2022-03-31-accounts

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

Company No: 2800290 (England & Wales) Charity No: 1023730 (England & Wales)

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

CONTENTS

Page

• 1 Legal & Administrative Information

• 2 Chair’s Report

• 3 CEO’s Report

• 4-18 Trustees’ Report

• 19 Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

• 20-22 Auditor’s Report

• 23 Statement of Financial Activities

• 24 Balance Sheet

• 25 Statement of Cash flows

• 26-35 Notes to the Financial Statements

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Legal and Administrative Information

Registered Name Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham (Working name DABD) Registered Charity Number 1023730

Governing Documentation

The Association is established as a company limited by guarantee and is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. The affairs of the Association are governed by its memorandum and articles of association, dated 16 March 1993 (amended 15 March 1996).

Charity Trustees and Office Bearers

Peter Snell (chair) Emma Adams Raksha Patel (Treasurer) Lester Loh

Chief Officers/Company Secretary

Elaine James

Method of appointment / election

Trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting

Company number 2800290 Registered Office Central Office – DABD Pembroke Gardens Dagenham Essex, RM10 7YP Bankers NatWest 27 High Road Dagenham Romford, RM6 6QD Auditors Moore Kingston Smith LLP Orbital House 20 Eastern Road Romford Essex, RM1 3PJ Senior Management Team Chief Executive Officer Elaine James Finance Officer Lorraine Elvins HR Lead Patricia Whitely Mobility Lead Brian Hunter Welfare Benefits & Financial Independence Lead Deborah Jacks Corporate Services Lead Maureen Clancy Business Development Lead John Fagan Personal Support Services Lead Holly Exall

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The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Chair's Report for the period April 2021 to March 2022

As a small charity seeking to improve independence and inclusion in a disadvantaged London borough, I am delighted to report the charity has continued on the road to recovery following a fairly devastating year when it was obliged to mothball some services, move some online, furlough some staff, and, simultaneously support and protect clients and staff in our Personal Support and Mobility Services in particular. All this was brought about by Covid and the restrictions it placed on all our lives.

DABD’s core service users are the very people who were the most at risk, not just of infection, but, of serious illness and death during the long months of the Covid pandemic. They were some of the first to face the isolation of measures intended to protect them and the last to be free of restrictions. Therefore it is a real pleasure to note that in 2021/22 DABD set about strengthening the organisation with a view to being ready to take on the post Covid realities with new ways of working both remotely and gradually face to face with our communities and stakeholders.

As you proceed through the report you will be able to appreciate just how much was achieved and delivered by DABDs drivers, welfare advisors, care and support staff as well as the CEO, management level and administrative staff, to whom I and the other DABD trustees are very grateful.

You will also read that the board of trustees worked actively to strengthen the organisation by making improvements in how the organisation is run and how we manage the resources DABD receives from the London boroughs in which it works and from the trusts and foundations which support it.

The trustees also took a close interest and provided support in the recruitment of new senior staff to manage DABD’s finances and to run its Personal Support Services. The board took legal advice to modernise DABD’s articles of association and adopted a new set of articles at our AGM in November 2021.

Finally, as we moved into 2022, we reached a new organisational milestone. DABD was now 70 years old and we began to think about celebrating our Platinum Jubilee as a local organisation active in Barking and Dagenham during seven decades. There are very few local organisations with such longevity which enables me to sign off this year with pride.

Peter Snell Chair of DABD

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The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

CEO’s Report

As the pandemic moves into the distance, we find ourselves in a challenging yet exciting space, we are rewriting our future. Over the years we have really got under the hood of a great charity and understand more fully what is required on the journey from good to great. It’s been eight years of unveiling and creating transparency.

I thank those who have been on the journey with me, whatever stage they joined for their patience and trust because I know it has been bumpy.

Together we have taken some bold and courageous decisions which has led to us being here to celebrate our 70th year in tandem with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. This will do doubt give us all an opportunity to celebrate with the communities we serve.

Covid has changed so much in our community, but it has also provided so many new opportunities, new ways of working and new aspirations.

We also continue to make every effort to be accountable to our community. As a result, we are actively codesigning our organisation by asking our members, our staff and other key stakeholders what they want from us in the post-pandemic world.

Elaine James CEO

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The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report

for the year ended 31 March 2022

The Trustees present their report which incorporates the strategic report set out in company law included in the audited financial statements for the year ended March 2022. The report provides an organisational summary highlighting the charity’s key challenges and the obstacles which may have hindered the achievement of our key objectives as well as the actual performance of the charity over the past year.

DABD is a local charity that exists to enable inclusion and promote the independence of disabled and elderly people.

The charity’s principal activities are:

The promotion of financial independence and welfare benefits advice, including:

• Emergency funding support for families in crisis

• Employment and debt advice

• Better off in work calculations

• Universal Credit support

• Test and Trace

• Form filling

Personal Support Services, including:

• Residential care and support enabling independence

• Community Care

Children and young people services, including:

• Children’s activity clubs: Saturdays and school holidays

• Travel training for independence (Havering, Waltham Forest)

Mobility/ transport services, including:

• Community transport

• School transport

• NHS transport

• Contracted services on behalf of Eastway Care and Dial-a-Ride

Reducing isolation (Golden Years)

• Life choices for older people

• Community Collaborations

Skills and education

• Functional skills training

• • Workplace opportunities

The year in review

Our vision at DABD is centred on “enabling independence and inclusion for all”.

The services DABD delivers enhance the lives of disabled and excluded individuals and groups, offering them access to support to live independently.

Our Benefits and Financial Independence Team which had suspended home visiting services in 2020/21 gradually reinstated home visits in the latter half of the year. At the same time the team was able to engage actively and effectively with clients online and over the telephone.

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The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Mobility Services continued to support the clients attend crucial appointments and where possible social events, restrictions permitting.

Meanwhile, the PSS team continued to support clients to live as independently and as safely as possible. DABD also put in place measures to keep PSS support staff illness free by cutting down their dependency on public transport.

During the first half of the year, children’s and older people’s group activities remained suspended. However, planning, fundraising and in the case of Golden Years, steering committee work resumed. An opportunity to run school break activities for children was planned for Christmas 2021 school holidays. However, a resurgence of Covid brought about last minute cancellations and a great deal of disappointment to children, their families and to our staff.

The Covid 19 pandemic - continuing effects

In 2021/22 the reduced but lingering effects of Covid continued to have a significant impact on the clients, children and families DABD supports. It also affected DABD staff and the charity’s income.

The charity’s Senior Leadership Team continued throughout 2021/22 to observe government and CQC guidance which meant that DABD continued to protect clients as much as possible and to support staff. However, when frontline staff such as care workers and drivers contracted Covid, this meant that management had the additional task of finding cover to ensure service continuity. This was a challenge during the year.

The leadership team was able to meet less frequently changing from daily to weekly meetings, first remotely but as restrictions eased the team resumed in person to support the charity’s service delivery and the staff teams. The leadership continued to carry out risk assessments, encourage staff to receive vaccines and booster jabs and generally work on staff morale which was inevitably dented by the continuation of restrictions and the difficulties of predicting the way forward in unpredictable times.

