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**Freedom from Torture is a** - 7 a ° - < oe **UK‑wide charity that supports people who have survived torture to heal, feel safe and strong again.**
**We help survivors in their recovery as they heal from trauma, re-establish relationships and trust and rebuild their lives.**
**Together with torture survivors, we campaign** : - ~ = : ~ re ae ee **against torture and for the rights of survivors** - a i oo : . “ . ae Lt, se - a **seeking asylum in the UK.**
## **Contents**
|**Contents**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Forewords**|**3**|**Financial Review**|**28**|
|**Key Achievements**
**Changing Lives**
**Survivor Leadership and Influencing**|**6**
**10**
**16**|**Risk Management**
**Organisational Structure**
**Statement of Trustees Responsibilities**|**32**
**33**
**35**|
|**Changing the System**
**To our Volunteers**|**18**
**21**|**Independent Auditor’s Report**
**Financial Statements and Notes**|**36**
**39**|
|**To our Supporters**
**Thank You**|**22**
**23**|**Reference and Administrative**
**Details of the Charity**|**55**|
|**Strategic Review**|**24**|||
|**Plans for Future Period**|**26**|||
|**Fundraising Statement**|**27**|||
## **Together for a world free from torture**
**For over 40 years, Freedom from Torture has offered a lifeline for people who have survived the unimaginable.**
Across our treatment services for London and the South East, the North East, the North West, Scotland and the West Midlands, we have supported our clients with a holistic programme of therapeutic and practical support. We have stood alongside tens of thousands of torture survivors as they navigate the long journey of recovery. Through expert clinical, immigration and welfare support we’ve helped survivors improve their physical and mental health, recover their confidence and rebuild their lives in safety.
While this has been a challenging period, it has also reaffirmed our duty to the people we serve and to survivors across the globe. We remain committed to delivering the highest quality of care and to ensuring that no survivor is forgotten, as we adapt to meet the realities of an increasingly hostile and changing world.
As with so many charities across the UK, the cost-of-living crisis has significantly affected Freedom from Torture – as we face rising operational costs while being inundated with referrals for our services. With increasing financial pressures, countless charities are being forced to turn away the people who come to us seeking help.
But 2024 brought serious financial challenges. With the deepest regret, our Board of Trustees made the heartbreaking decision to close our two smallest treatment services in the North East and West Midlands – services that had provided outstanding care and hope for so many. This decision, though regrettably necessary to protect the long-term future of our work supporting survivors of torture, was made with immense sadness.
Now more than ever your support is vital to Freedom from Torture. Please give whatever you can today to stand with survivors, help safeguard our critical services and keep fighting together for a world free from torture.
A sincere and heartfelt thank you to you all – survivors, supporters, volunteers and staff alike – whose dedication and resolve mean we can continue to make a real difference in the lives of people who have survived torture.
Our teams responded with the highest level of care, working tirelessly to ensure around 100 service users were safely and compassionately discharged into the care of GPs and local services. For any survivor who needed it, we provided clinical evidence to support their asylum claims and documented vital health needs – ensuring no survivor was left behind. We continue to offer medico-legal reports to survivors in these regions.
**Kate Sayer** Chair of Trustees
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## **We won’t stop**
**On Christmas eve 1985, Freedom from Torture was born from a refusal to turn a blind eye to torture.**
Our founders were united by a profound moral outrage at the use of torture to silence and destroy lives. With deep compassion for those who had endured the worst of humanity, they came together to provide the critical services needed to support survivors to heal, reclaim their voices and rebuild their lives in safety – services we are so proud to continue to this day.
stood before global leaders in Geneva in a landmark briefing with this expert body and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) calling for a truly survivor-centred approach to justice and accountability. The UN Committee formally committed to embedding survivor-centred principles into its work and the international anti-torture framework. This commitment, secured through lived experience leadership, is now influencing reforms across the world.
Just one year earlier, the United Nations adopted the Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) – a global commitment that no one should ever be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. It marked a watershed moment. And yet, four decades later, we see that promise under threat. The global ban on torture, one of humanity’s clearest moral lines, is being challenged. Even in countries like the UK, hard-won protections are being eroded. But far from deterring us, this deepening injustice only strengthens our focus and resolve to fight back. And there is hope. Here in the UK, public support for upholding the torture ban has grown significantly. People are standing together, united in our shared values of compassion and fairness.
In a period marked by profound loss through the closures of our West Midlands and North East treatment services, we stand firm in our mission to helping survivors of torture to heal, feel safe and strong again.
We continue steadfast with our commitment to offer our expert clinical services to as many survivors as possible. Our clinical model “Pathways”, including services co-delivered by survivors, has driven up the quality of our care, helping more survivors to overcome trauma symptoms more quickly. Thanks to these improvements in service efficiency, we have significantly offset the impact of reduced resourcing and via the refresh of our organisational strategy, shaped by the voices and experiences of survivors, we are strengthening our ability to respond to the evolving needs of our clients in a changing world for now and in years to come.
We were proud to have played a critical role in defeating the previous UK Government’s cruel “cash for humans” deal with Rwanda, laying groundwork and supporting the litigation and convincing airlines to back out of the scheme via our award-winning #StopTheFlights campaign. The “Day One” promise by Sir Keir Starmer to scrap the deal was a victory for humanity and it was welcomed by survivors of torture across the UK.
Sadly, in 2025 the need for our work has never been greater. But we know we are not alone. We are held up by an extraordinary movement of compassionate people who refuse to accept the unacceptable. Together, we are a force for change: exposing the real human cost of torture, holding governments to account on their responsibility to uphold fundamental human rights and helping tens of thousands of survivors to heal and rebuild their lives in safety.
In January 2025, we launched No Questions Asked, our hard-hitting investigative report exposing British universities for failing to conduct human rights checks when training security personnel from torturing states. By holding UK institutions to account, our movement is giving a clear message: not in our name.
**Sonya Sceats** Chief Executive
Our survivor leaders have continued to drive policy reforms in areas such as sexual violence in conflict, torture prevention and survivor-centred care. As part of the 40th anniversary of the UN Committee Against Torture, Kolbassia Haoussou MBE
**Thank you to each and every one of you for your unwavering commitment to survivors of torture. Despite the challenging situation we find ourselves in, together we stand united in ensuring that every person who has endured torture is given the chance to heal and live free from fear. Without you, we simply could not do this.**
**Ahlam Souidi, Senior Community Development Worker, at Freedom from Torture**
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## **Key Achievements**
**From January 1st 2024 to** OS ; = _ - **March 31st 2025, together we...**
## **Changed lives**
**Drove positive change through survivor leadership** 7] **640 and influencing**
survivors of torture were supported with **life changing holistic rehabilitation services.**
**Strengthened global advocacy on sexual violence prevention at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) International Alliance in Colombia in November 2024.**
**12,000+**
**hours of therapy attended by clients,** some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
**Briefing with the United Nations Committee against Torture and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture in Geneva as part of the UNCAT 40th Anniversary, securing a landmark commitment from the Committee to a survivor-centred approach to international reforms.**
**550** survivors supported with **vital legal and welfare services.**
**Organised by the European Commission and The United Against Torture Consortium, we briefed donors and EU partners on the importance of uniting forces to address deep challenges to human rights democracy and development – demonstrating the value of survivor-centred approaches to a highly influencial audience.**
**208**
**medico-legal reports and other forms of clinical evidence** provided for survivors in support of their asylum claims.
In 2024 alone, our medico-legal reports and other forms of clinical evidence in support of asylum claims **helped ensure positive Home Office decisions in**
## **over 80%**
**of first instance asylum claims** by survivors who were examined by our doctors.
## **Changed the system**
## **Asylum**
- **Refugee Ban lifted** – with a “ **Day One” promise** by the new Prime Minister to recommence the processing of asylum claims, pulling thousands of survivors of torture out of “limbo” and **paving the way for them to secure sanctuary in this country** .
- **Cruel “cash for humans” Rwanda scheme scrapped,** ending intense anguish for all survivors of torture who had faced expulsion to this well-known torturing state.
- **Closure of the Bibby Stockholm barge** , an inhumane “floating prison” used to detain people seeking asylum.
- **Secured a commitment from the Home Office to restart training** for their caseworkers on best practice when **handling medical evidence for asylum decisions** .
“Thank you for being a source of light during my darkest moments. The work you do changes lives – mine is a testament to that. I will carry your kindness with me always and remain forever grateful.”
## **Former Freedom from Torture client**
## **Accountability**
- Our **No Questions Asked** campaign secured a **commitment from UK police leaders to introduce human rights risk assessments** before partnering with universities on postgraduate security programmes.
- Survivor activism by the **Survivors Speak OUT (SSO)** network contributed to the new Government’s re-commitment to the **Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI)** with survivors now firmly at the heart of this flagship UK foreign policy initiative.
- **The UK reinstated funding to the UN Relief Agency in Palestine (UNRWA)** after Freedom from Torture and REDRESS publicised evidence that the decision to suspend funding was **based on intelligence extracted by Israeli torture** .
- The UK **withdrew its objections to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction over the situation in Palestine** , specifically in relation to arrest warrants for Israeli officials, after we repeatedly urged ministers to uphold the international rule of law, avoid double standards and **support the work of the ICC in its response to the crisis** .
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## **Recognition at the White House**
**Amplifying survivor voices on conflict‑related sexual violence**
**Kolbassia Haoussou MBE, Survivor Champion for the UK Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) and Director of Survivor Leadership & Influencing at Freedom from Torture, was invited to attend a Gender Policy Council roundtable on conflict-related sexual violence in June 2024 at the White House.**
## **Naseem’s story**
**One person who knows first-hand the difference your support makes is Naseem. At just 11 years old, after fleeing conflict in Lebanon with his family, Naseem found hope and healing through Freedom from Torture. Today, he shares how that support helped transform his life – and why it still matters.**
_“As someone who has received the care of Freedom from Torture and worked there, the moment I stepped into the London centre it was a warm, inviting space with sunshine pouring through the building and everyone was just so nice. Here, in one place, the service users could get everything from medical help, welfare advice, legal support to horticultural and music therapy.”_
Amazingly, years later, he returned to us as a trainee clinical psychologist before embarking on his career in the NHS, where he provides care and hope.
This was key to the launch of the Dignity in Documentation Initiative – a global effort to address conflict-related sexual violence and ensure survivors are given access to the holistic support needed when contributing to justice processes. Drawing on his own journey and the work of Freedom from Torture, Kolbassia advocated for survivor-centred approaches and stressed what we know to be true: no policy for survivors should ever be made without their voices at the heart of it.
**In recognition of this, Kolbassia was awarded a medal for personal bravery by then Vice President Kamala Harris – honouring not only his courage, but also the strength and resilience of all survivors who use their voices to speak out for what is right.**
“I can’t tell you how good it was to work in a service like this. When I was working at Freedom from Torture, there was a feeling that everyone that was accessing the service was really grateful for it and that’s the message I can pass on to supporters, thank you.”
**Naseem, former Freedom from Torture client and volunteer**
> **FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** i ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 i **| 9**
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## **Changing Lives**
**We are proud to provide outstanding clinical services to survivors of torture who are referred to us for specialist care, mainly by the NHS. Following a collaborative client needs survey in 2023, we have continued to evolve our services based on survivor priorities.**
Clients prioritised access to therapy, health assessments, pain management and medico-legal reports – all of which have been a key focus throughout 2024 and 2025. Informed by survivor insights, we introduced a stepped care model: a clearer, more structured journey from assessment to discharge, with recommended session numbers and durations. This will align our care more closely with the needs and hopes of the survivors we support. In order to maximise access for survivors, we also introduced a new shorter treatment pathway.
