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2021-03-31-accounts

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

31 MARCH 2021

Company Registration Number 02684649 Charity Number 1012557

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Contents Pages
Reference & Administrative Information 1
Trustees’ Annual Report 2 - 7
Independent Auditor’s Report 8 - 11
Statement of Financial Activities 12
Balance sheet 13
Statement of cash flows 14
Notes to the financial statements 15 - 23

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

REFERENCE & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Trustees Lois Thorn Chair
Philip Parry Vice Chair
John Mockridge Treasurer
Caroline Dunn (resigned Jan 2021)
Gabrielle Agyemang
Caitlin Mills
Ben Muton-Phillips
Julianne Oliveri (appointed Jan 2021)
Rachel Sharp (appointed Jan 2021)
Rebecca Tilling (appointed Jan 2021)
Director Sue Evans
Secretary Sue Evans
Charity number 1012557
Company number 02684649
Principal address 48 Fairfax Street
Bristol
BS1 3BL
Registered office 48 Fairfax Street
Bristol
BS1 3BL
Auditors Burton Sweet Limited
The Clock Tower
5 Farleigh Court
Old Weston Road
Flax Bourton
Bristol BS48 1UR
Bankers HSBC Bank plc
62 George White Street
Cabot Circus
Bristol BS1 3BA

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Objectives and Activities

The Trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts to comply with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Charity, the companies act 2006 and the current Statement of Recommended Practice.

The Charity's objectives are to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the community in Bristol, by the advancement of education, the protection and preservation of health and the relief of poverty, sickness and distress. The policy to achieve these objectives is defined by guidelines set by the National Association of Citizens Advice and includes the operation of services within the geographical area. There has been no change in these during the year.

The Charity provides free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information for the benefit of the local community. It aims to provide the advice people need for the problems they face and to improve the policies and practices that affect people's lives.

The Charity focused on the delivery of high-quality advisory services to the local community as its primary objectives during the year. To obtain the necessary funding to provide these services, applications were made to various local and national providers of community finance. New volunteers were recruited and received induction and training.

The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Charity should undertake. The Charity receives help and support in the form of voluntary assistance in advising the public and administering the Charity. It is estimated that each year the volunteer workforce contributes time and skills that could cost well in excess of £150,000 p.a. if they were reimbursed at normal advice sector rates of pay. The contribution from volunteers has not been included in the Statement of Financial Activities as the value of their contribution cannot be reliably quantified in financial terms. Without the commitment of the volunteers the Charity would not be able to achieve its objectives.

Achievements and performance

The Charity’s Strategic Plan was updated with a range of objectives to better reflect the organisation's aspirations and direction of travel. The Charity set a range of objectives to work on during the year. The continued pandemic conditions have created challenges, and during the year work commenced towards our objectives:

Maintain financial stability and continue to build reserves

New funding opportunities have been limited during the year , which was dominated by COVID emergency short term funding and the move by major funders to re-evaluate their approach to funding. This resulted in many funds closing temporarily. Therefore, the focus has been on the renewal of established funds. This approach has been successful, and the Charity now has a relatively secure baseline of ongoing funding until 2024, however maintaining and increasing reserves remains a challenge.

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Demonstrate the impact of our advice on the lives of local people.

The Charity worked closely with Bristol City Council and Public Health, supplying data and case studies to illustrate the work conducted during the pandemic and show the value of that work to the wider community.

Evidence that CAB is an excellent Charity, caring for its workforce as well as clients

The Charity prioritised the safety and wellbeing of its volunteers, staff and clients by implementing robust COVID safety procedures and remote working regimes.

Continue to widen access to CAB services by increasing our reach through outreach and through alternative methods of delivery

Essential changes to the Charity’s delivery model, such as the introduction of a remote working model, have been beneficial, enabling a wider range of clients to contact the organisation, and vulnerable clients to stay safe whilst receiving the help they needed.