There were some highly sensitive HR moments when the charity had to manage matters around care staff vaccination. In July 2021, The Department of Health and Social Care decided that it would be a compulsory requirement for persons working in Care Quality Commission (CQC) care homes or providing services in CQC regulated care homes to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This requirement became law in November 2021. However, at a later date, the Government reversed the position and from 15 March 2022, care workers working in CQC regulated care homes and are no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment and deployment.

In 2021/22 our objectives were:

• ➢ Supporting clients and staff through the continuing effects of Covid-19

• ➢ Reviewing and updating DABD’s articles of association

• ➢ Strengthening the Senior Leadership Team and recruiting senior level staff

• ➢ Upgrading the charity’s IT and HR systems

• ➢ Seeking out new income and strengthening existing programmes

DABD continued to devote resources to staff wellbeing through an employee assistance programme providing access to counselling, financial advice, and tips on maintaining positive mental health.

Frontline staff furloughed in 2020 returned to work as frontline services resumed and the Government’s furlough scheme ended.

Overview of Performance and financial position

DABD continues to strive to extend services to communities and boroughs in east and north east London and remains keen to collaborate with likeminded organisations and individuals on a wide inclusion agenda to support London’s most vulnerable effectively. The Charity maintains close working relationships with local authorities and collaborates on initiatives that increase the choices of individuals leading to greater independence.

Following audits in November 2021 and March 2022 respectively, DABD has retained its Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) and The Advice Quality Standard (AQS) accreditations. DABD remains a Disability Confident employer and continues to maintain its Matrix Standard accreditation for the delivery of high-quality information, advice and guidance .

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

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Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Risk Management

Principal risks to which the charity is exposed as identified by the trustees have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate these risks. A risk register summarises the principal risks facing the charity graded according to their likelihood and impact, and identifies actions to manage them. The register is regularly reviewed and updated by risk owners and is reviewed collectively by the leadership team. All areas of significant risk are brought to the attention of the board of trustees.

The transition to remote working created a need to strengthen IT security. Cyber Security was included and prioritised in our risk management plan. During 20/21 there was one attempt at mandate fraud, where an invoice was replicated, and an attempt made to solicit funds from one of our Commissioners.

Technology is now in place to minimise information security risks for cyber-attacks; attempted data theft as well as denialof-service attacks. We have refreshed our data security policies and set up a programme of ongoing penetration testing. We have restricted access to all DABD data sources and mandated that all staff and trustees use DABD email addresses. Access to DABD IT systems requires two factor authentication.

Governance

Overall policy and strategy for the charity are agreed by the Board of trustees who are advised by the Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Finance.

DABD’s Trustees and CEO regularly review how the charity operates so it can best support the inclusion and independence needs of clients and service users. DABD is committed to achieving the highest standards of governance and to that end the board initiated a governance review in September 2020.

The Charity Governance Code was updated in December 2020 to include an emphasis on integrity and equality, diversity and inclusion. DABD wholeheartedly concurs with this the Code and is working to create a fully inclusive culture. Diversity covers the nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 as well as different backgrounds, life experiences, career paths and diversity of thought. DABD is developing an Equality and Diversity Strategy and our ambition is to be recognised as an anti-racist organisation.

Trustees remain fully committed to the Code’s seven principles:

1. Organisational purpose

2. Leadership

3. Integrity

4. Decision making, risk and control

5. Board effectiveness

6. Equality, diversity, and inclusion

7. Openness and accountability

The board of trustees uses the Charity Governance Code as a reference point for a rolling review of governance, to ensure standards always remain high.

The 2020 review highlighted the need to revise the charities governing document. This work was done in 2021/22 by DABD’s trustees and updated articles of association were adopted by the charity in November 2021.

The review also highlighted the need to expand and refresh the DABD board. In general, larger charities are able to use recruitment agencies to find interested individuals. As a small organisation DABD has relied upon word of mouth and since the review process took place during the pandemic, it has been more difficult to engage interest at a turbulent time. Nevertheless, the charity expects to add a minimum of two new trustees by the end of 2022.

DABD’s board of trustees (the board) is currently made up of four members. The board has collective responsibility for everything we do, including the legal responsibility to ensure the charity is properly controlled and managed.

In discharging their collective responsibilities DABD trustees:

• ➢ Exercise their powers in line with good governance principles

• ➢ Act in the best interest of the organisation

• ➢ Maintain financial probity and ensure proper financial management

The board has wide-ranging skills and experience particularly in organisational management, finance and public engagement. The board delegates responsibility for operational management to the Chief Executive, who leads the Senior

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

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Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Leadership Team (SLT). The SLT develops the organisation's plans, policies and processes and is responsible for their implementation following the board's advice and approval.

Following the 2020 review the board agreed to adopt best practice as outlined in the Charity Governance Code: https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en/5-board-effectiveness, This includes note: 5.7.4 : Trustees are appointed for an agreed length of time, subject to any applicable constitutional or statutory provisions relating to election and re-election. If a trustee has served for more than nine years, their reappointment is: subject to a particularly rigorous review and takes into account the need for progressive refreshing of the board explained in the trustees’ annual report.

DABD’s policy is to seek to recruit a diverse mix of trustees. Trustees give their time on a voluntary basis; they receive no remuneration or any other benefits.

All trustees are recruited against skills’ needs and are appointed following a comprehensive recruitment and induction process, and on occasion by recommendation, based on skill and experience. The board secretary carries out a skills audit and the enhanced disclosure and barring check.

There are currently two male trustees and two female trustees.

Board Meetings

The DABD board usually meets six times a year. In 2021/22 the board met on 27 May, 29 July, 23 September and 25 November in 2021 and on 10 February 2022. The board also held an Away Day on 19 November 2021.

Following the meeting on 25 November, the Board held a General Meeting and on that occasion the board presented and approved its updated articles of association.

During the November Away Day, Trustees spent several hours of engagement with senior staff updating themselves on all operational aspects of the organisation to better inform decision making at board level. Trustees also joined the CEO in the selection of the new Finance Director who joined the organisation in November 2021 and the new Personal Services Lead who joined in January 2022. Prior to the appointment of the Finance Director, two trustees worked closely with the CEO and the external company which produced DABD’s management accounts to provide close scrutiny of finance matters and financial management.

Matters Reserved for Board

There are certain matters which the board reserves to itself through a written schedule. These include approval of the annual plan and budget, and overall strategic direction.

During 2021/22 the board continued to maintain a close watch on a number of corporate risks including:

1. Covid 19

2. Safeguarding

3. Financial Controls

4. Information security

5. Health and Safety

6. Staff pensions

Covid 19

DABD continued to maintain and update a separate Covid Risk Assessment Plan and protocols throughout the year. Strict testing remained in place for frontline staff including drivers and care staff. Welfare Benefits appointments were predominantly held online. The organisation continued to comply throughout with government guidelines.

Safeguarding

Trustees receive human resource reports at their meetings and continue to require all DABD staff to be DBS checked. In 2021, Trustees decided that they should meet the enhanced level check.