**From January 2024 to March 2025 208 medico-legal reports and other forms of clinical evidence were provided in support of survivors’ asylum claims**
This evidence often makes all the difference to a survivor’s ability to secure protection in this country, so that they can continue their journey of recovery without fear of being returned to their torturers. In 2024 alone, our expert clinical evidence of torture helped to ensure positive Home Office decisions in over 80% of first instance asylum claims for survivors who were examined by our doctors.
Our clinicians support clients to talk about and process their trauma in safety – using evidence-based therapies all tailored to the needs of each survivor. These include trauma-focused therapies such as Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and family therapies.
## **Sara’s story**
## **One of the survivors we helped was Sara. After arriving in the UK, she became very depressed.**
_“I no longer left my accommodation, and I thought suicide was the only way out. I’d escaped torture and death from a dictatorship, but now it would be life in the UK that killed me. Eventually I got in touch with Freedom from Torture and asked for help. With the therapy and group support my life started to have hope. I finally felt there was somewhere for me, someone looking out for me, people who understood._
_Because of all that, I am who I am today. I couldn’t have done it without Freedom from Torture’s help, therapy and support. That’s no exaggeration. My therapist and the team at Freedom from Torture saw my strength even when I didn’t see it myself, they helped me to heal.”_
## **Supporting recovery through pain management**
**Torture often leaves survivors with long-term pain that deepens psychological trauma. Our specialist pain management service works alongside trauma therapy to break this cycle, helping clients regain control of their bodies and lives.**
The service is led by a specialist nurse in pain management surrounded by an expert team of doctors, physiotherapists, massage therapists and with input from our psychological therapists. By providing personalised one-to-one and group sessions that blend physiotherapy, pain management education and strategies, cognitive behavioural therapy, and mindfulness, we are able to support clients to both understand their pain, as well as techniques to manage it.
By developing practical self-management skills, survivors gain the confidence to manage pain independently – leading to longer lasting relief and a stronger sense of agency in daily life.
In 2024, clients shared that they better understood their pain, felt more confident to engage in everyday activities and experienced a renewed sense of hope for the future.
_“I learned a lot about how to relax. I also learned a lot about pain in general, which was helpful too. Hearing from other members of the group and their similarity to my situation helped too – knowing I am not alone. I feel I have more acceptance of my pain. I accept it will not just all suddenly go away, but also that I can deal with it.”_
**Pain Management Client at Freedom from Torture**
““The pain management service provided here is absolutely invaluable. It is something that people cannot get anywhere else.”
**Zoe, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Pain Management Service Lead**
. “Because of people like you, I have a second chance at life. I started to get my confidence back then eventually got accepted as a refugee, allowed to work. I’m proud to work for the NHS and help people again. It’s who I am.”
**Sara, Freedom from Torture client**
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## **Finding our Ground – laying healing foundations**
## **Group work has always been a central part of Freedom from Torture’s approach to healing.**
In 2021, **Finding Our Ground (FoG)** was developed through collaboration with the Service User Engagement (SUE) team and clinicians, drawing on Freedom from Torture’s legacy of group therapy and evidence-based trauma practices, with a focus on early-stage support.
The 9-week stabilisation group has helped many of our clients at the beginning of their therapeutic journey to recovery. Co-facilitated by a therapist and a survivor of torture, the group weaves together clinical expertise with lived experience.
1~
18 group sessions were held between January 2024 and March 2025, helping survivors to feel less alone and better understand their trauma, as well as giving them essential tools to manage distress. Many have described the group as their first experience of safety and connection since arriving in the UK – laying the emotional groundwork for deeper healing and long-term recovery.
**This poem, co-produced with the group, gives testament to the positive impact of FoG on their recovery:**
## ~~Finding our Ground~~
## **Our services: for survivors, shaped by survivors**
**The needs of our clients are always evolving. That’s why we continually listen to those at the heart of our work to understand what is having real impact and where we must do better.**
“At every step, survivors are at the heart of our clinical model – shaping it, informing it and driving it forward.”
This process of meaningful engagement drives our commitment to reactive and survivor-centred care that adapts to meet real and changing needs, informing key decisions and improving the overall quality of our services.
**Jeremie, Survivor and Senior Service User Engagement Coordinator**
Over this time, clients commented that they have felt valued and included in Freedom from Torture’s decision-making processes, fostering a sense of empowerment and ownership over service improvements.
||At first, I felt shame,
~~Discomfort in expressing my thoughts,~~|Or maybe,
~~Like a prisoner,~~|To those who come after,
~~I would say this:~~|
|---|---|---|---|
||~~Discomfort in expressing my thoughts,~~
But over time,it became normal—|~~Like a prisoner,~~
Imprisoned for life.|~~I would say this:~~
Be strong.|
||I wasn’t alone.
~~Others shared the same pain,~~|Every few months,
~~Given a few hours of freedom,~~|Believe in yourself,
~~In the support you need,~~|
||~~Others shared the same pain,~~
And that made it easier to speak.|~~Given a few hours of freedom,~~
Allowed to meet family|~~In the support you need,~~
In the strengthyou alreadyhave.|
||~~I allowed it.~~|Or see the world,
~~Always under tight security.~~|This group taught me that.
~~It showed me~~|
||~~I allowed it.~~
The shame disappeared because I allowed it.|~~Always under tight security.~~
But the sentence remains.|~~It showed me~~
~~That I can,~~|
||It wasn’t just my burden,
~~It was ours.~~|~~Still, in that time,~~|~~That I can,~~
~~And I am~~|
||~~It was ours.~~
Together, we carried the weight|~~Still, in that time,~~
You breathe.|~~And I am~~|
||Of similar moments,
~~Unpleasant situations,~~|You feel a little bit of life again.
Strong.||
||~~Unpleasant situations,~~
But theygave me strength|I was thirsty—
~~Desperate for even a sip of water.~~
Strong.||
||To carry on.|~~Desperate for even a sip of water.~~
~~I couldn~~’~~t drink it all at once,~~||
||In that room,
~~I felt some kind of stability.~~|~~I couldnt drink it all at once,~~
It would be too much.
~~But the drips,~~||
||~~I felt some kind of stability.~~
~~Not enough to heal years,~~|~~But the drips,~~
~~They mattered.~~||
||~~Not enough to heal years,~~
Not enough to change everything,
~~They mattered.~~|||
||~~But in those moments,~~
~~I was interlinked~~|||
||~~I was interlinked~~
With my fellow participants.|||
||~~I benefited from that.~~
~~The issues we face~~|||
||~~The issues we face~~
Aren’t solved in five or six sessions,|||
||But they soothed the pain—
~~Like a sedative~~
bo,Seyoe*:
y|||
||~~Like a sedative~~
For a very sick person,
Easing the suffering
bo,S ey oe* :
y|||
||Easing the suffering
~~But never curing the illness.~~|||
Aren’t solved in five or six sessions, But they soothed the pain— ~~Like a sedative~~
For a very sick person, Easing the suffering ~~But never curing the illness.~~
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## **Tree of Life – ‘Empowering and Strengthening’**
## **The Tree of Life (ToL) is a narrative-based, strength-focused intervention therapy developed to support people affected by significant trauma and loss.**
It is offered to clients nearing the end of their therapy at Freedom from Torture in the reintegration phase of recovery – helping them to move forward with confidence as they leave our services.
ToL recognises that trauma can sometimes overshadow someone’s identity and can leave survivors with a ‘first story’ marked by pain and powerlessness. The Tree of Life process helps individuals move towards their ‘second story’ – a story rooted in positivity with a focus on their history, culture and hopes. It is co-facilitated with a survivor of torture and helps the group reconnect with a sense of self beyond trauma.
Clients often describe the Tree of Life group as ‘empowering and strengthening’, helping them to re-author their story and find strength through connection, community and hope.
_“I have seen first-hand how the Tree of Life group helps our clients to feel stronger and take back their story. As a survivor, I know that leaving Freedom from Torture’s services can be daunting, so I am really proud to be able to support people as they begin the next part of their journey – with confidence and positivity for the future.”_
**The Tree of Life – The Dulwich Centre**
“It’s so important to have a survivor co‑facilitating this stage of the client journey to show that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
**Borry, Survivor and Service User Engagement Coordinator**
## **Solidarity in the Face of Anti‑Refugee Riots**
**In the summer of 2024, the world witnessed the shocking scenes of violent anti-refugee riots across the UK. These were a stark and chilling reminder that hateful rhetoric inspires hateful acts. For many, they were deeply disturbing. For survivors of torture – people who have already experienced the worst of humanity – these events brought renewed fear and trauma.**
Our immediate priority was to keep people safe from harm, and that meant keeping essential services open and accessible. We know that explosive situations like this can be extremely re-traumatising and can worsen Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms – like anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping or difficulty eating. Our frontline staff worked to ensure every survivor of torture had the vital support needed to navigate these troubling times. For clients who were too scared to leave their accommodation, we offered remote therapy, legal and welfare appointments.
But despite the attacks, we also know that an overwhelming majority of people in this country welcome refugees. Thousands of compassionate people rose up in peaceful counter protests, sending a clear message: Refugees are welcome here. The hate may have been loud – but kindness and solidarity rang out louder.
_“This message is sent to you and all survivors of torture to let you know that you are not alone. We stand with you and join all of us who are against the horrific violence that has been happening.”_
In an incredible demonstration of unity and compassion, over 3000 of our loyal supporters sent heartfelt, loving messages to survivors of torture. One therapist said that, after sharing these messages, the survivors she was supporting felt a real sense of solidarity and felt more hopeful in humanity following the horrid impact of the riots.
**Message from a Freedom from Torture supporter**
RAesae Pee ee co **This shows the power of your solidarity, and how crucial your support is to help us provide the safe space of therapy for survivors to heal.**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
ae 3ahsaleh Bee- osi
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**----- End of picture text -----**
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 15**
## **Survivor Leadership and Influencing**
**Survivor leadership is not just part of our work – it is at the very heart of our mission to uphold the absolute ban on torture and improve the lives of people seeking asylum in the UK.**
Rooted in our belief that those who have faced the worst of humanity should be at the forefront of shaping the response, survivors have become leading advocates and changemakers, influencing laws for a more compassionate and just world.
In 2024 alone, over 70 external organisations – including international institutions, governments and leading NGOs – have sought our support to learn from our model of survivor empowerment. Survivors have taken centre stage in major policy consultations as respected experts by experience. Their courage has elevated the profile of survivor leadership both in the UK and globally, inspiring a shift in how institutions view lived experience: not simply valuable, but transformative.
**70 external organisation have sought our support to learn from our model of survivor empowerment**
## **The new Government’s public commitment to centring survivors**
As survivor champions for the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI), Kolbassia Haoussou MBE and Nadine Tunasi have set remarkable examples of the critical role that people with lived experience can play in the development of policies and practices that affect them, when offered a seat at the table. Their work with the UK Government offers a model of survivor leadership from which others can learn. The new Government’s commitment to continuing this work is testament to its success.
At the end of 2024 the UK’s new Minister of Human Rights outlined his priorities in a speech to mark Human Rights Day. The Minister paid special attention to his role as the Prime Minister’s newly appointed Special Representative on the UK Foreign Office’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, expressing his commitment to put survivors “at the heart of our approach, helping amplify their voices and strengthen our collective action."
**Kolbassia speaking at the International Alliance for the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PSVI) iniative in Colombia.**
## **Strengthening global advocacy at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) International Alliance**
In November 2024, UK PSVI Survivor champions Kolbassia Haoussou MBE and Nadine Tunasi and Coordinator of Survivor Activism Sepideh Sahar stood alongside survivors from across the world at the International Alliance for the PSVI initiative in Colombia.
Working hand-in-hand with Colombian survivors, they co-created national action plans and facilitated transformative workshops with the Global Survivor Advisory Group to set long-term priorities and messaging. Their efforts have been pivotal in pushing the International Alliance toward a survivor-centred approach – one that recognises lived experience not just as testimony, but as expertise.