Work with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners to deliver joined-up services across the city

The Charity continued to lead the Bristol Advice Partnership and introduced a method for coordinating joint bids within the city to fund advice provision, identifying potential large bids for the future, and working with the sector to ensure that the risks of competitive bidding within the city are minimised.

The Charity managed around 30,000 enquiries on behalf of 6,300 clients in 2020/2021. Services are continually adapted to manage the ever-growing demand for advice, introducing new projects and new ways of delivering services.

Whilst Welfare Benefits continue to be the most common area of advice, the pandemic has altered the advice landscape resulting in an increased demand for housing and employment advice together with a new cohort of clients, whose employment and domestic situations have been adversely affected by the pandemic, leading to a need for holistic advice covering many different subject areas.

The Charity holds the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) in all key areas of advice plus casework accreditation in Welfare benefits, debt, and housing and young people’s issues; and it also retains accreditation for immigration work at OISC level 3.

During the year the Charity was subject to external quality audit of management and governance procedures as part of the Citizens Advice Quality and Performance Framework, with excellent results that re-confirmed that its leadership and management practices are robust and renewed the AQS standard for another 3 years.

In addition to the grant from Bristol City Council, the Charity received grants from: Citizens Advice, Bristol Wessex Water Billing Service, St Monica Trust, the Government Money Advice Service as part of the Debt Free South West contract, Macmillan Cancer Support, The Big Lottery, John James Foundation Bristol, Quartet Community Foundation, The MS Society, Clarion Housing for the

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Aashyana Project, The CCG Transformation Fund and the TDS Charitable Foundation, and The Warm Homes and Money Project. The Charity also has service level agreements with Sovereign Housing Association as well as a range of smaller grants and amounts of money received by way of donation from local companies and individuals who support our work. These funding streams combined to enable the Charity to deliver its advice services in Bristol.

The Charity does not employ professional or commercial fundraisers and generally raises its funding by making applications to organisations willing to fund advice services and to trusts and foundations offering charitable support. The Charity accepts donations from clients and supporters and enables the public to donate via its website. From time to time members of the staff or volunteers undertake charitable activities on behalf of the organisation, for example entering into sponsored running events, but any such activity is managed as a private activity by those involved. The Charity has not received any complaints about its fundraising activities.

Financial review

Income for the year 2020/2021 was £863,461 the deficit for the year was £10,845. Total unrestricted and restricted funds at 31 March 2021 were £146,866. The free reserves available to the Charity at the year-end were £111,687.

Overall funding levels remained stable during the year, particularly in respect of major funds. The Charity also received some small COVID grants to help with the additional costs incurred in implementing COVID arrangements. The Charity was impacted by a decrease in availability of new funding opportunities during the year resulting in a deficit for the year, which was lower than originally budgeted.

The Charity historically operated a policy stating that it should hold, in reserves, a range of between 25% or 3 months and 50% or six months, of annual running costs. The minimum of this range was to ensure adequate funding would be available to safely close the Charity should it become necessary to do so, and the maximum of this range was to ensure that funding was spent on the delivery of services, rather than being held in reserves.

The Charity reviewed this policy during the year, and recognising that in the current climate a higher level of reserves may not be achievable, have instead adopted a risk based approach which takes into account mitigations, for example, of ongoing potential redundancy liabilities, the opportunity to share or dispose of the building held on a community asset transfer, the likelihood of losing funding across a diverse funding base, and the length of time key funding streams run for.

At the end of the year reserves represented 13% of annual expenditure, or just under 2 months annual running costs. The Trustees are mindful that reserves are low, but recognise that this a situation that is largely driven by external factors.

The Charity is required to ensure that free monies are available in each financial year to meet any reasonable foreseeable contingency. The organisation maintains a projection of income for at least two years ahead and ensures that this continues to be derived from as wide a variety of sources as possible. The Trustees take all necessary steps to ensure that at no time within this period would it be possible for the cessation of one or more funding streams to present so serious a challenge to the future of the organisation, that it could not be managed so as to continue to provide a best value advice service. The reserves may also be used for fundraising activities or used to ensure the

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Charity's IT systems are maintained at a sufficient level to ensure the continued delivery of a quality advice service.