Trustees supported the recruitment of a Care Professional as an interim PSS lead until a suitable, qualified lead could be found. Trustees participated in the recruitment of a new permanent, qualified and experienced lead staff member able to manage and train staff to the standards expected not only by DABD but also by CQS and Ofsted.

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

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Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

The CEO has the delegated responsibility for all operational aspects of safeguarding. She supports the PSS Lead and her team on all areas of client safeguarding.

Financial Controls

In 2021/22 and to improve financial controls, the board decided to make the recruitment of a qualified and experienced Finance Director a top priority for DABD. Trustees took part in the selection process and worked with the chosen candidate to ensure his successful induction.

Confirmed in post, the FD and the CEO ensure the day to running of the organisation and control of its finances. The FD was tasked with reviewing and enhancing financial controls; driving forward continuous improvement to processes; managing ad hoc change projects as required, as the organisation moves to become a more agile business.

Information security

DABD employs the services of an external Data Protection Officer supplied by GRCI Law, a company expert in GDPR and in Legal Protection.

In December 2021, DABD changed its IT provider and appointed Cube Technology. Their appointment was made with a view to improving data safety and security and supporting DABD to move from server to cloud based technology.

Health and Safety

Health and safety within the organisation is kept under continuous review. A staff member is responsible for a process of rolling internal audits and inspection to ensure compliance and RIDDOR reporting. This staff member works with and reports to a small committee representing all areas of the organisation.

Staff Pensions

DABD staff are automatically enrolled into our pension scheme, Smart Pension, after three months in post. All staff are actively encouraged to join the scheme and they can do so from day one if they inform the organisation of their wishes in writing.

Reserves Policy

The charity will be operating within a reserves policy which will be reviewed annually as part of the charity’s budget and planning processes. The aim is to grow the value of the free reserves to support and fulfil the organisation’s objectives. The Trustees are in the process of developing a reserves policy.

Future Development

We are rebuilding the charity post Covid as restrictions ease, and while there are still high levels of uncertainty in the charity sector, we are excited about the future.

After a year riddled with uncertainty if would be natural to take a step back and slow down. We have a full activity programme planned.

We primarily want to apply the learning from experiences at the height of the pandemic to make significant service improvements.

We are committed to:

• Provide flexible working and staff wellbeing support

• Develop our people to be their best self

• Further improve our use of digital technologies

• Improve social care choices

• Enhance leadership capabilities

• Improve board effectiveness

• Provide opportunities to interns with special educational needs

• Provide placements to students on early years and social care programme

We will continue to review our services to ensure they are future proof. Future proofing will be based on insights and tested learning in collaboration with our service users.

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

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Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

We are in our 70[th] year and looking to rebrand and refresh of the charity with a focus on independence and inclusion. We have built new relationships and connected with new donors, making us confident about the charity’s future.

As 2022/23 opens we have achieved our good CQC rating, our quality audit has cited areas of good and excellent work in relation to our care delivery.

In addition, we want to ensure that DABD is a great place to work.

Departmental Reports:

Personal Support Services

Independent Travel Training

DABD’s Travel Training programme helps young people with disabilities, special educational needs (SEN) or additional needs, develop coping strategies and road and personal safety skills so that they can make the journey to their place of education independently. This could be by walking or using the bus, train or tube or a combination of several transport modes.

Our Travel Training programme is designed to create long-term positive effects which can support young people through their transition into adulthood. This includes improved:

• social interaction skills

• life skills

• self-esteem

• management of fears and anxieties

• responsibility

• road safety awareness

• time management

• coping strategies

• communication skills

In 2021/2022 the programme was operational in the London Boroughs of Havering and Waltham Forest.

Kids Patch Club

Kids Patch is our Ofsted registered weekend club for children and young people aged 5 + with disabilities or additional needs. In 2021/22 DABD’s programme was supported by the London Borough of Havering. Covid had had a huge effect on our clubs during 2020 and also 2021 due to the vulnerability of the children, their families and staff. Nevertheless as the year progressed, the clubs gradually reopened. By the end of the year the Club was back up and running with a total of 19 children being accommodated on different weekends.

The club offers a friendly, fun, social and inclusive environment for three age groups: 5 to 8, 9 to 13 and 14 to 18, with specialist equipment and facilities and trained staff.

When the children are in the club, parents and guardians have six respite hours in which to take care of other family priorities in the knowledge that their child or indeed children are not only safe but are being encouraged to engage in crafts and themed activities promoting confidence, positive relationships and of course, fun!

As 2022/23 begins, the programme is ready to take in newly referred children and the programme will run to its full capacity every Saturday with 15 children which is the Club’s maximum capacity. Seven new staff have come on board to enable a safe increase in the number of children.

DABD hopes to run similar services for children in Barking and Dagenham borough including short breaks for children and families and is hopeful of securing the borough’s support in the coming financial year (2022/23).

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

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Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

HAF

Holiday Activities and Food Programme known as HAF is an out of term programme supported by central government and run by London boroughs. Our PSS team successfully applied to run a two week HAF programme at Christmas time 2021. Sadly, after weeks of preparation, the programme was cancelled due to the re-emergence of Covid. This was a blow to the organisation but nevertheless, DABD will run HAF programmes at Easter, summer and Christmas 2022.

Personal Care

For many years DABD has supported a small number of individual clients to live independently with the support they require to enjoy life to the fullest extent possible. Each client lives in their own flat, with its own front door in one building called The Lodge. The Lodge is situated on Lodge Avenue in the borough of Barking and Dagenham.

In addition, the organisation supports several individual clients living independently in the community.

The Lodge clients receive round the clock support consisting of personal care (eating, dressing, washing, taking medication), daily living activities (shopping, housework, attending hospital and GP appointments) and social activities including getting out and about in the community to meet friends, go for meals, visit gyms, swimming pools, theatre, cinema and to go on holiday.

Community based clients receive support according to their assessed needs which can include personal care and daily living activities.

The watch word for DABD is independence. The organisation promotes independent living with the client in charge as opposed to a care approach where the client receives prescribed care and support.

In 2021/22 once again Covid affected this service as the clients are all classed as vulnerable individuals and it was imperative to put their health needs first. DABD continued to do everything to ensure potential transmission of the virus from staff to clients was minimised. Clients and staff continued to test throughout the year and the last cases were in January 2022. DABD remains vigilant and continues a testing regime and other Covid hygiene measures.

DABD is pleased that most staff felt able to come forward for vaccination. Our current staff cohort are all vaccinated.

Welfare Benefits Service

Overview

Covid continued to have a significant impact on programmes, clients and staff in 2021/ 2022 but DABD’s Welfare Benefits Team remained intact, proudly supporting clients with quality advice and support digitally and over the telephone.

Overall, it was a successful year where we updated our systems and took on new contracts while facing the challenges of staff members mainly working digitally and facing the personal challenges that Covid continued to pose. Keeping staff safe and successfully supporting their wellbeing remained a priority for the Team Lead, the CEO and the wider management.