**This powerful gathering brought together voices from member states, diplomats, multilateral institutions, academics and civil society – but it was the voices of survivors that were the driving force in the discussions.**
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## **Changing the System**
**Since January 2024, critical steps have been taken to undo the damage caused by the previous Government and to create a fair and more compassionate asylum system, working to ensure the UK’s role as a place of sanctuary for torture survivors in search of safety and hope.**
Both the “cash for humans” Rwanda scheme and the use of the quasi-detention Bibby Stockholm barge have been scrapped – landmark moments that mark the end of some of the most dehumanising asylum policies in recent memory.
We stood firm against them, drawing on our unique clinical expertise and the powerful voices of survivors, whose lived experiences made it impossible to ignore the real human cost of these immoral schemes.
_“ This is the true, utterly shameful legacy of this Every day in our therapy rooms we saw the awful inhumane plan. The Rwanda scheme may be toll it took on people – survivors expressed their_ : gone, but we need to make it clear that there is_ : - 7 8 . _- 62ene — - _hopelessness, their utter despair, some even said no place for policies that defy our legal and moral they’d take their own lives rather than get onto a plane to Rwanda. Even after its withdrawal, duties. Instead, this Government must create an this cruel “cash for humans” deal continues to asylum system that is compassionate and fair, inflict harm on some of the most vulnerable in our with protection at its heart.” society – men, women and children who’ve fled_ **Laura, Clinical Psychologist and** _war and torture._
**Laura, Clinical Psychologist and Head of Clinical Services, London.**
**32,500+ supporters took campaign actions to stand in solidarity with survivors of torture in** BE **2024 alone.**
_“The ‘Refugee Ban’ left thousands of refugees in limbo – it denied a decision on their asylum claim so they were unable to rebuild their lives in the knowledge that they were safe. For survivors like me, this meant the threat of being sent back into the hands of my torturers. So many people were unable to recover or move on. Lived experience groups like Survivors Speak OUT and organisations like Freedom from Torture campaigned tirelessly to persuade Labour to lift this unlawful and inhumane ban. Now we’re working with the Government to ensure they can process these claims fairly, effectively and, above all, with compassion.”_
The new Government overturned the heartless and damaging ‘Refugee Ban’, re-establishing the right to asylum for thousands of people who had been left in “limbo” for so long. Freedom from Torture played a central role in shaping the national conversation and leading the charge against policies that stripped people of their basic human rights.
Described by a leading funder as “wins for the ages”, these seismic victories have not only changed lives but they are a testament to the power of targeted, survivor-centred advocacy and collective action. But we must remain vigilant. The new UK Government is also putting barriers in the way of survivors securing protection in this county, weakening frameworks that the UK was integral in creating in the wake of the horrors of the Second World War.
**Nadine Tunasi, PSVI Champion and Survivors Speak OUT Manager**
**We urge the Government to turn its attention back to the vital work of rebuilding an asylum system that is effective, fair and compassionate at its core so we can be confident that we are providing sanctuary to those who desperately need it.**
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don’t risk teaching torturers.
## **No Questions Asked**
The campaign has already driven meaningful change. In direct TART: response, UK police leaders have ' tuniunc 4 » committed to implementing human rights risk assessments before partnering with {,) universities on postgraduate security programmes. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) —_ and Home Office have also affirmed their expectation that universities (especially in their overseas dealings) must act responsibly and uphold their obligations under the Human Rights Act.
## **In January 2025, we launched No Questions Asked, a pioneering investigation that pulled back the curtain on how UK universities risk teaching torturers from around the world.**
The report revealed that institutions across the country, including some of our most globally respected universities, are providing security education in areas such as surveillance, counterterrorism and intelligence-gathering, to groups and individuals from states where torture is widespread.
Alarmingly, just one of the 12 universities included in our investigation was able to provide a response to how it managed risks to human rights in its course provision, raising the real possibility that the knowledge and skills shared in British classrooms could be weaponised to silence and destroy lives.
_“UK universities must not be naive about the risk of contributing to human rights abuses. Admitting security students from states where torture is used as a tool to silence, without asking serious questions about the risks, is deeply irresponsible. I want to live in a country that sets an example to the rest of the world, that torture is always wrong, and without exception prohibited._
The investigation struck a national chord. A Channel 4 News feature amplified the findings with a national broadcast piece in their daily news bulletin exclusively revealing the findings of our report that then went on to reach over 150,000 viewers across social media platforms, bringing the issue to the forefront of public discussion on both traditional and new media channels. Over 4,600 supporters stood together with survivors, signing our petition to tell UK universities:
_The UK has a responsibility to make sure that what happened to me, and so many others, doesn’t happen with its support. As a survivor of torture, I will stand up and call out any institution that ignores this responsibility. I hope that British universities are willing to listen.”_
## **Musa, Survivor**
## **UK backsliding on the torture ban**
**During the King’s Speech in July 2024, it was announced that the extremely controversial Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act would be repealed.**
This marks a hard-won victory for truth and justice. We have long campaigned against this legislation, raising our voices at every stage of its journey through Parliament to expose how it threatened to erode the absolute ban on torture and could well deny survivors access to justice and accountability allow torturers off the hook.
In a further positive development, the so-called “Anti-Boycott Bill” has fallen. The previous Government’s dangerous proposal to strip public bodies of the ability to make ethical choices by refusing to do business with companies complicit in human rights abuses, including torture, failed to pass into law. We were proud to stand with those who opposed it, providing critical evidence that helped shape the debate in the House of Lords.
## **To our Volunteers**
**Freedom from Torture would not be able to provide the life-changing services to our clients without the enduring support of our dedicated volunteers. We are extremely grateful for the time and expertise you so generously give up to ensure our critical services are delivered to as many torture survivors as possible.**
## **Your time and dedication means the world**
_“I am a Clinical Psychologist and was retired from the NHS 12 years ago and looking for somewhere to volunteer that provided meaningful work, and where I could maintain and develop my clinical skills. Freedom from Torture is such a rewarding place to work. I have great colleagues both clinically (psychologists, nurses, doctors) but also interpreters, lawyers, social workers, admin and fundraising. I have excellent supervision which is very important especially being able to share some of the stories heard from clients and being guided in their treatment. The work is of course sombre in content and often slow but it is immensely rewarding to see clients get through some of their traumas and be able to lead more satisfying lives. It feels like a privilege to do this work. I also enjoy helping out at our magnificent fundraising events and meeting many supporters.”_
_“Freedom from Torture is a truly inspiring and_ jf _thoroughly professional organisation. It is one of the reasons I have volunteered for it for more than a decade. It’s a travesty that there’s a need for an_ i _organisation to be an expert in advocating against torture and supporting those who have experienced it – but thankfully we have one. The best thing about volunteering with Freedom from Torture is the understanding and appreciation of what volunteers_ ) _bring. I have done everything from working pro bono, using my professional skills to supporting large and small fundraising events.”_
**Michelle,**
**Jennifer,**
**Volunteer and long-term Supporter**
## **Volunteer Clinical Psychologist**
_“Freedom from Torture do amazing work. It does superb work in addressing some of the issues that survivors face. I’ve been to many FfT group workshops over the years and learnt about the difficulties that survivors face and the work that FfT practitioners do to help rehabilitate them. I’m also aware of the campaigning that is done to raise awareness of what it is like to be a refugee and asylum seeker in the UK._
_I’ve been privileged to attend events in Oxford with the Write to Life group and Survivors Speak OUT Workshops and it’s evident the impact that FfT has on those individuals’ lives. These wonderful people are being able to fulfil their potential as human beings and to society. When torture prevails, this opportunity is non-existent.”_
**Ann, Chair of the Oxford Freedom from Torture Group**
**20 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 21**
## **To our Supporters**
## **The beating heart behind this movement**
## **Thank you**
**Thank you to every single one of our loyal supporters for standing with survivors and extending compassion to those who arrive here to rebuild their lives in safety after torture. We are delighted to share funders below, who are happy for their support to be acknowledged.**
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**Over the past 40 years, you have stood beside us – not just as supporters, but as champions for survivors of torture. Your loyalty and belief in a world where healing is possible have carried our work forward, even in the most challenging times.**
## **Fundraising for survivors**
**Craig, running the London Marathon in support of Freedom from Torture.**
Alchemy Foundation
Barrow Cadbury Trust BBC Children in Need The Beatrice Laing Trust
Bertha Foundation Brook Trust
Bryan and Sirkka Sanderson Cathy Wills Charitable Trust Chillag Family Trust
City Bridge Foundation The Evan Cornish Foundation Finlay and Kathryn Ross Trust Glasgow Wellbeing Fund
Henocq Law Trust
Hugh Fraser Foundation Ian Mactaggart Charitable Trust The Jane and James Kessler Charitable Trust
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
London Churches Refugee Fund Mercers Company National Lottery Community Fund Netherdale Trust Oak Foundation The Open Society Foundations The Patricia Routledge Charitable Trust
Porticus
Project Giving Back The Rayne Foundation The Reed Foundation
Scottish Government
Sheila Truman Charitable Trust The Sigrid Rausing Trust The St Christopher’s Trust Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation The Tolkien Trust
Victoria Wood Foundation Yusef Foundation
**Chelsea Flower Show: A Sanctuary for Survivors**
A highlight of 2024 was the unveiling of The Freedom from Torture Garden: A Sanctuary for Survivors at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, made possible through the generous support of Project Giving Back.
Inspired by over two decades of horticultural therapy as part of our rehabilitation work, the garden reflects the quiet strength and healing power of nature. Designed in collaboration with survivors, many of the garden's features reminded them of home – and served to provide a safe space and the freedom to reconnect with the present moment.
Awarded a silver medal at Chelsea, the garden now lives on at our London centre. There, it continues to flourish – not simply the plants, but also hope, connection and resilience, offering survivors a space to heal and form meaningful bonds with others.
**Finding the Words Literary Festival**
In November 2024, our Finding the Words literary festival brought leading writers, poets and survivors together at the London Library for a night of powerful readings and reflection.
Hosted by comedian Miles Jupp, the evening featured performances by Julian Barnes, Victoria Hislop, Margaret Busby, Brian Bilston and our own Write to Life group. Each shared work exploring what it means to ‘find the words’ after trauma.
The evening raised an incredible £63,700 in support of not only our Write to Life group, but of all survivors rebuilding their lives in the UK.
_“The St Christopher’s Trust is a small charitable trust set up by my dad in 1972. Each year, we generate a small income from investments which we distribute to charities. Over the last 25 years, we have donated more money to Freedom from Torture than any other charity. The reason for this is that survivors of torture are rarely in the news and the range of health-related programmes and guidance that Freedom from Torture provides survivors is unique and essential, as is their campaigning and advocacy work._
_The St Christopher’s Trust is very proud to be in a position to help fund the Pain Management Service that Freedom from Torture delivers to those who carry the physical and mental effects of torture. It is a privilege to support in a small way both survivors and the dedicated people that work for Freedom from Torture.”_
**Tim, the St Christopher’s Trust**
**22 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 23**
## **Strategic Review**
## **2024–25 was the third year of our four year strategy.**
**The organisational strategy, in its third year of four in 2024–25, was co-developed with people with lived experience of torture and the UK asylum system. The four guiding goals are:**
## • Changing Lives
- Changing the System
- Survivors Driving Change
- Changing Ourselves
As our impact report shows, we made significant progress against these four strategic goals in 2024/25.
As we approach the end of our current strategic period, a number of workshops were held with service users to understand which areas of Freedom from Torture’s charitable work are most valuable to them. This engagement will play an important role in refreshing our strategy for the future.
