The Trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.
This Annual Report and Financial Statements cover the year to 31 March 2026.
This document provides information on Helplines Partnership’s charitable objects and how the organisation is governed and has performed during 2025/26.
Members of Helplines Partnership are organisations that provide free services of social value by telephone and other non-face-to-face channels. Service provision is highly diverse and membership incorporates specialist, regional, national and international helplines within a sector receiving over 50 million contacts annually.
Helplines Partnership is an independent charity, governed by its Board of Trustees. It benefits from a dedicated and experienced staff team which provides an extensive range of membership services and other products. In this way Helplines Partnership supports the sector to improve the quality of services delivered for the benefit of all service users.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity's governing document, 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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016).
Helplines Partnership charitable objects are:
a. To advance health particularly mental health for the benefit of the public, in particular but not exclusively by improving the quality of services to people suffering from ill health and those caring for or treating them.
b. To further such exclusively charitable purposes according to the law of England and Wales as the Trustees in their absolute discretion from time to time determine.
In practical terms, Helplines Partnership assists its member organisations to provide a quality helpline service to callers, through the following products and services:
Membership - As the membership body for the helpline sector, the focus is on developing training and resources that directly reflect the needs of those working in helpline and call-handling roles, supporting them to raise standards and improve the quality of practice across the sector.
Training - Helplines Partnership’s skills-based courses equip helpline staff with the core competencies required to manage contacts and calls confidently and professionally, whilst looking after themselves.
Delivering a diverse range of CPD-accredited training courses through a mixed model of high-quality online and face-to-face learning, including half-day options for a more cost and time effective solution. All courses are regularly reviewed, and updated to ensure they remain current, practical, and impactful. Alongside our core helpline training, we continue to extend our reach to non-traditional organisations in other sectors such as health and social care, public services, and the private sector.
Training shapes how helpline advisors respond to callers, increasing the likelihood that every person reaching out receives the best response and support to impact real change to their lives.
Helplines Standard - The only quality framework specifically developed to certify best practice in helpline work. Now in its sixth version, the Standard enables helplines to demonstrate that they meet high standards across a wide range of criteria including planning, policies, operational delivery, the service provided, and training, recruitment and development.
Recognising the diversity of the sector, the Helplines Standard provides all types of service providers with a robust mechanism to demonstrate a commitment to quality. This benefits not only service users, but also staff, volunteers, commissioners, funders, and other stakeholders.
This year the team have introduced open days; members and non-members are invited to have a free video call with one of the Assessors to find out more about how certification can benefit their service. In addition, the team continue to offer discovery sessions to help both HLP members and non-members learn more about the certification process. Additionally, all Helplines Standard materials are being reviewed in-line with accessibility requirements.
Helplines Freephone Range (HFR) – Offering affordable telecoms exclusively for helplines via a dedicated range of Freephone numbers. Helplines Partnership works with Ofcom and the telecoms sector to operate the scheme which offers free and confidential access for service users and affordable costs for helplines.
Member helplines operating any Freephone number also benefit from the Payphone Access Charge being waived by BT.
Access to Products and Services - Helplines Partnership has relationships with trusted suppliers of services that are relevant to helplines. These include telecoms, language interpreting, communications and marketing and a new counselling service for helpline workers and volunteers. Through the relationships that have been developed, helplines can access appropriate solutions at competitive rates.
Communication - Helpline Partnership's website and other communication channels such as regular newsletters, surveys and social media help to keep members and stakeholders informed. The website also includes a publicly available, 'Find a Helpline' directory of services.
Profile and Partnership - Helplines Partnership is a member of various partnerships and collaborations. Through these networks HLP works to raise its profile, provide the voice of the helpline sector and strive to improve mental health and wellbeing for all.
National helpline champion - Helplines Partnership actively promotes the voice and value of the helpline sector and the public benefit it provides.
Key achievements during the period have been:
Maintained a membership retention and renewal rate of 91% across the year, whilst also welcoming new members.
Reviewed the member offer for 2025/26 to increase value for money and subsequently the continuation in member retention.
Virtual Member Space Events (MSE’S) continue to be well attended, averaging approximately 50 bookings per event. Topics included policy writing for helplines, a presentation from the Royal Voluntary Service on a new digital volunteer platform, and a training session on how to handle callers who stammer. Also continued networking focused events for members and non-members across the sector.
Introduced an annual Membership Satisfaction Survey, receiving a 12.5% response rate. Responses provided useful feedback on developments within membership and the perceived value of proposed new membership benefits.
The Helpline Freephone Range (HFR) continued to fulfil an important function in keeping call costs affordable for service providers by capping the rate charged by the telephone provider at 2.1 ppm.
BTs agreement to waive the Payphone Access Charge for members resulted in a saving of £34,479 during 2025/26.