The Team continued to provide support including: impartial benefits advice, form filling, with additional referrals. We supplied information and guidance to people affected by the energy charging changes. We encouraged and explained income opportunities for people looking for work, including “better off” in work calculations through local authority Job Shops. We provided benefit checks to vulnerable groups and individuals including the Golden Years group to enhance their income. We helped clients secure entitlements by assisting them with paper work and advice relating to Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals for various benefits. We ended the year in the full knowledge that our services are needed more than ever as prices rise and incomes are squeezed.

The Team also kept on top of its own training needs to ensure our knowledge is up to date enabling us to give accurate and impartial advice with a view to clients remaining independent, financially stable and sustaining as healthy a life as possible. At times this can involve several lengthy wide ranging meetings with clients to go through budget statements, review outgoings and incomings, benefits application form filling, income maximisation and first level debt advice and referrals.

DABD is accredited with the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) at general help level for casework in welfare benefits. DABD was reviewed in March 2022 and our AQS agreement was extended for a further two years. We are also members of Advice UK, the national body for organisations providing advice.

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The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Contracts

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD) Enhanced Welfare Rights (EWR)

LBBD EWR is a longstanding project where DABD supports vulnerable client groups through enhanced welfare rights advocacy, income maximisation support and with advice and form completion. We also assist clients when they are turned down for disability benefits. We support them through the Mandatory Reconsiderations and appeals processes. This can be a highly stressful and emotional time for clients and the Team has to manage this.

In 2021/2022, we delivered 520 advice sessions with clients aged 16 to 90. We supported them to claim a range of benefits including Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance (AA), Housing Benefit (HB), Council Tax Benefit, Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) and Universal Credit (UC) as well as mandatory reconsiderations and appeals.

As a result the service generated over £726,000 in additional benefits for clients in 2021/2022.

While referrals are received from the EWR/CAB triage team, our solid presence in the community means DABD receives referrals by word of mouth from former clients whom we have successfully assisted. We continue to receive referrals from a broad local network including LBBD social workers, the housing department, Jobcentre Plus, Job Shops, Homes and Money and other local voluntary organisations including Carers and the Independent Living Agency. And, because DABD takes a holistic approach, internal referrals are key. The team receives referrals from our Personal Support Services, Mobility, Travel Training services and from the Golden Years.

Again, taking a holistic approach, we support our clients by referring or signposting them to local organisations in whom we have confidence on issues where, our support can only take clients so far. This relates to more complex issues linked to housing, homelessness and debt. We refer to: Home Hub, Citizens Advice, RAMFEL, Step Change among many.

DABDs also offers home visits to the most vulnerable and difficult to reach clients. (Covid has restricted this approach but we have used the phone extensively, and as restriction lift this practice has been reinstated.)

The EWR programme has been invaluable to clients in the face of ongoing severe welfare reforms and the roll out of Universal Credit.

Case study - Universal credit (UC) appeal.

A female working age client with severe health issues, including heart failure, which caused her to stop work and make a claim under ‘Limited capability for work’ with the full support of her GP and Cardiologist. The client claimed because she was liable for housing costs. Following a telephone health assessment, the Department of Works and Pension (DWP) found her ‘fit for work’.

The Welfare Services team provided advice and guidance, and supported the client to apply for a mandatory reconsideration (MR). When reviewed, DWP’s decision remained the same and the client was not awarded anything.

At this point, the client became very anxious. However, the Welfare Services advisor supported the client to appeal the decision which was successfully overturned. The client has been placed in the UC ‘Limited capability for work’ (LCW) category. This means she no longer needs to be available to look for work and can focus on her recovery.

The client was extremely happy with the outcome as the process was affecting her health. During the process and the many appointments, the Team identified that this client should also apply for other benefits including Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

This client is now receiving £1,399 per month (an increase of £1,134) and the additional advantage of not having to be available for work, whilst managing multiple health issues.

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The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

London Borough of Havering Emergency Assistance Scheme/ Winter Grant Scheme

In 2021/22 the Havering Emergency Assistance Scheme received 11,049 applications for emergency assistance. We were able to make awards to 75% of all applicants helping 8,331 clients supplying items including furniture, white goods, and grant payments. The value of support to residents in 2021/2022 was just under £1,050,000.00.

Applications are received by email as either self-referrals or from another organisation, mainly Family Mosaic or by a Social Worker.

If a client is unable to receive assistance from the scheme, we automatically allocate them to a DABD adviser to give advice benefits and check to make sure they are receiving the correct ones. We investigate their situation and signpost where possible. We often refer clients to debt services such as Citizen Advice or Step Change.

It is clear from many of the online applications we receive that clients have been advised by their local Job Centre to contact us. Word of mouth from residents who have been awarded support and know others who are struggling also plays a role. Havering Council also refer residents to the website.

Havering Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme (HTTSPS)

This scheme was put in place originally for three months in 2020/21 and carried on into 2021/22. DABD administered the HTTSP scheme taking over 2,640 calls, processing 4,366 applications, and managing over 15,000 client email communications. DABD helped a total of 1,741 clients with loss of earnings due to isolating.

The assistance to Havering residents who were able to access the scheme was £500 per resident to compensate them for loss of earnings.

The scheme supported Havering residents who were obliged to self-isolate having received an official Test and Trace system communication. It provided them with a payment to support loss of earnings. Many people had to self-isolate because of children testing positive for Covid-19 and the scheme was adjusted to support parents selfisolating and looking after their children at home.

All applications were online and completed by clients themselves for our consideration. DABD stepped in to support vulnerable or non-digital clients to apply.

Once again, the team did not look at these individuals in isolation and cross referred clients in need to additional support schemes. Some clients were referred on internally to the Havering Emergency Scheme. Our welfare benefits advisors offered advice on benefits and made sure applicants to Test and Trace were receiving the correct ones. We also signposted to debt services for more information and support. Signposting included other services within the Havering network and the Test and Trace helpline.

DABD’s found that many clients had been advised by Havering council, Test and Trace helplines, DWP and their local Job Centre to contact us for financial assistance.

Case study – Test and Trace

In the early days of the scheme when evidence was required a client applied for the Havering Test and Trace Support Fund. However, the client had no evidence to prove loss of income (due to having covid and self-isolating).

DABD supplied the client with her information and advice including emails to show her employer, who was not being helpful. Meanwhile the applicant was struggling financially due to lost wages.

In the circumstances we were able to keep her application open for longer than the 7 day norm and she was able to provide evidence of the lost income and this enabled DABD to award her the £500 support for which the client expressed her gratitude and relief.

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The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Newham Workplace

The Newham Workplace contract was extended from the previous financial year for two months to 31 May 2021.

DABD supported Workplace/ Money Works service users to overcome barriers preventing them from obtaining employment. The service included welfare benefits advice and support, form filling, letter writing, housing advice, employment and debt advice and any other concerns affecting a client’s ability to work.

DABD staff provided the service remotely taking calls and making appointments. Over the two months, DABD concluded 60 telephone appointments, communicating and supporting clients with over 50 emails and more than 100 calls/texts. As a result the clients received additional income totalling £32,000.