## **Changing Ourselves: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion**
We are proud to have launched our new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy in 2024 which sets out our strategic approach to tackling structural inequality and promoting diversity and inclusion in all of our work to achieve a world free from torture. Developed in collaboration with survivors, staff, Trustees and partners, the strategy is grounded in lived experience and a shared vision. The strategy is built on six pillars: 1. We are supporting survivors with survivors 2. We are an anti-racist organisation 3. We are committed to promoting gender-inclusivity and LGBTQIA+ rights 4. We are supporting Disability and Neurodiversity 5. We are managing conflicts linked to identities positively 6. We are led by diverse, inclusive and effective leaders.
Since launching the strategy, our staff-led Race and Inclusion Taskforce has deepened its focus on anti-racism, centering the voices and experiences of survivor employees. This crucial work reinforces our organisation’s firm commitment to racial equity and inclusion.
In July 2025, Trustees took part in a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion session, supporting our goal of building a diverse, inclusive and effective leadership. We are proud to have 3 Trustees with lived experience of torture/the UK asylum system on our Board.
And we have continued to remove barriers in recruitment by:
- Making our application process more accessible to survivors, candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled and neurodiverse applicants
**Deluxe, Coordinator of Young Survivor Engagement, speaking at the Building Bridges event in Birmingham**
- Incorporating EDI questions into interviews, tailored by role level
- Sharing interview questions 48 hours in advance – an approach welcomed by candidates.
We’ve also developed and improved our Equality Impact Assessment processes for all policy reviews and organisational changes, ensuring inclusion is embedded and feedback informs the future of our organisational strategy going forward.
You can read our full strategy here.
**Our commitment to safeguarding**
As an organisation working with some of the most vulnerable communities in the UK, Freedom from Torture has embedded a strong safeguarding culture into all areas of our work. Safeguarding is overseen by two clinical Safeguarding Leads who meet regularly to review, discuss and manage safeguarding risks. A safeguarding leadership group meets quarterly to ensure that safeguarding best practice is followed across all directorates of the organisation. All staff and volunteers are expected to have a strong understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities, undertaking regular mandatory training. In addition, enhanced safeguarding training is provided annually, reflecting the specific challenges for Freedom from Torture’s client group.
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## **Fundraising Statement**
**Freedom from Torture is fortunate to receive the support from thousands of donors and funders to support our life changing work. With 95% of income received through voluntary contributions, ensuring our fundraising activities are managed effectively is extremely important to us.**
**Ahlam Souidi, Senior Community Development Worker, with a member of Freedom from Torture’s Women’s Group.**
In 2024/25, fundraising approaches included raising income from individuals through regular giving, appeals, local fundraising activities and events. In addition, we received income through the generosity of charitable trusts and foundations, companies and through gifts in wills.
To support our fundraising efforts, Freedom from Torture works with professional fundraising organisations, including face to face and telephone fundraising agencies. Freedom from Torture team members closely monitor these activities, through clear data sharing agreements, training and call quality monitoring to ensure personal data is handled correctly and individuals have a positive experience through these interactions.
To ensure that individuals who may be in vulnerable circumstances are protected, Freedom from Torture abides by its vulnerable adults fundraising policy, as do the professional fundraising organisations who work on our behalf. Following guidance from the Gambling Commission, there are additional protective measures in place for our lottery and raffle players.
Providing a positive supporter experience is central to all of Freedom from Torture’s fundraising activities. There are, however, occasions where individuals are not satisfied with our approach. All complaints are taken seriously and handled in accordance with our complaints policy. Each complaint provides us with the opportunity to listen to concerns and make improvements. In the 15 month financial year of 2024/25 we received 47 complaints, on issues including the frequency of fundraising asks, the content of our communications and delays with orders. 92% of these complaints were handled within 5 working days.
Freedom from Torture’s fundraising activities are governed by the Fundraising Regulator Code of Fundraising Practice. In addition, fundraising activities are also governed by data protection laws, regulated by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and the Gambling Commission for lottery and raffle fundraising.
## **Plans for Future Period**
## **Together for a future free from torture.**
**In 2025–26, we are focused on shaping the future for Freedom from Torture. We undertook a major survivor insight project at the beginning of 2025 as the starting point for a refresh of our organisational strategy for the period from 2026 onwards.**
We will retain our long term ambition to enable more survivors to heal from torture including by deepening our approach to services that are co-delivered with survivors, developing further our shorter care pathway and working in partnership with other services to ensure that survivors realise their right to holistic rehabilitation in the face of contracting voluntary and statutory services. We will continue to build power between survivors of torture and
supporters to achieve a world free from torture, challenging action by the UK Government that contravenes the rights of survivors, including as asylum seekers and refugees. Working with the Together With Refugees coalition, we will support communities across the country to show solidarity with refugees so that our politicians can see and feel for themselves the strength of support for refugees in their constituencies. We will continue to support UK initiatives that uphold the torture ban, such as the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, and support the Home Office to help improve the handling of medical evidence of torture and the quality of asylum decisions generally. We will invest in fundraising to ensure the sustainability of Freedom from Torture and lay groundwork for a digital transformation project to ensure we are harnessing the benefits of technology for survivors of torture and future-proofing our charity.
**Nafa, Chef and Torture Survivor.**
**Without the support of the thousands of individuals who support us, Freedomfrom Torture would be unable to deliver the services that enable survivors of torture to rebuild their lives.**
**We are so grateful to receive this support and commit to providing the best supporter experience possible, through our Supporter Promise.**
**26 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
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## **Financial Review**
## **For the 15-Month Period Ending 31 March 2025**
## **Financial Highlights**
## **Income**
Freedom from Torture is changing its financial reporting period. We have been reporting on January to December but given that the end of the calendar year is our most important fundraising period, we are moving to reporting from April to March in order to aid with income budgeting. To enable this transition, we have implemented a one-off reporting period of 15 months. Therefore, this report covers 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2025.
Total gross income for the period was £15,113,123. Most of our income comes from individual supporters in response to a diverse portfolio of fundraising activities. We also generate some income through fees for some elements of our services.
Our diversified fundraising portfolio remained strong, but the difficult financial environment has made maintaining income growth challenging in some areas.
Freedom from Torture is fortunate to have the support of many loyal and committed individuals. Income through regular gifts remains our biggest source of income, most of which were started more than 5 years ago.
Charitable expenditure was £10,982,209, which accounted for 77% of our overall expenditure. Staffing remains our biggest single area of expenditure, reflecting the nature of our work, with £7,092,379 going on payroll costs.
## **Financial position at the start**
## **of 2024**
Legacies **£5.45m**
Freedom from Torture entered 2024 with a strong financial position, with designated and restricted funds, excluding the fixed assets reserve of £5,568,688. This included a development fund which had been designated by Trustees, following the receipt of two exceptional legacies from previous financial years, for the strategic development and delivery of services and influencing work.
**£2.81m** Committed Donations (excluding Gift Aid)
Trusts & Foundations **£2.20m**
**£1.37m** Other Donations (excluding Gift Aid)
**£1.27m** Major Donations (excluding Gift Aid) **£0.99m** Gift Aid Tax Claimable
During the 15-month reporting period (January 2024 to March 2025), Freedom from Torture drew down the entirety of the remaining Development Fund (£1.337m) to support operations, alongside a further £260k from another designated fund. This proactive use of designated funds allowed us to continue the delivery of the activities survivors of torture rely on, while safely implementing a phased programme of savings to ensure long-term sustainability.
Income from Charitable Activities **£0.54m**
Other Trading Activities **£0.28m**
## **The largest sources of income during the financial year were:**
- Legacies were our biggest source of income. A major contributor to this was a single unexpected legacy of £2.1m received in June 2024, which Trustees designated as a new “Transformation Fund”.
- Committed donations came from around 16,000 individuals giving monthly gifts through direct debits and standing orders. The majority of these supporters have been giving for more than 5 years.
- Trust and foundations income included £1.24m in restricted funds towards the costs of activities across the whole of the services and influencing work delivered in the financial year.
- Other direct marketing included several different activities, including warm direct marketing, donor recruitment, community fundraising and special events.
- Major donor income came for a cohort of individual supporters who have developed relationships with the charity and its work through the cultivation work of our fundraising teams.
## **Expenditure**
Total expenditure during the 15-month period was £14,354,962.
**Charitable expenditure** was £10,982,209. The majority of which (70%), was on therapeutic services, including legal advice and welfare support for our clients.
- Staff cost relates to the salaries of the employees directly delivering our services and influencing work
- Direct costs relate to areas like interpreting, emergency relief payments to clients, travel costs for clients travelling to and from our appointments.
- Support costs include overheads such as premises, ICT and organisational running cost, plus an allocation of the salaries of support team like HR and Finance.
The **cost of raising funds** of £3,372,753 was
predominantly spent on generating voluntary income through donations and legacies, with 94% of fundraising expenditure going on this. The money spent on generating voluntary income goes on activities fundraising from individuals through legacies, committed gifts, direct marketing and donations from Trusts and foundations and grants from government and public bodies.
## **Looking ahead**
During the year It was decided to close our two smallest treatment services, in Newcastle and Birmingham. The decision was not a decision taken lightly, but it enables the charity to consolidate services and prioritise models of care that are more flexible and financially sustainable.
A portion of the £2.1m legacy received in June 2024 has been earmarked to cover the costs of closing the two treatment services mentioned above. The remaining Transformation Fund balance is expected to support adaptation of Freedom from Torture to a changing operating environment in alignment with our strategic plan. These decisions will be guided by operational readiness and financial capacity.
Investments **£0.14m**
Companies **£0.6m**
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## **Reserves**
Freedom from Torture’s reserves policy is designed to ensure the organisation can respond effectively to risks, such as unexpected drops in income or unforeseen increases in expenditure, while continuing to deliver vital services.
As at 31 March 2025, the charity held total unrestricted cash reserves of £3.523m These reserves include a Cash Backed General Reserve of £1.131m. Combined with the Working Capital General Reserve the total is £3.107m.
Trustees have agreed a target range for free reserves of 3 to 5 months’ operating costs. As of year-end, the free reserves stood at £3.107m (including working capital), equating to approximately 4.25 months of operating costs, within target range. The reserves policy is kept under regular review, informed by sensitivity analysis of income risks and potential cost reduction timelines, to ensure the charity remains financially resilient.
## **Investment Policy**
Available cash reserves are invested in short term deposits to generate a return and provide liquidity needed for the operational needs of the charity.
## **Going Concern**
In approving the 2025/26 budget, Trustees considered the organisation’s ability to continue operating as a going concern for at least the next 12 months.
Freedom from Torture started the financial year 24/25 with cash holding of over £4.2m, the vast majority of which is completely under the Trustees control, so the charity is able to weather any sudden changes in its projected income. Expenditure is in large part salaries and therefore not subject to unexpected fluctuations, giving further reassurance.
Having considered these factors, including known risks and available mitigations, Trustees have a reasonable expectation that Freedom from Torture has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.
Our projected income for the next three years will not cover projected cost rises for the charity. Therefore, Trustees and the Senior Management Team are developing plans to align income and expenditure. Work is being done on developing new income streams, including commissioning contracts and leveraging our building assets. We are also considering how to adapt our operating models to ensure we are better able to withstand ongoing income volatility while maximising our benefit for survivors of torture and ensuring the charity remains financially sustainable.
## **Designated Funds**
|**Designated**
**Funds**|**Designation**|**Use of fund**|**Value at**
**Year-end**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Fixed Assets
Reserve|Property (one building owned
by the charity used as a clinical
centre) & ICT equipment,
furniture, fixtures & fittings etc.|This represents the extent to which unrestricted
funds are tied up in the organisation’s property
and other fixed assets. The year-end balance is
equal to the book value of the fixed assets.|£3,582,526|
|Long-term
Donation|Gift given to the charity.
