The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.
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 charity'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)".
Following last year’s preparations NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd took over the running of the Lighthouse Homeless Hostel operations in Ballymena, Northern Ireland from 1 April 2025. This was rapidly followed by moving into the new premises nearby on 9 April 2025.
The objects of the company are:
(a) The provision of facilities for support or in the interests of social welfare, for recreation, and other leisure time occupation of people who are in need as a result of their youth, age, infirmity of social and economic circumstances.
(b) The relief of poverty;
(c) The advancement of education
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Achievements and performance
The Directors have remained the same and have held regular Director’s meeting and visited the Hostel.
During this year the Charity completed accreditation with Supporting People in May 2025.
Activities this year have revolved around continuing to support the residents, settle into a new building, and look at all areas of procedures and processes. This continues to progress. In the new building men have their own apartment in much more pleasant surroundings than previously. There is also a communal common room and a communal outside space, which is also used as a smoking area.
The move to George Street has resulted in many Public benefits. Men are supported much more in areas that will be more relevant when they move into their own properties. It has improved mental and emotional wellbeing for residents and staff. There have been less attendances required by PSNI and Ambulance services.
The Lighthouse Hostel continues to provide support services, and signposting to other agencies, to men aged 18 to 65, many of whom have addictions and mental health issues. Lighthouse Hostel continues to work closely with other agencies in the sector and advocate on behalf of residents and their issues. The support provided includes support for men to live in accommodation, help with getting food and services, and supporting them to work towards independent living. The support provided is 24/7 support.
We have worked closely with our landlord - Choice – who have been supportive. During the year a submission was made for the CIH Awards in the area of working in partnership. Whilst we were unsuccessful in gaining the Award this reflected the hard work and partnership by all.
Our statistics show that there has been less short stays for men in the apartments and we are seeing more positive move-ons. We are looking to formally gather more information on outcomes etc.
Directors have met regularly during the year. They appreciate all the work done by everyone both within and outside the organisation. Supporting People recouped the identified restricted funds that were held in a separate account. We have started to build the fund required for one off spends – e.g. for repairs and renewals. We have been able to increase our unrestricted reserves. Over the next few years we intend to increase the unrestricted reserves to around three months running costs.
We have received a legacy gift during the year as well as donated unrestricted funding and restricted funding for updating the common room and support of residents.
Staff continue to work hard. We had one member on long term sickness who has now returned to work in May 2026. We have restructured the staff team with two deputy managers (second started in April 2026). The Manager, as well as overall managerial roles will be focusing on Human Resources and Fundraising.
During the year we have continued to develop in awareness of Trauma Informed Practice and to start altering some policies and procedures from this perspective.
There was good involvement of Residents during the year and formal involvement of the Resident’s committee has progressed.
The Homeless Nurse continues to provide an excellent service to residents. She meets with as many clients as necessary during her visits, seeing new residents, following up on others, and providing health checks, advice and guidance. She also aids the staff and residents and her activities are invaluable.
ICare continues but has had to be cancelled twice due to Ulster University being unable to attend. Women’s aid were keen to join but had no clients for the last two clinics. I Care will be assessed later in the year for Directors to decide on its future activities.
During the year 25/26 there were no safeguarding issues or incidents / complaints.
We would like to thank all involved in any way over the past year. This development would not have been able to take place without many individuals’ and organisations’ support. These include, but not limited to, Living Rivers Trust, Supporting People, NIHE, Choice Housing, Danske Bank, Lighthouse Staff, Greenmount Properties, and the residents.
The results are set out in detail on pages 11 to 23. The charity's surplus for the year was £23,867, compared with a surplus of £172,804 in 2025. Consequently, the charity's financial position strengthened, with unrestricted funds increasing from £62,277 to £196,671 and restricted funds declining from £110,527 to £Nil at year end.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s 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 charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. As the charity has not commenced operating at the year end this level of reserves has not been required however it will be built up going forward.
Current and Future plans:
Since the year end we have continued to support residents. We passed the Supporting People QMT and gained Health & Hygiene certification.
We will be working at all aspects of the service and support we provide over the coming year. We will also be looking to recruit new staff.
Since the year end two complaints have been received – one by a resident and one by a neighbour - and been addressed.
Louise Kitson (Current NILHL Advisory Board member and ex Deputy Manager for LRT Lighthouse) from EXTERN has started weekly to see clients with addictions. She has met most of the residents. This appears to be an appreciated, valuable, developing service to support the men.