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD) Job Shops

The LBBD Job Shop service provides clients with “better off” calculations and comprehensive advice and information about in-work benefits and tax credits they are eligible to claim by taking up employment. This is an important service because client fear being worse off financially if they give up the safety net of benefit entitlements.

Providing “better off” calculations enables clients to make informed decisions about the number of hours they can afford to work taking in to account all incoming support and outgoing payments. Clients are better prepared financially before moving into employment. This service acts as a motivational tool as clients are often surprised and encouraged by how much better off they will be financially, to say nothing of other in work benefits.

In 2021/2022 DABD helped 46 residents to understand how finding work will affect them financially. This work resulted in a total of £7,854.33 extra benefits/ individual savings for the clients and savings for the borough of £4,948.35 in housing costs. Numbers are lower in 2021/22 as compared to the previous year because Job Shops referrals to us were lower. This was due to Job Shops changed working practices during the pandemic.

Golden Years

DABD continued to support the Golden Years members throughout the pandemic. We have supported over 400 isolated residents of Barking, Dagenham and Havering aged 60+. Many individuals were on the high-risk register and had to isolate through the entire pandemic period. DABD staff continued to keep in contact with them through WhatsApp groups, Zoom and phone calls. DABD worked with other organisations and local shops to provide food and deliveries of special items such as fish and chips. The team also arranged delivery of medications through cross collaboration with the Mobility division.

Events and trips were slowly reintroduced in early 2022 as restrictions lifted. Members gradually came back to group events but throughout the year DABD staff and volunteers supported the members’ mental wellbeing.

Smart Energy GB

DABD worked on a contract with NEA/SEGB to contact clients who did not communicate digitally and who were in need of impartial support to better understand their energy use and how Smart meters could help.

DABD gave one to one advice sessions and reached 76,278 people over the course of the project. A further 63,481 people were reached through indirect activity (advertising and website).

Although the work was new to the department, this project created a new knowledge base within the team and it has enabled us to bid for related projects in 2022/23. Having achieved our 2021 targets DABD had been awarded a new contract in 2022.

Page 13

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Case study – Smart energy

The client is a client is a Havering resident on UC and ESA due to ongoing health issues referred by the Job Centre. The client has a partner and young children and has been affected by the recent reduction in UC. She is struggling with energy bills, rent and groceries. The family relies on food banks to make ends meet.

DABD spoke to the client at length on a range of subjects, including smart meters. This client struggles with mental health issues and told us that any help would be greatly appreciated. Her benefits are currently being reviewed and she may receive more benefit income in due course.

We discovered that she uses a pre-payment/pay-as-you-go tariff and is struggling and we thought she would be an ideal candidate for pre-payment vouchers. We contacted NEA and after a follow up call with the client, they awarded her £140 in pre-payment vouchers.

Finally….

It is true what they say; ‘It is good to talk’ and we have all listened!

Mobility Services

DABD’s Mobility Services works with partners and local authority commissioners to provide accessible and inclusive transport to overcome some of the challenges faced by people with impaired mobility in our communities. DABD take great pride in operating this service as a friendly, reliable door-to-door service enhancing disabled clients’ independence and quality of life.

In 2021/22, DABD’s clients made 94,246 trips with their assistants and carers, or, in some cases due to Covid had services delivered to their door. To make these journeys, DABD employed 30 full time drivers, 17 part time drivers, three Kick Start trainees and a volunteer driver operating 37 fully accessible passenger-lift vehicles, including a vehicle equipped with a stretcher and oxygen facilities.

All our drivers are MiDAS (Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) trained. When a passenger needed a PATS (Passenger Assistant Training Scheme) trained Passenger Assistant, we provided this additional assistance. This team was managed and supported by the Divisional Lead, the Service Coordinator, two Team Leaders and an administrator.

DABD was commissioned to deliver services by the NHS, several London boroughs, education departments, day centre transport, independent travel by direct payments and Transport for London door-to-door Dial-a-Ride services. Additionally, our vehicles were available for contract hire but this was heavily restricted during 2021/22 because of ongoing Covid restrictions.

DABD Mobility Services also offers a wide range of daily living equipment for purchase from manual and electric wheelchairs and electric scooters through to walking aids, adapted household items and personal care products such as bathing aids and commodes.

We have been supporting people to choose the correct independent living equipment suitable for their needs for 21 years and are also able to give independent advice and information, product care advice and demonstrations. As an example, this year we advised LBBD’s Trewern Outdoor Education Centre of their options in purchasing some specialist off-road wheelchairs.

Social Value:

In 2021/22, the Mobility Division maintained its focus on collaborating with other DABD divisions and Community Transport London members, to continue supporting local authorities, the NHS and third sector groups to provide essential services as everyone continued to manage the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. Our emphasis remained on reaching out and helping as many clients as possible who faced a range of social issues, not just isolation and loneliness, but also economic inequality, food poverty, healthcare needs and ageism.

Page 14

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

2021/22 contracts:

Our commissioned services in 2021/22 included:

• Eastway Care Ltd, a care provider offering respite and day care services for clients in North East London. DABD provides their transport services for these clients. We are commissioned to provide 22 buses and drivers for three different day centres.

• Dial-a-Ride MOAT (Multi Occupancy Accessible Transport) contract is commissioned by Transport for London. DABD provided 49 Dial-a-Ride shifts every seven days. This includes four shifts on weekends.

• Havering Learning Disability Society is a local charity which commissioned us to provide three vehicles to transport members to activities held at their Monday Club and a bus for their swimming group on Saturdays.

• Barking and Dagenham, Havering & Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group required us to provide transport for patients to attend retinal screening appointments at Porters Avenue Clinic and Homerton Hospital. This is an ad-hoc service driven by demand from the CCG.

Challenges during 2021/22:

• Covid-19. Although restrictions gradually lifted towards the end of 2021/22 transport is still an area with restrictions in place. Testing regimes and PPE were provided for by the government, but this could change in future. However, the vulnerability of some our clients will not change and DABD will continue to monitor and manage this challenge.

• Towards the end of 2023 DABD’s three minibuses will be subject to the daily Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) charges. The organisation is therefore already planning solutions.

• Costs, including fuel, are rising.

Benefits to clients in 2021/22:

• Access to social opportunities

• Providing opportunities to leave the house

• Opportunities to socialise with other passengers and to converse with DABD staff

• Improved access to GPs and healthcare facilities (resulting in improved health outcomes, reduced health inequalities and lower healthcare costs)

• Enabling people to live independently for longer (reducing demand on expensive nursing and residential care)

• Replacing expensive home health visits with more frequent visits to relevant health facilities

• Reduced missed health appointments, rescheduling difficulties and delays for the client, GP surgery and NHS

• • Enabling people to be discharged from hospital and also ensuring access to services while in recovery at home

• Reducing demand on more expensive Patient Transport Services by providing a suitable local alternative

• • Drivers and passenger assistants identify early warning signals of problems, due to regular contact with an otherwise isolated person, and attempt to mitigate problems. (This directly benefits the individual and reduces potential costs to society)

Passengers and trips:

Although coronavirus impacted the types of trips and the passengers making them, we continued to deliver services for Dial-a-Ride and retinal screening at Homerton Hospital. Eastway Care transport was adapted to support their clients for both daily centre transport and an outreach service for clients with exceptional vulnerability. Ad-hoc trips were made to hospitals, shops, weddings, schools, colleges, faith centres, holidays, airports, dentists, clinic appointments, museums, theatres and funerals.