Donor expressed a wish that
the donation be invested
and the proceeds be used for
psychotherapy.|Trustees have invested the proceeds generated
by the investment of these funds in our
psychotherapy work in the financial year end in
March 2025.|£526,812|
|Major
Building
Repairs|Fund to cover any large- scale
repairs or refurbishments to
property owned by the charity.|This fund reduced in the financial year ended
March 2025 as it was used for some repairs to
our London building and to support our General
Reserve during the year.|£144,673|
|Transformation
Fund|Fund for the long-term
development of the organisation
and deliver the strategic plan.|Freedom from Torture received a legacy for £2.1m
in 2024. Trustees designated the funds, which are
to be used for Transforming the organisation’s use
of technology in order to improve efficiency and
effectiveness across all aspects of its work.|£1,720,000|
|Working
Capital
Reserve|Fund to cover working capital
needs. Level of fund required
is calculated as Current Assets,
excluding Bank and cash,
less Creditors.|Represents the extent to which unrestricted funds
are tied up in working capital (in particular where
significant legacies are due but not received).|£1,976,025|
|**Total**|||**£7,950,036**|
## **Conclusion**
The 15-month period to March 2025 was shaped by both significant financial challenges and robust responses. Thanks to strong legacy income, cost containment, and effective use of designated reserves, Freedom from Torture was able to maintain a high level of service delivery while taking steps to realign our financial model for long-term sustainability.
Trustees remain confident in the organisation’s resilience and strategic direction. The steps already taken to reshape operations, strengthen reserves, and focus investment on transformation will ensure that Freedom from Torture continues to stand with survivors of torture in the years to come.
**Emine, Senior Psychological Therapist, with Inara, Freedom from Torture client.**
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## **Risk Management**
## **We have a thorough approach to managing risk at Freedom from Torture, as set out in our Risk Management Policy. We use a risk register to document our most important risks and monitor measures in place to mitigate these risks.**
## **Capacity constraints**
Risk management is discussed regularly at Senior Management Team level. A summary of the top risks is reviewed at Board level, with scrutiny at Committee level followed by a full Board review at each regular Board meeting to ensure we have the most robust mitigation plans and strategies in place.
Our ambition continues to be an increase in the number of survivors accessing services at Freedom from Torture. We are reviewing our delivery models and learning from our survivor engagement in order to achieve this ambition. We will harness technology to improve how we work, as well as developing people and skills to use systems well.
The following are the top risks identified throughout the year:
## **Hostile environment**
## **Financial constraints and financial sustainability**
Survivors of torture come to the UK because of Britain’s history and culture of providing sanctuary. Freedom from Torture helps survivors to feel safe, but this is increasingly difficult in our towns and cities as public displays of antimigrant sentiment proliferate. Freedom from Torture will invest in our physical and cyber security to keep our clients and staff safe. The charity will continue to work with other charities, local authorities and other agencies to counter narratives and actions that make survivors feel unsafe.
With rising costs and a challenging public fundraising market, there is greater pressure to raise more funds in a difficult financial environment. The charity is considering ways to adapt operating models, using designated funds to achieve efficiencies through better use of technology, generating new sources of income as well as innovative fundraising. The strategic review underway encompasses a root and branch review of financial flows to ensure a stable plan going forward.
## **Organisational Structure**
## **Legal structure and governance**
Freedom from Torture is legally constituted as a company limited by guarantee. The organisation changed its legal name to Freedom from Torture on 28th February 2020, having previously been registered as the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. Our governing instruments are the memorandum and articles of association. We are registered with both the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Our only subsidiary, Survivors Trading Limited, is dormant and has no significant assets or liabilities.
## **Remuneration policy**
The remuneration of the key management post holders, who consist of the individuals disclosed in note 7 to the financial statements on page 49, has been established in accordance with market rates, taking into account the level of expertise, experience and skills required to fulfil the roles successfully. Our general staff remuneration policy was reviewed in March 2025 and approved by the Board of Trustees.
## **Governance and management**
The governing body of the charity is the Board of Trustees (the Board). The Trustees are also Directors of the company. The Board includes senior professionals in key disciplines relevant to the governance of the organisation: human rights, the UK asylum system, medicine, mental health, finance, accountancy, governance, fundraising and charity communications, who are able to assess and help us assess the opportunities and risks in their respective fields. We are also proud to have three Trustees with lived experience of torture and/or the UK asylum system.
The Board approves the strategy, annual budgets and major investments, alongside receiving the most recent management accounts and assessing overall performance. The Senior Management Team has delegated responsibility for operational management of the charity, taking day-to-day decisions in the interest of the charity. Sonya Sceats has been the Chief Executive since March 2018.
We appointed a new chair in October 2024, Kate Sayer who is a former Director of Integrity & Ethics at Oxfam and former partner at Sayer Vincent, an audit and advisory firm focusing solely on social purpose organisations. The Board of Trustees met for six regular meetings and four extraordinary Board meetings between January 2024 and July 2025. Additional sessions for Trustees are held each year to revisit assurance processes and strengthen Trustee skills.
**Yogi, Chef and Torture Survivor**
The new Chair initiated a Governance Review leading to a refresh of our Committee structure to be implemented in 2025. The revised Committee structure encompasses a Finance, Fundraising and Audit Committee, a Governance Committee, a Performance, Standards and Effectiveness Committee, and a People Committee.
The following standing Committees of the Board, each consisting of a number of Trustees, met between January 2024 and July 2025: Finance, Fundraising, Governance and Audit (six meetings), Performance, Standards and Effectiveness (four meetings) Remuneration (three meetings).
The Board received reports from the Chief Executive, members of the Senior Management Team and the Board Committees covering the finances of the organisation and the work of all directorates, noting significant developments in our work and in the environment in which we operate.
New Trustees are appointed by the Board when the need arises to replace leavers and strengthen particular core competencies against a skills audit. Details of changes to Trustees during the year are on page 55. Recruitment of new Trustees is through an open process, with vacancies advertised on various websites; applications are particularly
**Wendy, Horticultral Therapist, with a Freedom from Torture client.**
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encouraged from former service users with expertise in the fields sought. A recruitment drive was undertaken in 2024, resulting in the appointment of six new Trustees in 2024, including a new Board Chair and Treasurer, both appointed in October 2024.
The term of office is three years, after which a Trustee may be re-appointed for up to a maximum of two further terms. In exceptional circumstances, the Board of Trustees has the power to permit two Trustees to serve two years beyond a third term if the Board of Trustees considers it in the best interests of the charity.
In March 2018, Freedom from Torture adopted the Charity Governance Code (for larger charities) to continue to drive forward improvements in its governance.
Clinical services (including medical assessment, psychological treatment and care coordination) are provided through our treatment centres in England (London and South East, North West) and Scotland (Glasgow). We deliver one-to-one, group and family rehabilitation to survivors of torture and produce clinical evidence for use in the determination of asylum claims. We also offer placement opportunities for Psychology trainees, CBT trainees, Systemic Family Therapy trainees and Social Workers. We also provide clinical training to external organisations, including Psychology doctorate courses and IAPT services.
Legal and welfare casework support is provided to clients at all of the charity’s treatment centres.
We employed 136 people at the end of March 2025 and the organisation was fortunate to have the services of 90 part-time volunteers and 6 student placements. Most worked in the area of medical, therapeutic and casework services in our clinical treatment centres in London, Manchester and Glasgow (as well as Newcastle and Birmingham until January 2025). We continue to offer our Medico-Legal Report services in Newcastle and Birmingham.
The Trustees confirm that they comply with their duty in regards to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
## **Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities**
**The Trustees (who are also directors of Freedom from Torture for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report, Strategic Report and the Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).**
Company law requires Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of the 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 these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
In so far as the Trustees are aware:
- there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is 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 auditor is aware of that information.
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP);
- make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards including FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
The Trustees’ Annual Report is approved by the Trustees of the Charity.
The Strategic Report, which forms part of the Annual Report, is approved by the Trustees in their capacity as directors in company law of the charity.
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
Signed on their behalf by:
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 as amended by the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Amendment (No.2) Regulations 2014.
**Kate Sayer Chair, Freedom from Torture**
28 November 2025
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.
**34 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 35**
## **Independent Auditor’s Report**
## **Opinion**
## **Conclusions relating to**
## **going concern**
We have audited the financial statements of Freedom from Torture for the period of 01 January 2024 to 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement, the Accounting Policies and the notes to the financial statements. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
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.
## In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs from the period of 01 January 2024 to 31 March 2025 and of the charitable company’s incoming resources and application of resources, for the period then ended;
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
## **Other information**
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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. 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.
- have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (as amended) and regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
## **Basis for opinion**
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 there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. 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 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 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.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Charities Act 2011 or the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- the information given in the Trustees’ Annual Report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or
- the charitable company has not kept adequate accounting records; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we required for our audit.
## **Responsibilities of Trustees**
As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement set out above, 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.
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
We have been appointed as auditor Section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with regulations made under those Acts.
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 aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
- 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. 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.
- Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the charitable company’s internal control.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the Trustees.
- Conclude on the appropriateness of the Trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern.
- Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
- Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the business activities within the charitable company to express an opinion on the financial statements. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the charitable company audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit report.
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## **Explanation as to what extent 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, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.
The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, are; to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses to those assessed risks; and to respond appropriately to instances of fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the charitable company.
Our approach was as follows:
- We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the charitable company and considered that the most significant are the Charities Act 2011, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (as amended), regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), the Charity SORP, and UK financial reporting standards as issued by the Financial Reporting Council.
- We obtained an understanding of how the charitable company complies with these requirements by discussions with management and those charged with governance.
- We assessed the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements, including the risk of material misstatement due to fraud and how it might occur, by holding discussions with management and those charged with governance.
- We inquired of management and those charged with governance as to any known instances of non-compliance or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charitable company's Trustees, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 8 of the Charities Act 2011 and Section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’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 any party other than the charitable company and charitable company's Trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinion we have formed.
## **Luke Holt**
## **For and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP**
**Statutory auditor 9 Appold Street London EC2A 2AP**
1 December 2025
## **Financial Statements and Notes**
**Statement of Financial Activity Incorporating Income and Expenditure Account for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2025 (15 months)**
||**Notes**|**Unrestricted funds**|**Restricted funds**|**Total funds**|**Total funds**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|**2024–25**|**2023**|
|||||**£**|**£**|
|**Income from:**||||||
|Donations and legacies|2|12,848,579|1,300,188|14,148,767|8,899,573|
|Charitable activities|4|281,467|261,917|543,384|439,224|
|Other trading activities (incl. fundraising)|3|280,102|-|280,102|473,355|
|Investments||140,870|-|140,870|74,926|
|**Total**
**13,551,018**
**1,562,105**
**15,113,123**
**9,887,078**
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
5
3,372,753
-
3,372,753
4,069,151
Charitable activities
9,810,377
1,171,832
10,982,209
7,987,928
**Total**
**6**
**13,183,130**
**1,171,832**
**14,354,962**
**12,057,079**
Net gains/ (losses) on investments
9
(2,379)
-
(2,379)
9,139
**Net Income / (expenditure)**
**365,509**
**390,273**
**755,782**
**(2,160,862)**
**Net movements in funds**
**365,509**
**390,273**
**755,782**
**(2,160,862)**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
8,715,550
633,884
9,349,434
11,510,296
**Total funds carried forward**
**9,081,059**
**1,024,157**
**10,105,216**
**9,349,434**
eee
pd||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements. In the current and previous period the only restricted income was included in Donations and legacies and Charitable activities (see Notes 2 and 4); the only restricted expenditure was included in Charitable activities (see Note 6).
- Based on this understanding, we designed specific appropriate audit procedures to identify instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. This included making enquiries of management and those charged with governance and obtaining additional corroborative evidence as required.
