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← Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

2025-03-31-accounts

Company number: 03039752 Charity Number: 1059419

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Operating as Citizens Advice Westminster

Report and financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2025

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Contents

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Reference and administrative information ...................................................................................... 1 Trustees’ annual report .................................................................................................................. 2 Independent auditor’s report ....................................................................................................... 17 Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account) ................... 21 Balance sheet ............................................................................................................................... 22 Statement of cash flows ................................................................................................................ 23 Notes to the financial statements ................................................................................................. 24

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Reference and administrative information

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Company number 03039752
Charity number 1059419
Registered office The Stowe Centre, 258 Harrow Road
and operational address London
W2 5ES
Trustees Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year
and up to the date of this report were as follows:
Ksenia Zheltoukhova Resigned – 30 November 2024
Mark Russel Gray Appointed – 10 September 2024,
Chair from 06 November 2024
Cheryl Schlomit Crespo Pizarro
Christopher Lillywhite Appointed – 10 September 2024
Gwyneth Macaulay Resigned – 10 September 2024
John Robinson Treasurer
Julie Fewtrell
Karen Buck Appointed – 10 September 2024
Richard Geller
Shing Yang (Rodney) Chau Resigned – 11 June 2024
Srishti Mahhajan
Trisha Manners
Company Sital Zielonka
Secretary
Senior staff Joanna Cain Chief Executive Officer
Foridul Islam Head of Contracts and Services
Gilda Artholme Head of People Development and Volunteering -
Resigned 30 April 2025
Sital Zielonka Head of Business Support
Bankers National Westminster Bank plc
Strand, London Branch PO Box 414
38 Strand WC2N 5JB
Auditor Sayer Vincent LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor
110 Golden Lane
LONDON
EC1Y 0TG

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

The Trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, present their report together with the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on pages 27 to 29 and comply with the Companies Act and applicable law.

The Trustee Board have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

1. Overview of 2024 – 25

Highlights:

Note: a revised approach to recording means numbers of unique clients are not directly comparable across 2023- 4 and 2024 – 5.

Here is what some of our clients have told us

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Overview of the year

Key challenges linked to the cost of living crisis have continued to impact Westminster residents over the last 12 months, with energy prices ending the year 10% higher than in April 2024. Alongside this, many residents in Westminster were impacted by serious changes in housing supply caused by private landlords leaving the market and the closure of Home Office run hotels for asylum seekers. CAW saw the impact of this in continuing high numbers of housing related cases including relating to poor conditions in temporary accommodation.

Despite this difficult context we are making progress towards our goal and strategic objectives. We have significantly improved our quality outcomes as measured by the CA Quality of Advice and Assessment standard. Focused work on the Adviceline service led to an overall increase in percentage calls answered to 70% over the year, despite an increase in overall demand from 17,000 to 20,000 calls. Our network of referral partners now extends to 41 and we worked from over 30 outreach venues during the year across 15 of the City’s 18 wards.

Through project funding we are now able to deliver regular outreach assessments and advice at foodbanks, GP surgeries in areas of greatest need, and alongside community partners.

Our systems and processes are currently undergoing a comprehensive overhaul, with clear evidence of continuous improvement as we work towards achieving our underpinning objective. One notable example is the introduction of a new volunteer recruitment and management tool, which is enhancing our ability to attract, onboard, and retain dedicated volunteers. This tool is streamlining administrative tasks, improving communication, and helping to ensure that our volunteer base is well-supported, aligned with our values, and equipped to contribute meaningfully to our mission. Our data recording process has also changed over the year so that very simple, uncomplicated requests for the information are no longer recorded and the time

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

saved has been reallocated to seeing more clients which accounts for some of the changes from last year.

2. Activities

Information and advice

The organisation’s main area of activity is to provide a generalist advice service, which meets quality mark standards in a range of subjects pertaining to English civil law, including: Benefits, Consumer, Money Advice, Education, Employment, Family/Relationship, Health & Community Care, Housing & Homelessness, Immigration & Nationality and Legal issues. In addition, the organisation provides specialist help/advice in the areas of: Welfare Benefits, Debt, Housing and Homelessness, and Licensing law.

During 2024 – 25 benefits was our largest advice area, with 7,935 (8,092) issues handled in total. Issues related to personal independence payments (PIP), energy bills and food banks remained the highest focus.

WASP contract

Our advice and casework services are funded by Westminster City Council (WCC) and through project funding. WCC funds us to manage the Westminster Advice Service Partnership(WASP), alongside Age UK Westminster, Asylum Aid and DeafPlus, to deliver the advice services contract for local Westminster residents.

During 2024 we engaged actively in the market warming and consultation exercises to help shape the scope of the new Westminster Advice Services Partnership. With a strengthened partnership including Groundwork London, providers of the Green Doctors service, CAW successfully submitted a tender to deliver the service until 2030, with potential extension to 2034.

Our services include delivery of Advice Shop, an open access assessment session which we deliver alongside other advice providers including Shelter, The Passage, Carers Network and our WASP partners. We also deliver advice from the WCC Children’s Centres and WCC Housing services. Our Licensing Advice Project provides specialist advice and support to residents with concerns about local licensed premises.