Introduced ‘Commercial Collective’ for professionals in other sectors such as health and social care, public services, and the private sector. Training courses created to elevate performance, protect teams and strengthen staff wellbeing and resilience, while continuing to build on our expertise in supporting helplines.
Delivered 131 training sessions to 1,376 delegates, supporting 174 different organisations. 779 delegates completed training feedback, of these 98% said their expectations were met, 98% said the training was relevant to their needs and 99% said they would recommend our training.
Helplines continue to recognise the value of certifying their services against the Helplines Standard. To support organisations at every stage of the journey, assessors now offer pre-assessment chats, giving helplines the opportunity to discuss the process in depth and prepare confidently ahead of the assessment day. One-to-one video calls also continue to be available for those exploring whether certification is the right fit for their service.
In the 2025/26 financial year, 19 helplines achieved certification — comprising 6 new certifications and 13 successful recertifications. As of 31 March 2026, 18 organisations are actively working towards certification, reflecting continued growth and commitment across the sector.
The sixteenth AGM was held in October 2025 followed by a successful Annual Conference in November 2025.
We received consultancy enquiries for workshops, policy reviews, and support setting up helplines or digital channels.
The fourth Helplines Awareness Day took place on 23 February 2026. This was a week-long campaign to raise awareness of Helplines Partnership, to encourage use of the Helpline Hub online directory, and to promote the amazing work of the helpline sector. We launched ‘Developing in the Dark’, (a portrait photography exhibition with Little Vintage Photography), showcasing the impact helplines have on transforming lives. The exhibition was displayed at Baltic Creative, Liverpool, with a special evening viewing, attended by guests including the Mayor of Liverpool. Helplines Partnership also acquired digital screen advertising at Liverpool One and Liverpool train stations, helping us reach more people.
We established a presence at the Labour Party Conference by securing a high demand stand in a prominent location. During the conference we were able to engage with delegates and several high-profile politicians and stakeholders. We were also able to engage with potential members and partners in attendance. We distributed information about HLP and our products/services and established a new relationship with JC Decaux and won a digital advertising campaign.
The Finance Sub Committee held quarterly review meetings. The Board continued to monitor progress, whilst aiming to develop and protect the charity.
The budget was produced for the 2025/26 financial year with an October 2026 re-forecast. The risk register was also reviewed quarterly.
The final Board meeting of the financial year 2025/26 was held on 5 March 2026.
The Board receives regular updates on the operational performance of the charity.
Future plans include:
Strengthen the skills and diversity of the Board.
Strengthen the resource, skills and diversity within the staff team.
Establish and implement a new four-year strategic plan.
Develop the number and diversity of organisations represented as members.
Develop new ways of engaging with members and potential members.
Increase HLP’s training presence to wider audiences.
Improve training course content and identify new training course material.
Promote the benefits of achieving the Helplines Standard Certification to demonstrate the development of quality within the helpline sector.
Rebrand the ‘Find a Helpline’ online directory, to ‘The Helpline Hub’, (an online tool to help people in need of support find help). Enhance the design to be more accessible and progressive, reflecting the audiences we are trying to reach.
Create a Helpline Sector Magazine with a view to launching during 2026.
Become the authoritative voice of the helpline community, trusted by members, policymakers, funders, and visible to the public.
Expand HLP’s reach and influence on social media platforms to attract and retain members through interactive video content.
Identify and develop new partnerships to enhance and add value to the work by HLP.
Strengthen strategic partnerships, working collaboratively with all stakeholders to achieve success, profile and influence.
Continue the long-term financial sustainability of the charity.
The charity has reviewed additional commitments which would need to be met if the organisation ceased operating. A designated fund has been created, comprising redundancy costs (including contractual notice payments).
Our experience over previous years has led us to focus upon building sustainable reserves, with unrestricted funds maintained at a level of not less than between three months and six months anticipated expenditure. As at 31 March 2026, the unrestricted fund was equivalent to 6 months expenditure, within the stated target. The Trustees have aspirations for further investments for the development of membership, marketing and communications and campaigns
The total income for the period was £636,156 while total resources expended were £590,516 leaving a net surplus of £45,640.
The principal funding sources for the charity were from membership fees, member services, notably training and helplines standards.
The financial operation of the charity is closely scrutinised through the Finance Sub-Committee meetings and full quarterly meetings of the Board.
Helplines Partnership is committed to delivering a strong membership proposition. It seeks to deliver this through the provision of high-quality services to helplines and by strongly advocating more widely the value that helplines contribute to the wellbeing of individuals and society.
The Board receives regular updates on the operational performance of the charity.
Helplines Partnership is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 25 January 2008 and registered as a charity on 11 September 2008. On 26 September 2012, a strategic merger was completed of The Helplines Association and Mental Health Helplines Partnership. This combined the two helpline sector membership bodies under the current name and at the same time adopted a new Memorandum and Article of Association to reflect this.
