funds

funds

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Charitable activities

Advice services

139,618

654,934

794,552

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Advice services

123,334

654,934

778,268

NET INCOME

16,284

-

16,284

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

152,407

-

152,407

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

168,691

-

168,691

10.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Fixtures

and

fittings

£

COST

At 1 April 2025

54,237

Additions

2,409

At 31 March 2026

56,646

DEPRECIATION

At 1 April 2025

47,901

Charge for year

1,539

At 31 March 2026

49,440

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 March 2026

7,206

At 31 March 2025

6,336