The Trustees extend their gratitude to Bristol City Council, who continued to support the core operating capacity of the Charity. The Trustees also wish to thank their other funders listed above and the many donations received. The Charity did not have any borrowings from either providers of funding or other sources at the Balance Sheet date.

Structure, governance and management

The Charity is a company limited by guarantee (Registered Number 2684649) having no share capital governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 9 July 2002 as amended by special resolution on 5 September 2006. It is registered as a Charity with the Charity Commission (Registered Number 1012557). In accordance with a national rebranding process the organisation has now adopted the operating name Citizens Advice Bristol, however the legally registered name remains Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau.

The Trustees, who are also the Directors for the purpose of company law and who served during the year are shown on page 1.

Trustees are elected from the local community and are elected by the Charity's Members at the annual general meeting. A separate process agreed by the Trustee Board is followed for the election of the Chair and other officers. No other persons or bodies external to the Charity are entitled to appoint persons to the Trustee Board.

Trustees receive induction training when they join the Trustee Board, spending time observing the running of the organisation and learning about the services offered. Additionally they attend national training and induction events run by Citizens Advice, the national Charity. The Trustee Board members complete a board effectiveness appraisal each year. The standard of the organisation’s governance is assessed every year by Citizens Advice, and the whole organisation, including the Trustee Board, is subject to a rigorous ongoing quarterly assessment process as part of Citizens advice membership requirements.

None of the Trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the Trustees are Members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up. There were 10 Members of the company, all of whom are Trustees. Newly appointed Trustees are provided with a comprehensive induction through the provision of training courses and mentoring by established Trustees and staff. The Charity runs a service from a building held on a long lease and community asset transfer from Bristol City Council. This arrangement offers value for money and provides security of tenure and protection for the organisation. The main service is based in the centre of Bristol and is augmented by outreach services in a range of Hospitals, Health Centres and community settings across the city and some home visiting services via specialist projects. The organisation also delivers specialist debt and welfare rights advice, housing and employment advice. Organisational aims and objectives are met with the help of volunteer advice workers, paid staff and the Trustee Board.

The Trustee Board is responsible for governance and setting the strategic direction and the policies of the Charity. The Trustees carry the ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the Charity and for ensuring that the Charity satisfies its legal and contractual obligations. Trustees meet every six weeks and delegate the day-to-day operation of the organisation to the Director. The Trustee Board

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

is independent from the management team and Trustees are not involved in day to day operational matters.

Citizens Advice Bristol (the Charity) is a member of Citizens Advice, the operating name of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, which provides a framework for standards of advice and casework management as well as monitoring progress against these standards. Operating policies are independently determined by the Trustee Board in order to fulfil its charitable objectives and comply with the national membership requirements. The Charity also co-operates and liaises with a number of other advisory services, local charities and statutory services on behalf of clients. Where one of the Trustees holds the position of Trustee or Director of another Charity, they may be involved in discussions regarding that other Charity but not in the ultimate decisionmaking process.

The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. A corporate risk management exercise is considered annually by the Trustee Board as part of normal business planning procedures. The Trustees recognise that any major risks to which the Charity is exposed need to be reviewed and systems put in place to mitigate those risks. To that end, the Charity is continually monitoring and managing its risk and ensuring action plans are in place to mitigate its key risk areas.

The key external risk at this time remains the loss of or reduction of funding, in response to the COVID pandemic and resultant economic downturn. To minimise the risk identified, the Charity continues to seek to diversify its funding sources, maintain an effective dialogue with funders to demonstrate the positive impact of service to the city, and work in close partnership with other agencies.