The Memorandum and Articles is supplemented by a Governance Manual which provides detail for the day-to-day governance of the charity through the Board and Sub-Committees.
In the event of the company being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £l .00.
The number of members of the company is unlimited; each member organisation has the right to appoint one representative by written notice to the company. None of the rights of any member of the company may be transferred or transmitted to any other person.
The Directors of the company are also Charity Trustees for the purpose of the charity law and under the company's Articles are known as members of the Board of Trustees. Members have the right for their representative to stand for election to the Board of Trustees. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association the members of the Board of Trustees are elected to serve for a period of three years after which they can be re-elected for a second three-year period.
The Board has the power to co-opt and member Trustees are formally appointed by voting Members at the Annual General Meeting. The Board met four times and the Finance Sub Committee met four times during the period.
Day to day responsibility of the organisation is delegated to the Chief Executive, who has responsibility for the overall charity, ensuring the organisation is run in line with agreed strategy and policy and that key targets are achieved.
The majority of the Board is comprised of representatives of member organisations. Through their knowledge and relevant experience, Trustees are familiar with the practical work of the charity and the sector. Where applicable training opportunities are made available to enhance their knowledge within relevant areas.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Azets Audit Services be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at the Annual General Meeting.
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Trustees, who are also the directors of Helplines Partnership for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts 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 accounts, 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 accounts; and
- prepare the accounts 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 accounts 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.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Helplines Partnership (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2026 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet and the 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, 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 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.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the Trustees' report; or
sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
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.
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.
Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council’s website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.
We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, its activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying with that framework. Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.
In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included:
Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims as well as actual, suspected and alleged fraud;
Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;
Assessing the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations considered to have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the entity through enquiry and inspection;
Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
Performing audit work over the risk of management bias and override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for indicators of potential bias.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's trustees 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 charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Azets Audit Services is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
Voluntary income
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Helplines Partnership is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is C/O Azets Westpoint, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, PE2 6FZ.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, 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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity 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 charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the 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 funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds include general funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and designated funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Donations, legacies and other forms of voluntary income are recognised as incoming resources when receivable, except insofar as they are incapable of financial measurement.
Training and Helplines Standard income is recognised in the period in which the training or Helplines Standard is completed.
Grants receivable and trading income are recognised on a receivable basis.
Membership subscriptions are apportioned over the period to which the subscription relates.
Investment income is accounted for on a receivable basis.
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.
Expenses are provided for on an accruals basis. Expenditure includes VAT which cannot be recovered and is therefore reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries.
Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.
All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the statement of financial activities on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with maturities ending within three months or less of the year end, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Short-term deposits with original maturities of between three and twelve months are shown within current asset investments.
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.
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.
Payments to the multi-employer defined benefit scheme 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.
Voluntary income
Helplines Standards
Advertising
Helpline Freephone Range
Partnerships
Conferences
Training
External trainers
Staff costs
Board meetings
Trustee expenses
Insurance
Governance costs includes payments to the auditors of £8,800 (2025 - £8,000) for audit fees.
None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year, 6 Trustees were reimbursed a total of £751 for travelling and subsistence expenses (2025 - £823).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The average full time equivalent number of employees during the year was 10 (2025 - 10).
Helplines Partnership is a registered charity. It only applies its funds in accordance with its charitable objectives, and is not trading with a view to making distributable profits, therefore corporation tax is not chargeable.
The charity participates in a defined contribution scheme. The contributions to this scheme during the year were £24,607 (2025 - £25,405), and an amount of £3,960 (2025 - £4,036) was outstanding at the end of the year.
Defined benefit schemes
Historically the charity participated in The CARE scheme, a multi-employer defined benefit scheme, but has not had any employees participating within the scheme for a few years and no contributions were payable during the year. The last employee who had been a member of the scheme ceased working for the charity in 2020. The charity has not been advised by the scheme of any deficit in the scheme or any obligation to make additional contributions in respect of historic service. The trustees understand that it is not possible in the normal course of events to identify on a consistent and reasonable basis the share of underlying assets and liabilities belonging to individual participating employers, because the assets are co-mingled for investment purposes, and benefits are paid from total scheme assets. Accordingly no asset or deficit in respect of the scheme has been recognised in these accounts.
The income funds of the charity include the following designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the Trustees for specific purposes:
The existing commitments fund represents the charity's existing commitments. This fund is adjusted annually by transfer to or from unrestricted funds.
The charity encourages participation in the Trustee board from member organisations. There are therefore transactions between the charity and other organisations connected to the Trustees. These transactions are on the same basis as with other members. The Trustees are not aware of any other related party transactions.