**38 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
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## **Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025 (Covering the 15-Months Period from 1 January 2024)**
(Company limited by guarantee - registered no. 2398586)
||**Notes**|**2024–25**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|
|**Fixed Assets:**||||
|Tangible assets|8|3,806,310|4,045,696|
|Intangible assets|8|67,646|32,664|
|Investments|9|21,096|23,475|
|**Current Assets:**
Debtors
Short-term deposits
Cash at hand and in bank
**Creditors:**amounts falling due within one year
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**|10
11|**3,895,052**
2,830,999
2,401,860
1,832,280
**7,065,139**
(854,974)
6,210,164
**10,105,216**|**4,101,835**
2,262,068
1,600,000
2,415,088
**6,277,156**
(1,029,556)
5,247,600
**9,349,434**|
|||||
|**Net assets**||**10,105,216**|**9,349,434**|
|**Funds**|14|||
|Unrestricted funds:||||
|Designated funds||7,950,036|7,325,430|
|General reserve||1,131,023|1,390,120|
|Restricted income funds:||**9,081,059**
1,024,157
**10,105,216**|**8,715,550**
633,884
**9,349,434**|
## **Notes to the financial statements as at 31 March 2025 (Covering the 15-Months Period from 1 January 2024)**
The Trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements. After making inquiries, the Trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.
## **1. Accounting Policies**
## **General information and basis of preparation:**
Freedom from Torture is a charitable company limited by guarantee. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on page 55 of these financial statements. The nature of the charity’s operations and principal activities are included in the Trustees’ Report.
The financial projections for the coming year show that the charity will need to reduce expenditure in order to retain a safe level of General Reserve and remain financially sustainable into the future. Plans are being developed by the Senior Management Team for approval by Trustees that will implement strategic long-term reductions but retain the organization’s ability to deliver its strategic plan and charitable objects objectives. Trustees are confident that a range of options exist that allow for a sustained reduction in costs throughout the going concern assessment period.
The functional currency used to prepare the financial statements was Sterling and rounded to the nearest £.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014, as updated through Update Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and Update Bulletin 2 published on 5 October 2018, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 as amended by the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Amendment (No.2) Regulation 2014 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.
As a result of the strategic cost cutting plans discussed above, the existing General Reserve and designated funds, and the availability of assets that could be monetised if required, the Trustees have concluded that Freedom from Torture has sufficient financial resources to continue in operation and meet its obligations as they fall due from the 12 months from the date of approval of these financial statements.
## **Tangible and intangible fixed assets**
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently at cost less depreciation and any impairment losses. Purchases above £500 are capitalised according to our policy. Depreciation is provided at rates per annum calculated to write off the cost or valuation of each asset over its useful life, as follows:
The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value.
|calculated to write off the cost or valuation of each asset over
its useful life, as follows:|calculated to write off the cost or valuation of each asset over|
|---|---|
|Freehold land|0%|
|Freehold buildings|2%|
|Long leasehold building|2%|
|Computer equipment
Database software|25%
20%|
|Furniture, fixture and fitting|25%|
The financial statements do not consolidate the income, expenditure, assets or liabilities of the trading company as disclosed in note 9 due to their immateriality.
The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all periods presented unless otherwise stated.
The depreciation rates above reflect the duration that assets retain a value to the organisation.
Tim O'Sullivan-Guy (Treasurer)
## **Going Concern**
The Trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible events or conditions that might cause significant doubt on the ability of the charitable company to continue as a going concern.
Intangible assets are amortised over their expected useful life, as follows: 20% Software
**40 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 41**
**15 months to 31 Mar 25 15 months to 31 Mar 25 15 months to 31 Mar 25**
## **Investments**
Listed investments are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at fair value. Changes in fair value and gain and losses arising on disposal of investment are reflected in the Statement of Financial Activities at the balance sheet date. Investments in subsidiaries are stated at cost less any provision for impairment.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
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.
## **Financial instruments**
Basic financial instruments are measured at amortised cost other than investments which are measured at fair value.
## **Income recognition**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received.
For donations to be recognised the charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the charity and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.
No amount is included in the financial statements for volunteer time in line with the SORP (FRS 102). Further detail is given in the Trustees’ Report.
For legacies, entitlement arises when the charity is aware that probate has been granted. Receipt is normally probable when the executors have established that there are sufficient assets in the estate. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Income from trading activities includes income earned from fundraising events and trading activities to raise funds for the charity. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred.
## **Expenditure**
Direct charitable expenditure is analysed under four broad activity headings: medical/therapeutic/casework; education, training and information; human rights work; and relief
grants for individuals and families. Under each of these headings is included staff costs directly attributed to each activity, specific project costs and an allocation of shared costs such as premises and telephone usage on the basis of the staff time spent on each activity. Cost of generating funds includes direct expenditure incurred in relation to fundraising campaigns and events, staff costs directly attributed to this activity and shared costs which are allocated as above. Support costs represent those functions which are wholly or mainly in support of the above activities including senior management, human resources and financial administration. Governance includes only those costs associated with maintaining the charity as a legal, rather than an operational entity. See note 6.
## **Foreign exchange**
Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation are included in the Statement of Financial Activities for the period.
## **Operating leases**
The rentals paid on operating leases are charged to expenditure on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.
## **Pension cost**
The charity provides a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees and contributions payable for the period are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **Funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees, in furtherance of the general charitable objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in note 14. The General Reserve is the balance of unrestricted funds not designated by the Trustees. Restricted funds are funds, the use of which is subject to specific conditions imposed by the donors or as specified in an appeal to donors.
## **Critical accounting estimates and**
## **areas of judgement**
In preparing the financial statements it is necessary to make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that effect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. In the view of the Trustees, judgements, estimates and assumptions that had the most significant affect included legacy income recognition and depreciation, as per the accounting policies previously disclosed.
## **2. Donations and legacies**
**2024–25**
||**Unrestricted funds**|**Restricted funds**|**Total funds**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Trusts & foundations|959,103|1,243,975|2,203,078|
|Companies|54,922|7,008|61,930|
|**Individuals:**||||
|Committed donations (excluding Gif Aid)|2,814,414|-|2,814,414|
|Major donations (excluding Gif Aid)|1,242,688|30,505|1,273,193|
|Other donations (excluding Gif Aid)|1,348,789|18,700|1,367,489|
|Gif aid tax claimable|986,370|-|986,370|
|Legacies|5,442,293|-|5,442,293|
|**Total**|**12,848,579**|**1,300,188**|**14,148,767**|
|**2023**|**Year 2023**|**Year 2023**|**Year 2023**|
||**Unrestricted funds**|**Restricted funds**|**Total funds**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Trusts & foundations|516,384|704,123|1,220,507|
|Companies|61,778|-|61,778|
|**Individuals:**||||
|Committed donations (excluding Gif Aid)|2,318,476|-|2,318,476|
|Major donations (excluding Gif Aid)|1,050,061||1,050,061|
|Other donations (excluding Gif Aid)|1,213,345|117,496|1,330,841|
|Gif aid tax claimable|863,958|-|863,958|
|Legacies|2,053,952|-|2,053,952|
|**Total**|**8,077,954**|**821,619**|**8,899,573**|
During 2024-2025 a total of 180 legacy payments were received totalling £4,676,235.51 (this included a payment of £2,100,000 from one legacy “Wheeler”). 151 new legacy notifications were received from January 2024 to March 2025 (9% up on 2023 with the caveat this includes an extra 3 months). At period end, the total estimated legacy income due to be paid (the legacy pipeline) stood at £2.39 million from 93 active legacy cases. 41 of these legacies are residuary (a share of the benefactor’s estate) and 41 are pecuniary (gifts of fixed amounts). £1.7million of the legacy pipeline is held within 17 high value legacies.
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## **3. Other trading activities (incl. Fundraising)**
||**15 months to 31 Mar 25**|**Year 2023**|
|---|---|---|
|Rafles|81,781|61,888|
|Fundraising events|126,316|370,496|
|Christmas cards|26,902|24,396|
|Sundry|45,103|16,575|
||**280,102**|**473,355**|
## **4. Income from charitable activities**
|**2024–25**|**15 months to 31 Mar 25**|**15 months to 31 Mar 25**|**15 months to 31 Mar 25**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted funds £**|**Restricted funds £**|**Total funds £**|
|**Grants from government and public bodies:**||||
|Big Lottery|-|151,917|151,917|
|Scottish Government (Inspire Scotland)|-|50,000|50,000|
|Birmingham City Council|-|50,000|50,000|
|Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector|-|10,000|10,000|
|**Sub-total government and public bodies**
Fees for Medico-legal reports
Training fees & Others
**Total**|**-**
242,832
38,635
**281,467**|**261,917**
-
-
**261,917**|**261,917**
242,832
38,635
**543,384**|
|**2023**|**Year 2023**|**Year 2023**|**Year 2023**|
||**Unrestricted funds £**|**Restricted funds £**|**Total funds £**|
|**Grants from government and public bodies:**||||
|Big Lottery|-|100,000|100,000|
|United Nations|-|47,940|47,940|
|Scottish Government (Inspire Scotland))|-|50,000|50,000|
|Ministry of Justice|-|42,515|42,515|
|Others|-|16,852|16,852|
|**Sub-total government and public bodies**
Fees for Medico-legal reports
Training fees & Others
**Total**|**-**
168,183
13,734
**181,917**|**257,307**
-
-
**257,307**|**257,307**
168,183
13,734
**439,224**|
There are no known unfulfilled conditions, or contingencies attached to the income recognised in respect of government grants.
The income shown above is comprised of the total funds received as adjusted for the movement in debtors.
|Big Lottery|Core clincial services in London & SE|20,000|
|---|---|---|
|Big Lottery|Core clincial services in Scotland|66,000|
|Big Lottery|Core clincial services in West Midlands|65,917|
|Scottish Government Inspiring Scotland|Core clinical services and community engagement
in Scotland|50,000|
|Birmingham City Council|Core clincial services in West Midlands|50,000|
|Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector|Core clincial services in Scotland|10,000|
|||**261,917**|
These funds are included as part of the relevant restricted funds in Note 14.
## **5. Cost of raising funds**
||**15 months to 31 Mar 25**|**Year 2023**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|Direct Marketing|1,860,275|2,366,249|
|Legacies|43,075|176,957|
|Trusts and Corporate|261,137|288,580|
|Events|204,184|168,906|
|Local Groups|48,763|93,597|
|Community|172,987|110,789|
|Major Donors|328,805|242,513|
|Grants|248,603|203,482|
|Bad debt write of|-|264,773|
|Cost of raising voluntary income|3,167,829|3,915,846|
|Cost of activities for generating funds|204,924|153,305|
|**Total cost of raising funds**|**3,372,753**|**4,069,151**|
**44 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 45**
Net incoming resources are stated after charging:
## **6. Analysis of total expenditure**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2024-25 Total
Staff costs Other direct costs Support costs 15 months to 31 Mar 25
£ £ £ £
Raising funds:
Donations and legacies 1,420,796 1,064,160 682,873 3,167,829
Trading activities 90,856 68,964 45,104 204,924
1,511,652 1,133,124 727,977 3,372,753
Charitable expenditure:
Activities in furtherance of our objects:
Medical/therapy/casework 5,573,078 86,268 2,046,439 7,705,785
Education/training/info. 260,350 22,759 101,496 384,605
Human rights work 1,244,908 947,948 561,437 2,754,293
Relief grants 14,043 118,523 4,960 137,526
7,092,379 1,175,498 2,714,332 10,982,209
Support costs 1,217,067 2,225,242 (3,442,309) -
Total expenditure 9,821,098 4,533,864 0 14,354,962
2023 Staff costs Other direct costs Support costs Year total 2023
£ £ £ £
Raising funds:
Donations and legacies 1,283,632 2,008,785 623,428 3,915,845
Trading activities 41,735 91,425 20,146 153,306
1,325,367 2,100,210 643,574 4,069,151
Charitable expenditure:
Activities in furtherance of our objects:
Medical/therapy/casework 4,170,376 82,155 1,458,989 5,711,520
Education/training/info 176,699 17,123 67,274 261,096
Human rights work 1,066,347 368,107 442,758 1,877,212
Relief grants 20,073 110,881 7,146 138,100
5,433,495 578,266 1,976,167 7,987,928
Support costs 964,755 1,654,986 (2,619,741) -
Total resources expended 7,723,617 4,333,462 - 12,057,079
**----- End of picture text -----**
|Net incoming resources are stated afer charging:|||
|---|---|---|
||**Total**|**Total**|
||**15 months to 31 Mar 25**|**Year 2023**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**Auditors’ remuneration:**|||
|Audit fee – statutory accounts|19,835|19,650|
|Audit fee – non audit services|2,370|1,500|
|Operating lease rentals – Land and buildings|159,837|285,364|
Support costs represent premises and other overhead costs which cannot be directly attributed to departments and projects. The allocation of support costs in the above table is as follows:
||**Premises/phone**|||||**15 months to**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**furniture/post**||**Financial**|**Senior**|**HR & staf**|**31 Mar 25**|
||**equipment/print**|**Governance**|**administration**|**management**|**training**|**Total allocated**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Raising funds:**|||||||
|Donations and legacies|359,496|10,563|126,993|73,934|111,886|682,872|
|Trading activities
**Charitable expenditure:**
Activities in furtherance of
our objects:
Medical/therapy/casework
Education/training/info.