Internal risks are minimised by the implementation of policies and procedures, including, for example, the safe authorisation of payments as part of the finance regime and quality and performance checking for all advice work to ensure consistent quality of delivery for all operational aspects of the Charity. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they still meet the needs of the Charity.

The Trustee Board oversees the information security of all personal information of the organisations clients, staff, funders and strategic partners that is processed through the adoption of an appropriate information risk strategy. The Charity holds joint responsibility for client data that is held in the organisations case management system, with the national Citizens Advice Service. An information assurance management team exists to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all personal and sensitive data is maintained to a level which is compliant with the requirements the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018.

The key internal risk to the organisation currently is the potential loss of volunteers due to the homeworking model necessary during the pandemic. This is being addressed by the introduction of appropriate support, supervision and wellbeing opportunities to keep existing volunteers engaged, and by the implementation of a volunteer recruitment strategy and remote training programme to ensure that there are always new volunteers in training.

The Trustees are responsible for setting salary levels for the organisation. The current full time salary of the highest paid member of staff is £42,507.

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees (who are also directors of Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report (incorporating the strategic report and directors’ report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

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. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

Small Company Provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies (s419(2) of the Companies Act 2006).

A resolution proposing that Burton Sweet be reappointed as auditors of the company will be put to the Members.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees on 15 March 2022.

Lois Thorn Chair

John Mockridge Treasurer

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau (the “Charity”) for the year ended 31 March 2021 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

This report is made solely to the Charity’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Charity’s members those matters we are required to state in them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

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

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The Trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether 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 the fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

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

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement, 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 they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

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

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

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

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

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

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

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

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any. Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/apb/scope/private.cfm This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Joshua Kingston BSc ACA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Burton Sweet Limited Statutory Auditor The Clock Tower 5 Farleigh Court Old Weston Road Flax Bourton Bristol BS48 1UR

Date: 15 March 2022

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (Including Income & Expenditure Account) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Note
Income from:
Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Investments income
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
4
Charitable activities
5
Total expenditure
7
Transfers between funds
14
Net movement in funds
Total funds at 1 April 2020
14
Total funds at 31 March 2021
14
Net income/ (expenditure) for the
year		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
56,648
276,561
33		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
530,219
-		 Total Funds
2021
£
56,648
806,780
33		 Total Funds
2020
£
46,418
747,815
40
333,242 530,219 863,461 794,273
-
336,215		 -
538,091		 -
874,306		 2,849
831,111
336,215 538,091 874,306 833,960
(2,973)
18,613		 (7,872)
(18,613)		 (10,845)
-		 (39,687)
-
15,640
126,529		 (26,485)
31,182		 (10,845)
157,711		 (39,687)
197,398
142,169 4,697 146,866 157,711

The Charity has no recognised gains or losses other than the results for the year as set out above.

All activities of the Charity are classed as continuing.

The notes on page 15 to 23 form part of these financial statements. See note 20 for fund-accounting comparative figures

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2021 Company number: 02684649 Company number: 02684649
Note
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
10
Current assets
Debtors
11
Cash at bank and in hand
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling
due within one year
12
Net current assets
Net assets
Funds
Unrestricted funds
15
Restricted funds
15
Total funds		 2021
£
30,482
30,482
68,067
91,329
159,396
(43,012)
116,384
146,866
142,169
4,697
146,866		 2020
£
30,278
30,278
84,909
76,410
161,319
(33,886)
127,433
157,711
126,529
31,182
157,711

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

These financial statements were approved by the board of Trustees on 15 March 2022 and are signed on their behalf by:

…............................... Lois Thorn Chair

…............................... John Mockridge Treasurer

The notes on page 15 to 23 form part of these financial statements.