Page 15

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Overall environmental Impact:

Mobility Division vehicles travelled 432,856 miles (696,614 kilometres) using 21,136 imperial gallons (96,087 litres) of fuel. This equates to an average vehicle fuel consumption of 20.48 mpg (7.25 km/l), creating 372.19 tonnes of Co2 and 552.45 kilograms of NOx and PM’s.

Summer/winter excursions:

In 2020/21, Mobility Services suspended all excursions due to the coronavirus pandemic. This has continued into 2021/22, but plans are in place to resume services in the summer of 2022 if government restrictions are eased.

Training:

All drivers either completed or renewed their MiDAS certificates throughout 2021/22. A comprehensive programme of e-learning also took place for all drivers. To be Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme (FORS) compliant, every driver had to complete eleven modules of e-learning, based around driving safety and economy, while Dial-a-Ride compliance required all drivers to complete ten e-learning modules based around driving safety, economy and customer service.

Mobility Services during Coronavirus:

Social distancing and self-isolation measures had a significant impact on DABD services. Day centre transport and group hire services were the most negatively affected with only one organisation which ran services prior to the pandemic continuing to provide the service in 2021. DABD saw a significant decrease in Dial-a-Ride customer usage (63% down on pre-coronavirus levels).

However, whilst the number of journeys taking people to essential medical appointments, and to key services such as supermarkets and pharmacies decreased, these essential journeys were the least negatively affected - a clear demonstration of the vital role DABD plays in providing these community services.

Furthermore, Mobility Services adapted to offer those who were self-isolating or unable to leave their homes additional support. Activities such as collecting and delivering food and prescriptions significantly increased, as did checking on the well-being of clients by phone and offering deliveries on behalf of foodbanks and DABD’s Community Fridge project, showing how Mobility has adapted by offering new services to support our community.

DABD also provided a shuttle bus service for its own staff members working in our Personal Services Service with the aim of limiting staff use of public transport to reduce their exposure to the coronavirus and thus limit the possibility of their passing it on to our PSS clients.

Despite the challenges faced staff continued to do what they do best – stepping up and serving our community.

Business Development & Commercial

Overview

DABD’s Business Development and Commercial (BD&C) function, established in March 2020 supports the charity to deliver successful outcomes in financial, strategic growth and development objectives.

Page 16

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

The BD&C Lead works with the other divisional leads, Finance Director and CEO to support the charity to fulfil its strategic plan and meets it budgetary objectives.

There are four main areas of activity:

1. Research, prepare and submit grant funding applications to support organisational stability and future growth

2. Working with the divisional leads to extend or secure new business contracts for the charity

3. Creating, developing, and actively participating in partnerships and collaborations with organisations that mirror the vision and values of the charity

4. Identify and deliver cost savings or enhancements to the charity’s supplier chain and service network

Grant Funding

Between April 2021 and March 2022, DABD secured new grant funding of £135,000 from several organisations including: The Edward Gostling Foundation, Tesco Community Fund, Lankelly Chase Foundation (Kingsley Hall), Ford Britain Trust, Co-op Local Community Fund, Smart Energy GB/ National Energy Action (NEA), M&G Community Fund, B&Q Community Fund, Argos, Neighbourly, Sainsburys, National Lottery Community Fund and the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham.

During the same period we developed a number of relevant applications which could yield as much as £190,000. Against the backdrop of fierce competition from other worthy charities seeking financial support in the postpandemic period, we know that not all these applications will be successful. However, the pipeline is healthy and building week on week and we expect it will continue to grow in 2022/23 and beyond.

Contracts

Over the past twelve months, DABD focussed on retaining and developing new contractual income streams with our local authorities, commissioners and organisations aligned to the strategic aims of our charity. Our working relationships with all the local boroughs strengthened significantly and we secured several new contracts with the London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, Havering, Waltham Forest and the Barking Enterprise Centre (BEC).

Partnerships and Collaborations

As in previous years, much of our effort has been focussed on identifying, developing and maintaining new and existing partnerships and collaborations, that mirror our vision and values.

Despite the communication challenges that the pandemic brought to our door, we continued to lead, support, facilitate and participate within several borough-wide and other local authority steering groups, projects and new initiatives.

This level of commitment and personal investment demonstrates that DABD wants to take on a responsive and active role in the successful future of its own borough and the other local authorities and organisations who we collaborate with and who work with us.

Page 17

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Our list of existing and new partnerships continues to build and includes the following like-minded organisations:

Ab Phab Youth Club, Advice Plus Barking & Dagenham, Advice UK, Argos, BD College, BD Collective, BD Giving, B&Q, Barking & Dagenham CVS, BEC, Breezie, Carers of Barking & Dagenham, Citizens Advice Bureau (B&D), City Bridge Trust, Community Re-Paint, Community Transport Association, Community Fridge, Community Mental Health Team, Co-op Local Community Fund, Care Quality Commission (CQC), Dagenham & Redbridge FC, Dial A Ride, DtL, Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Eastway Care, Edward Gostling Foundation, First Stop Healthcare, Ford Britain Trust, Good Things Foundation, City Bridge Trust, Havering Learning and Disability Society (HLDS), Havering SENDIASS, HSBC, Job Centre Plus, Kickstart, Kingsley Church Hall and CC, Lankelly Chase Foundation, London Community Foundation, Money Advice & Pension Service (MAPS), Skanska UK, M&G Community Fund, Mind in Havering and B&D, Morrisons Foundation, National Lottery, Neighbourly, NHS, Ofsted, Oomph Wellness, Participatory City, Progress Project, Sainsburys, Skills Funding Agency, Refuge UK, Reconnections, Scope, Skanska UK, Smart Energy GB (NEA), Stay Safe East, Sycamore Trust, Tesco, TfL, TreeTops (Romford) Ltd, Trust for London, UK Youth, Variety Charity,

Voiceability, Volunteer Barking & Dagenham, Waitrose, and the London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Barnet, Havering, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest

Suppliers

The key driver here is to identify and deliver cost savings or enhancements to the charity’s supplier chain and service network. The principal objective remained to reduce expenditure without compromising the service levels we receive and where possible, enhance the functionality or product offering from the supplier.

Auditors

The auditors, Moore Kingston Smith LLP, are deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 3 February 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

Peter Snell, Chair of trustees

Page 18

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Statement of Trustee Responsibilities for the year ended 31 March 2022

The trustees (who are also the directors of The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the 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 those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP;

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to 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:

• there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditors are 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 auditors are aware of that information.

Page 19

Auditors Report to the Trustees of The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash flows 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 FRS 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the UK and Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of its deficit for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice;

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011.

Basis of opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs(UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the 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 unqualified opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

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.