Human rights work
Relief grants|23,744
**383,240**
1,077,340
53,432
295,566
2,612
**1,428,950**|698
**11,261**
31,657
1,570
8,685
77
**41,989**|8,388
**135,381**
380,575
18,875
104,410
922
**504,782**|4,883
**78,817**
221,567
10,989
60,786
537
**293,879**|7,390
**119,276**
335,301
16,630
91,989
813
**444,733**|45,103
**727,975**
2,046,440
101,496
561,436
4,961
**2,714,333**|
|**Total**|**1,812,190**|**53,250**|**640,163**|**372,696**|**564,009**|**3,442,308**|
All expenditure on raising funds was unrestricted (2023 – the same); of the charitable activities expenditure £9,810,377 was unrestricted (2023 – £6,741,763) and £1,171,832 was restricted (2023 – £1,246,165). During the 15 months from January 2024 to March 2025 Freedom from Torture gave £118,523 in relief grants to survivors of torture (2023 – £110,881). Of this, £40,383 was for emergency assistance. In addition, clients received travel costs to attend face to face appointments and mobile phones and phone credit to enable attendance to virtual video therapy appointments. In total £78,140 was given to enable access to our services.
**46 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 47**
||**Premises/phone**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**furniture/post**||**Financial**|**Senior**|**HR & staf**|**Year 2023**|
||**equipment/print**|**Governance**|**administration**|**management**|**training**|**Total allocated**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Raising funds:**|||||||
|Donations and legacies|321,120|9,042|120,797|78,329|94,139|623,427|
|Trading activities|10,376|292|3,903|2,531|3,042|20,144|
|**Charitable expenditure:**
Activities in furtherance of
our objects:
Medical/therapy/casework
Education/training/info.
Human rights work
Relief grants|**331,496**
751,507
34,652
228,062
3,681
**1,017,902**|**9,334**
21,161
976
6,422
104
**28,663**|**124,700**
282,697
13,035
85,790
1,385
**382,907**|**80,860**
183,311
8,453
55,629
898
**248,291**|**97,181**
220,311
10,159
66,858
1,079
**298,407**|**643,571**
1,458,987
67,275
442,761
7,147
**1,976,170**|
|**Total**|**1,349,398**|**37,997**|**507,607**|**329,151**|**395,588**|**2,619,741**|
The basis of allocation of costs in all cases is the proportion of direct staff time spent on each function. Senior management includes the Chief Executive’s office.
## **7. Staff costs and transactions with Trustees**
||**15 months to 31 Mar 25**
**£**
**Year 2023**
**£**|
|---|---|
|Salaries (including temporary staf)
Interpreters
Social security
Pension contributions
Life assurance contributions|8,082,086
6,404,057
484,812
404,816
739,144
552,535
464,745
340,626
50,311
21,583|
||**9,821,098**
**7,723,617**|
|The charity contributes at the rate of 6% of gross salary to
a money purchase pension scheme for staf with more than
three months’ service who have not opted out of the scheme.
The period-end creditors includes an amount of £44,267
(2023 – £0) for accrued pension costs.
The number of employees whose emoluments as defined for
taxation purposes amounted to over £60,000 in the period
was as follows:|**15 months to**
**31 Mar 25**
**Year 2023**|
||£70,001 - £80,000
1
1
£80,001 - £90,000
3
2
£90,001 - £100,000
-
1
£100,001 - £110,000
1
-|
director is a trustee of the charity, for Consultancy contract services provided to the charity. At 31 March 2025, £nil (Dec23: £nil) was owed to A & M consultancy. Amounts paid in the period were approved by the board.
Key management personnel comprises of the Trustees and Senior Management Team (listed below): Chief Executive Officer
National Director of Clinical Services
Director of Finance and Central Services Director of Fundraising and Communications Director of Survivor Empowerment
Staff costs included ex-gratia, redundancy and payment in lieu of notice costs of £134,989 (2023 – £26,691).
The average number of paid employees and self-employed interpreters (full-time equivalent) over the period by function was:
Total remuneration for these posts amounted to £630,035 (15 months) (2023 – £522,549)
|**15 months**
**to 31 Mar 25**|**Year**
**2023**|
|---|---|
|Medical, therapeutic and casework
78
Interpreters services including admin
8
Education, training and information
4
Human rights work
20
Relief
-
Support
12
Fundraising
26|76
10
3
20
-
19
30|
|Total full-time equivalent (salaried staf)
148
Interpreters self employed
42|158
33|
|Total full time equivalent (all staf)
190|191|
|**Total on payroll, full time and part time**
**147**|**175**|
All the employees in the above categories participated in the pension scheme. Contributions made for them amounted to £29,978 (2023 – £27,320).
The Trustees act in a voluntary capacity and received no remuneration. 4 Trustees (2023-4) received reimbursement of expenses totalling £1,292 during the period (2023 – £1,703).
The charity purchased services from Torchbox Ltd a company with which Dr John Dunford a trustee of the charity is associated. All transactions were conducted on normal commercial terms, and the trustee did not take part in any decisions relating to these transactions. The total value of transactions during the period was £122,765 (2023 – £80,562), with outstanding amounts owed to Torchbox at the period end of £5,772 (2023 – £46,624).
During the period to 31 March 2025, the Trustees approved payments totalling £9,810 (year to December 2023: £nil) to A & M Consultancy, a company whose
During the period the charity was fortunate also to have the services of around 120 (2023 – 123) part-time volunteers (not included in the numbers above). Most worked in the medical, therapeutic and casework area.
## **8. Tangible and intangible fixed assets**
||**Tangible Fixed Assets**|
|---|---|
||**Freehold land**
**and building**
**£**
**Long leahold**
**building**
**£**
**Computer**
**hardware / Ofice**
**equipment**
**£**
**Furniture /**
**Fixtures and fittings**
**£**
**Total**
**£**|
|**Cost:**
At 01.01.24
Additions
Disposals|5,419,752
435,331
807,211
1,293,194
7,955,488
-
-
35,966
115,858
151,824
-
-
(25,239)
(25,239)|
|**At 31.03.25**|**5,419,752**
**435,331**
**817,938**
**1,409,052**
**8,082,073**|
|**Depreciation:**
At 01.01.24
Charge for the period
Eliminated on disposals|2,044,270
126,109
546,601
1,192,812
3,909,792
134,349
6,184
137,804
112,873
391,210
(25,239)
(25,239)|
|**At 31.03.25**|**2,178,619**
**132,293**
**659,166**
**1,305,685**
**4,275,763**|
|**Net book values:**||
|**At 31.12.23**|**3,375,482**
**309,222**
**260,610**
**100,382**
**4,045,696**|
|**At 31.03.25**|**3,241,133**
**303,038**
**158,772**
**103,367**
**3,806,310**|
**48 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 49**
|**Intangible**
**Fixed Assets**
**£**
**Database sofware**
**Cost:**
At 01.01.24
696,101
Additions
57,897
**At 31.03.25**
**753,998**
**Amortisation:**
At 01.01.24
663,437
Charge for the period
22,915
**At 31.03.25**
**686,352**
**Net book values:**
**At 31.12.23**
**32,664**
**At 31.03.25**
**67,646**
The freehold land and building comprised the charity’s
main premises in Finsbury Park, London. The Long
leasehold building, being the Newcastle centre is held
under a 295 years lease running from 2006.|**10. Debtors**
**15 months**
**to 31 Mar 25**
**Year**
**2023**|
|---|---|
||Trade debtors
(Medico-legal report fees)
215,103
281,165
Bad debts provision
(21,511)
(27,780)
Tax recoverable on Gif Aid donations
56,108
178,929
Legacies
2,395,550 1,645,769
Sundry debtors
42,034
44,483
Prepayments
143,715
139,502|
||**2,830,999 2,262,068**|
||**11. Creditors: amounts falling due**
**within one year**
**15 months to**
**31 Mar 25**
**Year**
**2023**|
||-
-
328,515
668,290
137,454
149,090
44,267
-
Bank loan repayable within one year
Trade creditors
HMRC:
344,738
212,176
PAYE and NI contributions
Staff salaries and pensions
Other accruals|
||**854,974**
**1,029,556**|
See details of bank loan below in note 12.
## **9. Investments**
## **12. Lease commitments**
At the end of Mar 2025 the charity held listed investments comprising of shares valued at £21,096 (2023 – £23,475) which had been donated by supporters. The main holding is Scottish Investment Trust Plc £18,607 (2023 – £17,862).
Total future minimum lease payments payable under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:
||**15 months to**|**Year**|
|---|---|---|
||**31 Mar 25**|**2023**|
|Market value at beginning of period|23,475|14,336|
|Unrealised investment (loss)/gain|(2,379)|9,139|
|**Market value at end of period**|**21,096**|**23,475**|
|
non-cancellable operating leases|
are as follows:||
|---|---|---|
||**15 months to**|**Year 2023**|
||**31 Mar 25**||
|Up to one year|117,738|109,896|
|Between two and five years|42,099|51,530|
||**159,837**|**161,426**|
In addition to the investments described above the charity retained the shares comprising its £100 (2023 – £100) investment in its trading subsidiary company, Survivors Trading Limited. Survivors Trading has been dormant since 2011 and therefore there was no turnover income or expenditure. Net assets amounted to £8 at the period end (2023 – £8). The income, expenditure, assets and liabilities of the trading company are not consolidated in this financial statements due to their immateriality. Copies of Survivors Trading’s financial statements are available from 111 Isledon Road, London N7 7JW.
The charity had commitments under non-cancellable leases for land and buildings which relate to clinical centres in Manchester and Birmingham.