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Note
Net cash inflow from operating activities
16
Non operational cash flows:
Investing activities
Payments for tangible fixed assets
Investment income
Net cash inflow/(outflow) for the year
17		 2021
£
22,853
(7,967)
33
(7,934)
14,919		 2020
£
(65,147)
(21,397)
40
(21,357)
(86,504)

Cash restrictions

Charity law prohibits the use of net cash inflows on any endowed or other restricted fund to offset net cash outflows on any fund outside its own objects, except on special authority. In practice, this restriction has not had any effect on cash flows for the year.

The notes on page 15 to 23 form part of these financial statements.

14

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

1 Accounting policies

Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value, and in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard FRS102, the Companies Act 2006 and the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting Charities Act 2011, the Financial Reporting Standard 102 (FRS102) and the requirements of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice based thereon.

The Charity is a public benefit entity as defined under FRS102. The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties affecting the ability of the Charity to continue as a going concern.

Income

All income becoming available to the Charity in the year is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the Charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

Income is deferred only when the Charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it and where the donor has specified that the income is to be spent in a future period.

Donations and legacies includes income generated from gifts, donations and legacies and grants and is included in full in the SoFA when receivable. Grants where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of specific performance by the Charity are recognised when the Charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.

Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the Charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.

Grants receivable are accounted for on a receivable basis and allocated to the appropriate fund.

Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred, The Charity is not registered for VAT. Expenditure includes all VAT which cannot be recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it related to.

Raising funds

Raising funds expenditure include those costs incurred in seeking voluntary contributions, costs of goods sold and other costs which include the costs of running and participating in fundraising events and collections and cost of goods purchased for resale.

Charitable activities

Expenditure on charitable activities comprises those costs incurred by the Charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. There is one functional activity of the Charity which is the giving of free and confidential advice and information to the public. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to this activity and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Governance costs which are included within charitable activities include all those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the Charity and include the audit fee and costs linked to the strategic management of the Charity.

Support costs

Support costs include the costs of staff for the general support of the office. These have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources e.g. staff costs by time spent.

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets other than freehold land are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:

Fixtures, fittings & equipment - 10% and 33% straight line

Debtors

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

Cash at bank and in hand

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

Creditors and provisions

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

Financial instruments

The Charity only has financial assets and liabilites of a kind that qualify as basic financial instrustments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measure at their settlement value with the exception of loans which are subsequently measured at the carrying value plus accrued interest less repayments. The financing charge to expenditure is at a consistent rate using the effective interest method.

Pensions

The Charity operates a defined contributions pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity and are independently administered. Contributions are charged in the accounts as they become payable in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

Funds

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees.

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

2 Income from: Donations and legacies

Donations and gifts Unrestricted
Funds
£
56,648		 Restricted
Funds
£
-		 Total Funds
2021
£
56,648		 Total Funds
2020
£
46,418
56,648 - 56,648 46,418

Donations and legacies in the prior year were all unrestricted.

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BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

3 Income from: Charitable activities

Provision of Advice and Information
Bristol City Council
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Macmillan
MAS SW (F2F)
Smaller grants
Prior year comparative
Provision of Advice and Information
Bristol City Council
Help to claim
ASK US
Macmillan
MAS SW (F2F)
Smaller grants
4
Expenditure on: Raising funds
Cost of donation applications		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
-		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
146,210
-
-
-
-
130,351		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
141,316
31,077
170,814
187,012
-		 Total Funds
2021
£
146,210
141,316
31,077
170,814
187,012
130,351
276,561 530,219 806,780
Unrestricted
Funds
£
146,120
-
-
-
-
118,726		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
135,282
27,419
170,488
149,253
527		 Total Funds
2020
£
146,120
135,282
27,419
170,488
149,253
119,253
264,846 482,969 747,815
Restricted
Funds
£
-		 Total Funds
2021
£
-		 Total Funds
2020
£
2,849
- - - 2,849

Expenditure from raising funds in the prior year was all unrestricted.

