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)".
The trustees of Home Start Nottingham have paid due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit reporting in deciding what activities the charity has undertaken this year.
The objectives for which Home Start Nottingham is established are:
To safeguard, protect and preserve the good health, both mental and physical, of children and parents of children
To prevent cruelty to or maltreatment of children
To relieve sickness, poverty and need amongst children through the support of their parents and guardians
To promote the education of the public in better standards of childcare within the area of Nottingham City and its environs, and the boroughs of Broxtowe, Gedling, Rushcliffe and Ashfield.
During the year, Home Start Nottingham has contributed to its objectives by supporting 662 (2025: 85) families and 1,006 (2025: 193) children through our home visiting and group organised activities.
Any family with at least one child under 8 years of age living within the charity's catchment areas can refer themselves to the charity or be referred by another agency with the family’s permission. Accepting support from Home Start Nottingham is entirely a matter of choice for the family concerned.
Parents have benefitted by increased self-confidence and more engagement within their local communities.
Children have benefited from their parents’ improved parenting skills and the impact of positive role modelling by volunteers.
Our family group sessions have taken place in Hyson Green, Clifton, Strelley and St Anns. The group sessions are funded from Small Steps Big Changes Legacy Fund. Play sessions are arranged to provide children with more social and educational opportunities. Families are signposted to health services and referral made to the local foodbanks as required
Through home visiting and support given by volunteers, parents are helped to provide safer environments for their children and healthier lifestyles. During the financial year our volunteers have provided 10,978 hours of support to local families. (2025: 12,300 hours)
The year ended 31 March 2026 was the first full financial year following the end of the ten-year SSBC commissioned services contract in March 2025. Total income reduced to £309,261 compared with £663,270 in the previous year, primarily reflecting the reduction in charitable activity income following the end of the SSBC contract.
During the year Home-Start Nottingham continued to receive funding from a range of sources including HIIF, the Small Steps Big Changes Legacy Fund, Nottinghamshire County Council Local Communities Fund, Pears and the Henry Smith Charity.
Total expenditure reduced to £415,892 compared with £563,836 in the previous year, including a significant reduction in staff costs. The charity recorded net expenditure of £106,631 for the year compared with net income of £99,434 in the previous year. At 31 March 2026 unrestricted funds stood at £641,992.
Reserves Policy
The trustees wish to maintain a level of unrestricted reserves which will enable the charity to meet its financial obligations should the charity be unable to continue. The reserves policy is reviewed annually and the trustees have agreed to set the level needed at three months’ running costs. Three months running costs (excluding the service contract with HIIF)) amount to approximately £80,000. The unrestricted reserves held at 31 March 2026 of £641,992 are therefore considered adequate for this purpose.
As a result of changes to legislation introduced in The Pensions Act 2011, Home Start Nottingham was advised by its pension provider, the Pensions Trust, that it faces a potential liability for debt on withdrawal from the pension scheme. The trustees have built reserves to a level sufficient to cover this liability and review this position regularly (see note 16). Home Start Nottingham was made subject to auto enrolment of pensions in July 2016.
Future
Following the end of the SSBC commissioned services contract in March 2025, the trustees continue to focus on the long-term financial sustainability of Home-Start Nottingham. This includes diversifying funding sources, securing new grant and commissioned income, carefully monitoring expenditure and using the charity’s reserves prudently where required to maintain services.
During 2025/26 the charity secured and continued funding from a number of sources, including HIIF, the Small Steps Big Changes Legacy Fund, Nottinghamshire County Council Local Communities Fund, Pears and the Henry Smith Charity. The trustees will continue to review income, expenditure and service delivery to ensure that activities remain sustainable whilst continuing to meet the needs of families.
Home Start Nottingham is a registered charity, Charity number 1097005. The Charity is incorporated under company number 04698694 as a company limited by guarantee and is therefore governed by a memorandum and articles of association.
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:
Dr K Allen was appointed Co-Chair on 21 January 2026, Ms C Howling was appointed in January 2024
The Trustees of Home Start Nottingham employ the staff and are responsible for the effective management of Home Start Nottingham including funding, insurance, premises and good employment practice.
The Trustees ensure that proper links are developed with the statutory caring agencies and with other voluntary organisations within the community.
The trustees meet at least eleven times a year in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of Home Start Nottingham, which specify meeting at least four times a year.
Risk factors
As part of their overall duties of management the trustees have a responsibility to ensure that major risks to which Home Start Nottingham is exposed are reviewed and that systems are established to mitigate those risks. The trustees consider that a major risk is one which if it occurs would have a severe impact on operational performance, achievement of aims and objectives, or could damage the reputation of Home Start Nottingham, changing the way the trustees, volunteers or families might deal with Home Start Nottingham. The trustees recognise that risk can arise, not only from Home Start Nottingham’s activities but also from failure to act or exploit opportunities.
Whilst we are an independent local charity, Home Start Nottingham is a federated member of Home Start UK. This membership brings the important benefit of internal policy development and the quality assurance framework. The federation also works hard to influence national policy development to further our shared strategic vision and mission.
Trustee Recruitment, Induction and Training
Home Start Nottingham carries out a skills audit of current trustees which identifies knowledge gaps within the board and then actively takes steps to recruit trustees accordingly.
In order to become familiar with the practical work of the Charity, trustees will receive a copy of the Annual Report, the Memorandum and Articles and the latest financial reports, together with being assigned a buddy (a mentor from the existing trustee board). They will also meet with the CEO and existing trustees as well as being offered opportunities to visit with the staff team.
Additionally, they (along with Management Committee members and any trustees who would like to take refresher training) are invited to attend induction training which covers the following areas:
Governance
The Home Start Agreement
Training and Support
Roles and Responsibilities
Communication
Local Scheme Information
Best Practice Guides
Safeguarding
Quality Assurance
All trustees are then signposted to any other relevant training throughout the year.
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Home Start Nottingham (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000, the independent examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of Chartered Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Home Start Nottingham is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Suite 9, Arnold Business Centre, Brookfield Gardens, Nottingham, NG5 7ER.
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 charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities 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 general funds – these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds – these are funds that 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.
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
Voluntary income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
Donated services and facilities are included at the value of the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.
Investment income is included when receivable.
Incoming resources from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.
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.
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates:
Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
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 expenditure categories of the SOFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis e.g. floor areas, per capita or estimated usage.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
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 average monthly number employees during the year was:
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
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.
Although the scheme is a defined contribution scheme, employees paid into a growth plan series 3 prior to October 2013. The debt on withdrawal from the scheme amounted to £2,003 (2025 - £2,466) as shown on the most recent report dated 30 September 2025 (2024 - 30 September 2024).
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.
Small Steps Big Changes Legacy Funds: Funding is provided by CityCare as part of the Small Steps Big Changes Legacy Fund to support family group activities, including sessions delivered in Hyson Green, Clifton, Strelley and St Anns, together with other activities agreed under the funding arrangement. Expenditure is restricted accordingly.
Notts County Council Local Communities Fund
Nottinghamshire County Council Local Communities Fund: Funding is provided by Nottinghamshire County Council to contribute to work in the Boroughs of Broxtowe, Gedling, Rushcliffe and Ashfield providing Co-ordinators who link volunteers to families with children under 8 needing support. Expenditure is restricted accordingly.
Pears Compassionate Communities Fund:
Funding is provided by Pears, managed by Home-Start UK, to pioneer new volunteering roles and recruitment methods. Expenditure is restricted accordingly.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2025 - none).