## **13. Movements in funds**
Opening and closing balances and movements in funds were as follows:
|**2024-25**|**Brought**|**Incoming**|**Outgoing**|**Transfers &**|**Carried**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**forward at**|**during**|**during**|**investment**|**forward at**|
||**end 2023**|**2024-25**|**2024-25**|**gains 2024-25**|**end Mar 2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Restricted funds:**||||||
|Psychological therapy – Adults|15,291|51,523|(52,733)|-|14,081|
|Psychological therapy – CYPF*|16,236|151,750|(116,525)|-|51,461|
|Group work – CYPF|11,662|15,483|(25,864)|-|1,281|
|Welfare advice and care|8,750|37,587|(37,823)|-|8,514|
|North West centre|1,248|33,523|(34,771)|-|-|
|Scotland centre|26,937|157,767|(177,122)|-|7,582|
|North East centre|15,166|20,500|(35,542)|-|124|
|West Midlands centre|59,828|129,417|(188,246)|-|999|
|Survivors writing group – Write 2 Life project|-|5,000|(833)|-|4,167|
|Human rights work|168,002|958,805|(493,960)|-|632,847|
|Relief grants|1,543|750|(2,229)|-|64|
|North East centre Fixed Assets reserve|309,221||(6,184)|-|303,037|
|**Designated funds:**
Fixed assets reserve
Working Capital Reserve
Development Fund
Transformation Fund
Long term donation
Major building repairs|**633,884**
3,780,746
1,232,512
1,336,789
-
526,812
448,571
**7,325,430**|**1,562,105**
-
-
-
-
13,170
-
**13,170**|**(1,171,832)**
-
-
-
-
(13,170)
-
**(13,170)**|**-**
(198,220)
743,513
(1,336,789)
1,720,000
-
(303,898)
**624,606**|**1,024,157**
3,582,526
1,976,025
-
1,720,000
526,812
144,673
**7,950,036**|
|General reserve (unrestricted fund)|1,390,120|13,537,848|(13,169,960)|(626,985)|1,131,023|
|**Sub-total: Charity funds**|**9,349,434**|**15,113,123**|**(14,354,962)**|**(2,379)**|**10,105,216**|
* Children, young people and families
**50 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 51**
At the year end, the charity held a small number of material restricted and designated funds.
## **Restricted funds**
_Human Rights Work_ – Money was received from Oak Foundation, Porticus, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and Justice Collaborations specifically to carry out survivorled advocacy, policy, and campaigning activity to influence protection for torture survivors in the UK and internationally.
_North East Centre Fixed Assets Reserve_ – Represents the Newcastle Centre building, purchased for the charity by a donor and held subject to restrictions on its use and sale.
Working Capital Reserve – The trustees have identified the needs for a minimum level of liquid funds to support the immediate day to day cash needs of the Charity. These finds have been designated by the Trustees to ensure the charity can meet short-term commitments and manage cash-flow timing differences between income and expenditure.
_Transformation Fund_ – Funds held to finance one-off investment in systems and service improvement projects that strengthen long-term efficiency and impact.
_Long-Term Donation_ – A fund representing a significant gift designated by the Trustees to provide which is invested and the annual proceeds are used for our psychotherapy work.
The capitalised expenditure on the North East centre (North East Centre fixed assets reserve) is considered restricted as the grant provided towards these costs, imposes specific condition that the building should continue to be used for the purpose of the Freedom from Torture. The £6,184 (2023 – £6,311) outgoing resources represents the depreciation on the building.
The Fixed assets reserve is an unrestricted fund designated by the Trustees. Its purpose is to reflect funds tied up in the charity’s fixed assets (other than the North East centre held in restricted funds as above). When additional fixed assets are required, further funding will be sought if necessary.
The Long term donation is a fund set-up in response to a donor’s wish that the £500k they gave be invested and any interest gained be used to help fund psychotherapy services over a sustained period. The intention of the donor was to provide long-term assistance but the Trustees have discretion to draw on it at times of great need.
The working capital reserve represents the extent to which unrestricted funds are tied up in working capital (in particular where significant legacies are due but not received).
## **Designated funds**
All funds were applied in accordance with their respective purposes or designations, and no material transfers occurred beyond those disclosed in the table above.
_Fixed Assets Reserve_ – The trustees have designated funds specifically for the purchase and upkeep of capital assets, the value of the fund represents the net book value of unrestricted tangible fixed assets and is not available for general expenditure over the useful economic life of such assets.
|**2023**|**Brought**|||**Transfers &**|**Carried**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**forward at**|**Incoming**|**Outgoing**|**investment**|**forward at**|
||**end 2022**|**during 2023**|**during 2023**|**gains 2023**|**end 2023**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Restricted funds:**||||||
|Medico-legal work|24,246|-|(24,246)|-|-|
|Psychological therapy – Adults|10,166|183,701|(178,575)|-|15,291|
|Psychological therapy – CYPF|53,057|25,600|(62,421)||16,236|
|Group work - Adults|2,944|-|(2,944)|-|-|
|Group work - CYPF|6,749|24,989|(20,075)|-|11,663|
|Welfare advice and care|8,250|13,000|(12,500)||8,750|
|North West centre|6,115|72,335|(77,202)|-|1,248|
|Scotland centre|18,271|103,072|(94,406)|-|26,937|
|North East centre|19,979|27,352|(32,165)|-|15,166|
|West Midlands centre|75,555|143,373|(159,100)|-|59,828|
|Survivors writing group – Write 2 Life project|4,661|-|(4,661)|-|-|
|Training & capacity building|-|-|-|-|-|
|Human rights work|247,177|483,004|(562,179)|-|168,002|
|Relief grants|8,423|2,500|(9,380)|-|1,543|
|North East centre Fixed Assets reserve|315,532|-|(6,311)|-|309,221|
|**Designated funds:**
Fixed assets reserve
Development Funds
Long term donation
Major building repairs
General reserve (unrestricted fund)|**801,123**
3,744,491
2,514,782
526,812
408,571
**9,432,996**
1,276,177|**1,078,926**
-
-
13,170
-
**13,170**
8,794,982|**(1,246,165)**
-
-
(13,170)
-
**(13,170)**
(10,797,743)|**-**
36,255
(1,177,993)
-
40,000
**(2,107,566)**
2,116,705|**633,884**
3,780,746
1,336,789
526,812
448,571
**7,325,430**
1,390,120|
|**Sub-total: Charity funds**|**11,510,296**|**9,887,078**|**(12,057,078)**|**9,139**|**9,349,434**|
## **14. Analysis of assets and liabilities between funds**
|**2024-25**|**Unrestricted Funds**|
|---|---|
||**Restricted Funds £**
**Designated Funds £**
**General Reserve £**
**15 months**
**to 31 Mar 25 £**|
|Tangible and intangible fixed assets
Investments
Net current assets|303,037
3,570,919
-
3,873,956
-
-
21,096
21,096
721,120
4,379,117
1,109,927
6,210,164|
||**1,024,157**
**7,950,036**
**1,131,023**
**10,105,216**|
|**2023**|**Unrestricted Funds**|
||**Restricted Funds £**
**Designated Funds £**
**General Reserve £**
**Year 2023 £**|
|Tangible and intangible fixed assets
Investments
Net current assets|309,221
3,769,139
-
4,078,360
-
-
23,475
23,475
324,663
3,556,291
1,366,645
5,247,599|
||**633,884**
**7,325,430**
**1,390,120**
**9,349,434**|
## **15. Taxation**
Freedom from Torture is a registered charity and as such its income and gains are exempt from corporation tax to the extent that they are applied to its charitable objectives.
## **16. Analysis of changes in net cash / (net debt)**
||**Brought forward at the**|**Cashflow**|**Carried forward at the**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**end of 2023**|**£**|**end of 2024–25**|
||**£**||**£**|
|Cash|2,415,088|219,053|1,832,280|
**52 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 53**
## **Cash flow statement as at 31 March 2025 (Covering the 15-Months Period from 1 January 2024)**
|**Notes**|**2024–25 £**|**2023 £**|
|---|---|---|
|**Cash flows from operating activities:**|||
|Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities|287,903|(875,428)|
|**Cash flows from investing activities:**|||
|Dividends and interest from investments|140,870|74,926|
|Net investment in short-term deposits|(801,860)|(1,600,000)|
|Purchase of property, plant and equipment|(209,721)|(279,441)|
|**Net cash used in investing activities**
**Cash flows from financing activities:**
Repayments of borrowing
Interest paid
**Net cash used in financing activities**
**Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period**
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period**|**(870,711)**
-
-
**-**
**(582,808)**
2,415,088
**1,832,280**|**(1,804,515)**
(110,570)
(3,606)
**(114,176)**
**(2,794,119)**
5,209,207
**2,415,088**|
|Reconciliation of net expenditure to net cash flow from operating activities.|||
||**2024–25 £**|**2023 £**|
|**Income/(expenditure)**|755,782|(2,160,862)|
|**Adjustments for:**|||
|Depreciation charges|391,210|344,549|
|Amortisation charges|22,915|15,518|
|Dividends and interest from investments|(140,870)|(74,926)|
|Interest paid|-|3,606|
|Losses/(gains) on investments|2,379|9,139|
|Decrease/(increase) in debtors|(568,931)|1,065,801|
|Increase/(decrease) in creditors|(174,582)|(59,975)|
|**Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities**
**Analysis of cash and cash equivalents**
Cash in hand and in the bank|**287,904**
1,832,280
**1,832,280**|**(857,150)**
2,415,088
**2,415,088**|
## **Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity**
## **Board of Trustees**
## **Bankers**
## **National Westminster Bank plc**
Kate Sayer (Chair) (Appointed 22 October 2024) Angela Cluff (Vice-Chair) (Appointed 12 March 2024) Dr. Fiona Goudie (Vice-Chair)
95 High Street, Huntingdon, Cambs PE29 3DT
## **Finance, Fundraising, and Audit Committee**
Tim O’Sullivan-Guy (Treasurer) (Appointed 22 October 2024) Mahesh Wickramasinghe
Rasha Obaid
Tim O’Sullivan-Guy (Chair) Gareth Dunlop Orla Fee Angela Cluff
Philomène Uwamaliya Gareth Dunlop
John Dunford
Orla Fee (Appointed 22 October 2024)
## **Performance, Standards and Effectiveness Committee**
Natalie Samarasinghe (Appointed 22 October 2024) Professor Sir Frank Atherton (Appointed 1 February 2025) Shabnam Amini (Resigned 30 June 2024) Manraj Sandhu (Resigned 22 October 2024) Michael Johnson (Term ended 22 October 2024) Susan Berelowitz (Resigned 30 January 2024) Joanne Stubley (Resigned 7 February 2024)
Fiona Goudie (Chair) Philomène Uwamaliya Frank Atherton
## **Governance Committee**
Angela Cluff (Chair) Mahesh Wickramasinghe Natalie Samarasinghe
## **Chief Executive**
Sonya Sceats
## **People Committee**
## **Registered Name**
John Dunford (Chair) Rasha Obaid Fiona Goudie
Freedom from Torture
## **Auditors**
**Moore Kingston Smith LLP** 9 Appold Street EC2A 2AP
## **Charity Registration Number**
1000340
## **Registered Office**
111 Isledon Road, London N7 7JW
## **Scottish Charity Number**
SCO39632
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these accounts.
## **Company Registration Number**
2398586
**54 | FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
**FREEDOM FROM TORTURE** ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25 **| 55**
## **Please join us in fighting for a world without torture.**
## **Support torture survivors live for the future, not in the pain of the past.**
**Please scan the QR code to donate or call 020 7697 7788 and find out what you can do to support survivors of torture.**
We can only see one in three of the torture survivors referred to Freedom from Torture for clinical therapy. Time is of the essence in dealing with trauma.
## **We urgently need to support more torture survivors to rebuild their lives more quickly. And we need more funding to do that.**
## **You can help by:**
**Funding the clinical therapy** that is critical to psychological and physical rehabilitation, and the legal support that fights for people’s asylum and safety.
**Campaigning against torture** , and for refugee rights that give people the protection and security they need to recover and look to the future.
**Showing your solidarity with torture survivors** as they recover their confidence, their voice, and put their lives back together.
Room 27, Adelphi Centre, 111 Isledon Road Chichester House, 12 Commercial Road, Islington 91 Moss Lane East, Glasgow G5 0PQ London N7 7JW Manchester M15 5GY
## **www.freedomfromtorture.org**
**Registered charity number: England 1000340, Scotland SC039632 Registered with the IAA: N201600022 To protect client identities, models have been used in some photographs.**