5
Expenditure on: Charitable activities
Provision of Advice and Information
Prior year comparative
Provision of advice and Information		 Direct
costs
£
729,437		 Support
costs
£
(Note 6)
144,869		 Total
2021
£
874,306
729,437 144,869 874,306
Direct
costs
£
(Restated)
702,039		 Support
costs
£
(Restated)
(Note 6)
129,072		 Total
2020
£
831,111
702,039 129,072 831,111

17

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

6 Support costs

6 Support costs
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds
Funds Funds 2021
£ £ £
Premises costs 29,141 38,708 67,849
General office expenses 21,330 48,860 70,190
Governance costs
Audit fees 6,830 - 6,830
Trustee expenses - - -
57,301 87,568 144,869
Prior year comparative Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds
Funds Funds 2020
£ £ £
(Restated) (Restated) (Restated)
Premises costs 19,640 35,288 54,928
General office expenses 21,676 47,130 68,806
Governance costs
Audit fees 5,270 - 5,270
Trustee expenses 68 - 68
46,654 82,418 129,072
7 Net income for the year
This is stated after charging:
This is stated after charging:
2021 2020
£ £
Depreciation 7,763 4,994
Auditor's remuneration 6,830 5,270
Trustees' remuneration - -
Trustees' expenses (travel) - 68
8 Staff costs and numbers
The aggregate payroll costs were:
2021 2020
£ £
Wages & salaries 681,177 639,501
Social security costs 38,992 37,368
Pension contributions 18,993 18,306
Redundancy Costs 1,251 -
740,413 695,175

No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 (2020: Nil).

The senior management team includes the posts of Trustees, HR & Admin manager and Advice Services Manager.

18

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

8 Staff costs and numbers (continued)

The aggregated payroll costs for the senior management team were:

The aggregated payroll costs for the senior management team were:
Wages & salaries
Social security costs
Pension contributions		 2021
£
89,485
8,712
2,685		 2020
£
87,731
8,535
2,632
100,882 98,898

The average weekly number of employees (headcount) during the year were 45 (2020: 42).

9 Taxation

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

10 Tangible fixed assets

Cost
At 1 April 2020
Additions
At 31 March 2021
Depreciation
At 1 April 2020
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2021
Net book value
At 31 March 2021
At 31 March 2020
Debtors
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income		 Fixtures,
Fittings &
Equipment
£
124,893
7,967		 Total
£
124,893
7,967
132,860 132,860
94,615
7,763		 94,615
7,763
102,378 102,378
30,482 30,482
30,278 30,278
2021
£
9,781
58,286		 2020
£
23,304
61,605
68,067 84,909

11 Debtors

19

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

12 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Trade creditors
Social security and other taxes
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income		 2021
£
12,770
17,375
-
12,867		 2020
£
13,219
15,560
531
4,576
43,012 33,886
13
Pension and other post-retirement benefit commitments
Defined contribution
Contributions payable by the Charity for the year
14
Operating leases
Equipment
2021
£
Within 1 year
3,300
Within 2 and 5 years
7,975
Within more than 5 years
-
11,275		 13
Pension and other post-retirement benefit commitments
Defined contribution
Contributions payable by the Charity for the year
14
Operating leases
Equipment
2021
£
Within 1 year
3,300
Within 2 and 5 years
7,975
Within more than 5 years
-
11,275		 Land and
Buildings
2021
£
15,000
56,250
-		 2021
£
18,993		 2020
£
18,306
Equipment
2020
£
9,084
11,275
-		 Land and
Buildings
2020
£
15,000
60,000
11,250
11,275 71,250 20,359 86,250

14 Movement in funds

Restricted funds
Money Advice Services
Macmillan
ASK Us!
Help to Claim
Other
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Total funds		 At
1 April
2020
(58)
4,751
2,177
24,054
258		 Income
187,012
170,814
31,077
141,316
-		 Expenditure
(187,576)
(170,814)
(28,557)
(151,144)
-		 Transfers
622
(4,751)
-
(14,226)
(258)		 At
31 March
2021
-
-
4,697
-
-
31,182 530,219 (538,091) (18,613) 4,697
126,529 333,242 (336,215) 18,613 142,169
126,529 333,242 (336,215) 18,613 142,169
157,711 863,461 (874,306) - 146,866