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

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. 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 that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

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

• the information given in the trustees’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the trustees’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Page 20

Auditors Report to the Trustees of

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham (continued)

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ Report.

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

• adequate accounting records have not been kept by the charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we required for our audit.

Responsibilities of directors

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 17, 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

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.

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.

Explanation as to what extent the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud

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 Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, 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.

• Based on this understanding, we designed specific appropriate audit procedures to identify instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. This included making enquiries of management and those charged with governance and obtaining additional corroborative evidence as required.

Page 21

Auditors Report to the Trustees of

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham (continued)

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 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.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken for no purpose other than to draw to the attention of the charitable company’s members those matters which we are required to include in an Auditor’s report addressed to them. 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 members as a body, for our work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Orbital House 20 Eastern Road Romford Essex RM1 3PJ

Karen Wardell (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP Chartered Accountants

Dated: ………………… 3 February 2023

Page 22

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2022

Notes Unrestricted Restricted fund fund Income £’s £’s Donations, Legacies & Similar Income 3 2,599 - Charitable Activities - Objects 4 2,742,221 81,614 Other income 18,317 - Investment Income 5 56 - Total Income 2,763,193 81,614 Expenditure Charitable Activities - Objects 6 2,212,315 43,145 - Administration 7 665,329 - Total Expenditure 2,877,644 43,145 Net Income/(Expenditure) (114,451) 38,469 Transfer between funds - - Total Funds Brought Forward 138,206 6,254 Total Funds Carried Forward 15 23,755 44,723	2022 £’s 2,599 2,823,835 18,317 56 2,844,807 2,255,460 665,329 2,920,789 (75,982) - 144,460 68,478	2021 £’s 1,629 2,589,527 113,061 3	2021 £’s 1,629 2,589,527 113,061 3
		2,704,220
		2,170,280 624,856 2,795,136 (90,916) -
			(90,916) -
			235,376
			144,460

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 26-35 form part of these accounts.

Page 23

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Balance Sheet for the year ended 31 March 2022

Notes Fixed Assets Tangible Fixed Assets 10 Current Assets Debtors 11 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 12 Net current assets Net Assets Represented by: Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Funds of the Charity 15	2022 £’s 57,594 409,382 42,481 451,863 (440,979) 10,884 68,478 44,723 23,755 68,478	2021 £’s 1,304 341,980 135,516
		477,496
		(334,340)
		143,156
		144,460
		6,254 138,206
		144,460

These accounts are prepared in accordance with the Charity SORP (FRS102) and the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirement of the Companies Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

Approved by the board of trustees on 3 February 2023 and signed on behalf.

Peter Snell (Chair of trustees) Company no.: 2800290 The notes on pages 26-35 form part of these accounts.

Page 24

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Statement of Cash flows for the year ended 31 March 2022

		2022	2021
		£	£
Cashflow from operating activities:
Net cash (used in)/from operating activities		(100,057)	165,547
Cashflow from investing activities
Investment income		56	3
Acquisition of tangible fixed asset		(2,563)	(649)
Cash provided from investment activities		(2,507)	(646)
Change in cash or cash equivalents		(102,564)	164,901
Cash at 01/04/2021		135,516	(29,385)
Cash and cash equivalents at 31/03/2022		32,952	135,516
Analysis of changes in net debt
	1 April 2021	Cash flows	31 March 2022
	£	£	£
Cash at bank	135,516	(93,035)	42,481
Bank overdrafts (note 12)	-	(9,529)	(9,529)
Cash and cash equivalents	135,516	(102,564)	32,952
Reconciliation of net cash from operating activities
Net expenditure		(75,982)	(90,916)
Interest received		(56)	(3)
(Decrease)/increase in debtors		(67,402)	177,248
Increase in creditors		97,110	78,647
Vehicle fair value adjustment		(54,500)	-
Depreciation		773	571
Net (used in)/cash from operating activities		(100,057)	165,547

The notes on pages 26-35 form part of these accounts.

Page 25

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham is a private company limited by guarantee domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Pembroke Gardens, Dagenham, Essex RM10 7YP.

Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland effective 1 January 2015 (The FRS 102 Charities SORP), the Companies Act 2006 and Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

The Trustees confirm that the Charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

Income

Voluntary income, grants and donations are included in income when they are receivable, except when the donors’ conditions have not been fulfilled, and then the income is deferred.

The income from fundraising ventures is shown gross, with the associated costs included in fundraising costs.

The charity receives the benefit of work carried out by volunteers and receives the use of facilities and equipment without charge. No value is placed on these gifts in kind within the accounts.

Expenditure

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Individual assets costing £500 or more are capitalised at cost.

Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Fixtures and fittings - 25% straight line Motor vehicles - 25% straight line Equipment - 25% straight line

Taxation

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

Volunteer help

The Trust receives support from a wide variety of volunteers. It is not practical to place a value on the time volunteered by all these persons, due to the variety of duties performed, the differences in time spent, and the sheer number of volunteers who gave of their time.

Pension costs

The Trust operates a defined contribution scheme for the benefit of some of its employees. The costs of the defined contributions are written off against incoming resources in the year they are payable. The assets of the scheme are held separately from the Trust in independently administered funds. The majority of the employees are members of a money purchase policy, which was set up to meet the government’s requirements regarding pension provisions for all staff. Contributions to the policy made on behalf of employees are also charged against incoming resources in the year they are paid.

Page 26

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives 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.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Going concern

The charity made a net deficit of £74,514 (2021: £90,916) during the year ended 31 March 2022 and, at that date, the charity’s unrestricted reserves had decreased to £25,223 (2021: £138,206). These results for the year to 31 March 2022 are a direct result of the effects of Covid-19 on the charity’s operations. Forecast and budgeted results and cash flows for the next 12 month period are positive and at the time of approving these financial statements the trustees have a reasonable expectation the charity can continue in operational existence for a period of at least 12 months from the date of signing these financial statements.

The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.

Financial assets and liabilities

The charitable company only has basic financial instruments.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks and other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Government grants

Government grants are recognised at the fair value of the asset received or receivable when there is reasonable assurance that the grant conditions will be met and the grants will be received.

A grant that specifies performance conditions is recognised in income when the performance conditions are met. Where a grant does not specify performance conditions it is recognised in income when the proceeds are received or receivable. A grant received before the recognition criteria are satisfied is recognised as a liability.

2. CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND JUDGEMENTS

In the application of the charitable company’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgments, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised, if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

Key sources of estimation uncertainty

Useful economic lives of tangible fixed assets

The annual depreciation charge for tangible fixed assets is sensitive to changes in the estimated useful economic lives and residual values of the assets. The useful economic lives and residual values are re-assessed annually. They are amended when necessary to reflect current estimates, based on technological advancement, future investments, economic utilisation and the physical condition of the assets. See note 10 for the carrying amount of the tangible fixed assets and note 1 for the useful economic lives for each class of asset.