ICARE will be assessed later in the year after further discussion with Ulster University.
Having recently joined the Ballymena and Antrim Chamber of Commerce, several relationships have been developed. One contact resulted in a successful application for restricted funding via the St James Palace Foundation for an environmentally Informed Garden to aid with mental health. This will include furniture, water feature, plants.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 14 July 2023 and governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The charity was registered with the Charities Commission for Northern Ireland on 29 January 2024.
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:
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 new directors have undertaken induction and training in areas such as governance, safeguarding, legal requirements and due diligence.
During the year Philip Logan resigned from the Board and Suzanne Blair joined. All six Directors have agreed vision, values, plans, and held several governance meetings. Suzanne received Trustee induction and regular Board meetings have been held.
The trustees, who are also the directors of NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd 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 charity 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 (FRS102);
- 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 charity 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 charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that GMcG Lisburn be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provision applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd (the ‘charity’) 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 significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
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 Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity 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.
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 charity’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 other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. 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. 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 course of 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 our audit:
the information given in the trustees' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the trustees' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate 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 prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the trustees' report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
As explained more fully in the statement of trustees' responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, 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 charity’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 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 an auditor's report 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.
We identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, and then design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In identifying and assessing potential risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliances with laws and regulations, we considered the following:
The nature of the industry and sector, control environment and business performance, including the company’s remuneration policies for directors, bonus levels and performance targets, if any;
Results of our enquiries of management about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;
Any matters we identified having obtained and reviewed the company’s documentation of their policies and procedures relating to:
Identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instance of non-compliance;
Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and
The internal controls established to mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;
The matters discussed among the audit engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and potential indicators of fraud.
As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the company for fraud and identified the greatest potential for fraud in income recognition. In common with all audits under ISAs (UK), we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override.
We also obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that the company operates in, focusing on provisions of those laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The key laws and regulations we considered in this context included the Companies Act 2006, and local tax legislation.
In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the company’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty.
Our procedures to respond to the risks identified included the following:
Reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on the financial statements;
Enquiring of management concerning actual and potential litigation and claims;
Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;
Reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance and reviewing correspondence with tax authorities; and
In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments; assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and evaluating the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. In addition, as with any audit, there remains a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as they may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
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. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable 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 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.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is Apartment 3, 1 George Street, Ballymena, Co Antrim, BT43 5FN.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity'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 charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity 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 charity 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.
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.
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 has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors 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 creditors 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 creditors 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 creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’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 charity 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.
In the application of the charity’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.
The annual depreciation charge on fixed assets depends primarily on the estimated lives of each type of asset and estimates of residual values. The trustees regularly review these assets lives and change them as necessary to reflect current thinking on remaining lives in light of prospective economic utilisation and physical condition of the assets concerned. Changes in assets lives can have a significant impact on depreciation charges for the period. Detail of the useful lives is included in the accounting policies.
Judgements are made in relation to allocation of income and expenditure to restricted and unrestricted funds. The trustees consider it appropriate to allocate these funds based on interpretation of donations received.
During the year NIHE - Supporting People reassessed the charity's reserves position and this resulted in a payment to the funder of £75,384.
During the year Dr H Grahame-Smith was paid total emoluments of £56,419 (2025 - £nil) in relation to employment as Acting Deputy Manager and professional services including governance and central finances.
Mr M Forsythe was paid total emoluments of £42,278 during the year (2025 - £nil).
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 transfer of £35,143 from restricted to unrestricted funds in the year was agreed by the board of directors and represents transfer of funds received from Living Rivers Trust for unrestricted use.
The transfer of £1,636 from unrestricted to restricted funds in the year is due to overspend of restricted Supporting People funds.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity 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.
Supporting People
All funding received from Supporting People is restricted to provide support to the residents of the hostel in the ways agreed with Supporting People.
During the year NIHE - Supporting People reassessed the charity's reserves position and this resulted in a payment to the funder of £75,384.
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.
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
During the year funds of £39,112 were transferred from Living Rivers Trust into NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd in relation to expenditure incurred by the charitable company on behalf of the Living Rivers Trust.
In the prior year funds of £185,579 were transferred from Living Rivers Trust into NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd. This was as per Heads of Terms agreed on 24 March 2025 between Living Rivers Trust and NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd, to enable NI Lighthouse Hostel Ltd to operate financially as of the 1 April 2025.
The charity had no material debt during the year.