20

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

14 Movement in funds

Prior year comparative
Restricted funds
Money Advice Services
Macmillan
ASK Us!
Help to Claim
Other
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Total funds		 At
1 April
2019
3,279
2,183
2,796
57,648
200		 Income
149,253
170,488
27,419
135,282
527		 Expenditure
(181,615)
(167,920)
(28,038)
(159,367)
(469)		 Transfers
29,025
-
-
(9,509)
-		 At
31 March
2020
(58)
4,751
2,177
24,054
258
66,106 482,969 (537,409) 19,516 31,182
131,292 311,304 (296,551) (19,516) 126,529
131,292 311,304 (296,551) (19,516) 126,529
197,398 794,273 (833,960) - 157,711

Money Advice Services

This fund represents funds received as part of a multi-agency contract in the city led by Talking Money a Bristol based debt advice agency. Money Advice Service (now renamed as MAPS - The Money and Pension Service) is a government organisation that funds not for profit debt advice. This advice is subject to FCA regulation and work to stringent quality standards. All staff working on the project are required to have passed professional qualifications administered by the institute of Money Advisers. The service is available to the public in the usual way.

ASK Us!

This funds represents funds received towards an advice service for young people funded by the Big Lottery and delivered in partnership with Avon and Bristol Law Centre and 1625 Independent People. Funds included above are BCAB only.

Macmillan

Macmillan Cancer Support are funding a Benefits Support Service for the Bristol CAB so that a personal advice service may be provided to people with cancer in Avon.

Help to Claim

This funds represents funds received to provide support for Universal Credit claimants from the point of application for their first payment. It is delivered nationally by Local Citizens Advice, funded by a grant from National Citizens Advice on behalf of DWP.

15 Analysis of net assets between funds

Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds		 Tangible
fixed assets
£
-
30,482		 Other
net assets
£
4,697
111,687		 Total
£
4,697
142,169
30,482 116,384 146,866

21

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

15 Analysis of net assets between funds

Prior year comparative
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds		 Tangible
fixed assets
£
-
30,278		 Other
net assets
£
31,182
96,251		 Total
£
31,182
126,529
30,278 127,433 157,711

16 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash inflow from operating activities

Statement of Financial Activities: Net movement in funds
Adjustments for:
Investment income
Depreciation
Decrease/ (increase) in debtors
Increase/ (decrease) in creditors
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities
Analysis of changes in cash during the year
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and in hand		 2021
£
91,329		 2021
£
(10,845)
(33)
7,763
16,842
9,126		 2020
£
(39,687)
(40)
4,994
(46,560)
16,146
22,853 (65,147)
2020
£
76,410		 Change
£
14,919
2020
£
76,410		 2019
£
162,914		 Change
£
(86,504)

17 Analysis of changes in cash during the year

18 Company limited by guarantee

Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau is a company limited by guarantee and as such has no share capital. In the event of the company being wound up, the liability of the members is limited to £1 each.

19 Related party transactions

There are no transactions with Trustees or other related parties other than those disclosed as required by the SORP elsewhere in the financial statements.

22

BRISTOL CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

20
Statement of Financial Activities prior year comparative
Income from:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Investments income
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net income/ (expenditure) for the year
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Total funds at 1 April 2019
Total funds at 31 March 2020		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
46,418
264,846
40		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
482,969
-		 Total Funds
2020
£
46,418
747,815
40
311,304 482,969 794,273
2,849
293,702		 -
537,409		 2,849
831,111
296,551 537,409 833,960
14,753
(19,516)		 (54,440)
19,516		 (39,687)
-
(4,763)
131,292		 (34,924)
66,106		 (39,687)
197,398
126,529 31,182 157,711

23