Page 27

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

3. DONATIONS, LEGACIES AND SIMILAR INCOME

Donations NCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - OBJECTS Golden Years Transport Services Welfare Benefits Havering ESS Personalisation & Personal Care Services Travel Training Core and Other Income Kickstarters Pembroke Gardens		2022 £’s 5,000 1,850,782 145,003 57,437 615,301 34,889 33,809 65,714 15,900 2,823,835 2022 £’s 2,599 2,599		2021 £’s 6,527 1,693,539 207,627 48,655 574,195 14,330 44,654 - - 2021 £’s 1,629 1,629
				2,589,527

4. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - OBJECTS

The above income includes £81,614 (2021: £6,254) which relates to restricted funds.

Page 28

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

5. INVESTMENT INCOME

Interest received	2022 £’s 56 56	2021 £’s 3
		3

6. EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - OBJECTS

Transport Services Welfare Benefits Havering ESS Kickstarters Personalisation & Personal Care Services	2022 £’s 1,558,513 165,175 1,201 43,145 487,426 2,255,460	2021 £’s 1,478,236 180,156 2,003 - 509,885
		2,170,280

The above expenditure includes £43,145 (2021: £11,422) which relates to restricted funds.

All of the above expenditure relates to direct costs of the charity and staff costs have been allocated to the individual charitable activities.

Page 29

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

7. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - ADMINISTRATION

Sales and office costs Audit Fee	2022 £’s 654,829 10,500 665,329	2021 £’s 614,356 10,500
		624,856

The above expenditure includes £43,145 (2021: £nil) which relates to restricted funds.

8. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) for the year is stated after charging:	2022	2021
	£’s	£’s
Depreciation	773	571
Audit fees	10,920	10,500
Non audit fees paid to the company’s auditor	1,740	1,740
Operating lease charges	82,711	83,853

9. STAFF COSTS

No remuneration was paid to trustees in the year. During the year no employees (2021: one) earned between £60,000 and £70,000 per annum.

Remuneration of the Charity’s key management personnel in the year was £116,600 (2021: £152,952).

Wages and salaries Social Security Pension No of employees by functions: Welfare Benefits Personal Care Services & Travel Training Corporate Services Mobility Services		2022 £’s 1,731,647 125,126 30,967 1,887,740 2022 7 38 10 37 92		2021 £’s 1,707,702 119,029 38,401
				1,865,132
				2021 9 33 5 38
				85

Page 30

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

10. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Cost At 01/04/2021 Additions Depreciation At 01/04/2021 Fair value adjustment Charge in year As at 31/03/2022 As at 31/03/2021	Equipment £’s 77,450 2,563 80,013 76,146 - 773 76,919 3,094 1,304		Vehicles £’s 243,146 - 243,146 243,146 (54,500) - 188,646 54,500 -		Total £’s 320,596 2,563
					323,159 319,292 (54,500) 773
					265,565 57,594
					1,304

11. DEBTORS

Trade debtors Prepayments and accrued income Other debtors	2022 £’s 227,340 159,926 22,116 409,382	2021 £’s 194,025 125,580 22,375
		341,980

Page 31

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

12. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

Trade creditors Accruals Deferred grants Other taxes and social security costs Bank loans and overdrafts Conduit funds (note 14) Other creditors Deferred Grants Income has been deferred due to:	2022 £’s 212,189 78,539 29,932 56,626 9,529 37,096 17,068 440,979		2021 £’s 146,208 37,078 25,520 40,598 - 66,429 18,507
			334,340

HAF income - relates to the HAF easter program run in April 2022.

LBBD household support funding - this is for quarterly staff costs post year-end.

	At 1st April	Released in	Deferred in	At 31st
	2021	the year	the year	March 2022
	£’s	£’s	£’s	£’s
London Borough of Newham - provision	11,578	(11,578)	-	-
of welfare benefits
HAF income	-	-	11,600	11,600
LBBD household support funding	13,942	(13,942)	18,332	18,332
Total	25,520	(25,520)	29,932	29,932

Page 32

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

13. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS

At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease agreements under noncancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

Due within 1 year Due between 2 and 5 years Due after 5 years	2022 £’s 121,344 103,155 25,350 249,849	2021 £’s 158,459 200,853 37,050
		396,362

14. CONDUIT FUNDS

DABD administrates funds on behalf of The London Borough of Havering and this activity is recognised in the accounts as conduit funds. The beneficiaries of the funds are determined by The London Borough of Havering. The movement in conduit funds during the year are as follows:

Balance brought forward Funds received Funds disbursed Balance carried forward	Track & Trace - Grant £’s The London Borough of Havering £’s 2022 £’s 2021 £’s 16,119 50,310 66,429 4,673 858,000 1,020,000 1,878,000 697,500 (865,068) (1,042,265) (1,907,333) (635,744) 9,051 28,045 37,096 66,429

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

2022 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds - Golden Years Restricted Funds- Kickstarters Restricted Funds - Pembroke Gardens	At 1st April 2021 £’s 138,206 6,254 - - 144,460	Income £’s Expenditure £’s 2,763,193 (2,877,644) - - 65,714 (43,145) 15,900 - 2,844,807 2,920,789	At 31st March 2022 £’s 23,755 6,254 22,569 15,900 68,478

Page 33

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (continued)

2021 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds - City Bridge Restricted Funds - Golden Years	At 1st April 2020 £’s Income £’s Expenditure £’s At 31st March 2021 £’s 223,954 2,697,966 (2,783,714) 138,206 11,422 - - 6,254 (11,422) - - 6,254 235,376 2,704,220 (2,795,136) 144,460

Pembroke Gardens

This is for costs towards the refurbishment of the weekend/evening club for children and young people with disabilities.

Golden Years

The Pat Gillam ‘Golden Years’ Legacy. Enabling independence by reducing isolation.

Kickstarters

Funding provided to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on universal credit.

16. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Fund balances at 31 March 2022 are represented by: Tangible fixed assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand Creditors due in one year Fund balances at 31 March 2021 are represented by: Tangible fixed assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand Creditors due in one year	Restricted funds £ Unrestricted funds £ Total £ - 57,594 57,594 - 409,382 409,382 44,723 (2,242) 42,481 - (440,979) (440,979) 44,723 23,755 69,946 Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Total £ £ £ - 1,304 1,304 - 341,980 341,980 6,254 129,262 135,516 - (334,430) (334,430) 6,254 138,116 144,370

Page 34

The Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022

17. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

There were no related party transactions during the year.

18. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted Restricted fund fund Income £’s £’s Donations, Legacies & Similar Income 1,629 - Charitable Activities - Objects 2,558,273 6,254 Other Income 113,061 - Investment Income 3 - Total Income 2,697,966 6,254 Expenditure Charitable Activities - Objects 2,158,858 11,422 - Administration 624,856 - Total Expenditure 2,783,714 11,422 Net Income/(Expenditure) (85,748) (5,168) Transfer between funds - - Total Funds Brought Forward 223,954 11,422 Total Funds Carried Forward 138,206 6,254	2021 £’s 1,629 2,589,527 113,061 3
	2,704,220
	2,170,280 624,856
	2,795,136
	(90,916) -
	235,376
	144,460

Page 35