In addition to the WASP contract WCC funded CAW to deliver the Cost-of-Living Support Fund, building on our experience of delivering the previous Hardship Funds. The Support Fund requires that a client is engaging with an adviser so that we can address wider issues including income maximisation. The Support Fund vouchers are available from all Westminster advice agencies and the scheme is co-ordinated by CAW.

Projects

In addition to our funding from Westminster City Council, we are very grateful to have been able to work collaboratively with partners and funders to deliver the following contracts:

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Advice on Prescription funded by the Kensington and Chelsea Social Council, takes referrals from GPs in the West London CCG area to provide practical advice and support for over 65’s with disabilities, long-term health conditions or mental health needs.

Carer’s Advice Project funded by Carers Network; it is integrated into the wider Carers Network services for carers, providing support groups, care assessments and respite care.

Debt Free Advice , which is a Money and Pension Service funded project delivering debt advice across London.

Energy projects support clients to access discounts and provide information and advice about energy saving and smart meters, funded via national Citizens Advice and via Westminster City Council who funded energy vouchers available from Charis.

National Grid Energy casework project A one year project from January 2024 to provide casework to vulnerable clients who are facing issues arising from high energy bills arising from the cost of living crisis.

City Bridge Trust project A 5 year project to develop debt and energy hubs in community centres funded by City Bridge Foundation. The project funds a project manager and debt adviser and provides debt advice in outreach locations, volunteer development and debt and energy awareness training.

GLA Crisis Prevention project Providing information, advice and casework service to Westminster residents facing crisis issues including homelessness, eviction, bailiff actions and food poverty. Delivering training to Westminster agencies to identify advice issues.

Advice Training project funds a CAW trainer to deliver introductory courses on welfare benefits, debt, disability benefits and housing to volunteers and staff of Westminster community organisations.

Support Funds Administration and management of applications from the public for support via the Household Support Fund, on behalf of WCC.

Advice in Health Settings A one year innovation project funded by national Citizens Advice to deliver advice in GP surgeries and build relationships with the NHS. The contract ended in November 2024 however we were able to build on the relationships to continue to offer advice from the Marven surgery in Pimlico.

Kings College London Project provides debt advice to Kings College students. Funding for this project ended in July 2024.

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Trussell Trust Delivering debt, benefits, energy and advice on other generalist areas for residents experiencing food hardship.

Policy and Campaigns Work

In the past year Citizens Advice Westminster’s front-line advisers have raised a total of 558 evidence forms, dealing with a wide range of issues including:

Campaigns

The policy and campaigns team initiated a new Campaign spotlight, with 2 editions published so far, on the impact of negative budgets and on temporary accommodation. The team has also participated in campaigns both at local and national levels using evidence gathered from our frontline advisers:

Scams Awareness Fortnight: a national campaign run by the Consumer Protection Partnership and led by Citizens Advice with key support from partners such as the Trading Standards service.

The campaign is an annual opportunity to empower the public against scams. Through the campaign, we aim to create a network of informed, confident consumers who know how to:

Putting it Right: This campaign raises formal complaints on behalf of clients on issues of malpractice and/or official error on the part of statutory bodies in order to influence positive change and improvement to their services – both in terms of policy and procedure. Under this campaign we have secured a number of successes on behalf of our clients:

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

11Disability Benefits Consortium: We have regularly attended the Consortium which campaigns on creating a fairer benefits system.

Energy Saving Winter: We took the original national campaign of Energy Saving Week and made it a full Winter, as the problems of keeping warm last several months. We followed the messaging from head office as the energy crisis was growing and it was important to not steer people in the wrong direction (such as switching which was no longer an option).

Influencing work

In the run up to the 2024 general election CAW supported national CA activity to promote the interests of our clients, in particular in relation to the cost of living, the benefits of the housing support fund and welfare benefits. We have established good working relationships with the 3 new MPs whose constituencies cover the City of Westminster. We provided a detailed briefing to Westminster City Council and MPs on the impact of proposed welfare cuts, and we engaged actively in consultation on the local authority’s housing allocation and homeless prevention strategies.

Social media activity

The CAW X (formerly Twitter) account goes from strength to strength with at least 10 posts a week. In May 2025 we launched our new BlueSky account and have secured 52 followers in our first month, with 76 posts. Our social media accounts enable us to get important information out to followers who may not have any other contact with us as well as keeping up to date with what’s happening in our borough. We also use the account to promote our own services as well at the main CAW website. In addition, we use the accounts to keep in touch with local bodies and partners such as Age UK Westminster, Libraries, the Council, and our MPs.

Research

The research team carried out a number of research projects including

This work contributed both to how we allocated resources as part of the Crisis Prevention Project, the development of several funding bids and also to ongoing work with the North Paddington Board on which we are represented.

Temporary accommodation and housing allocations

The CEO is the chair of the Temporary Accommodation (TA) Working Group and worked closely with partners including the Cardinal Hume Centre, Unfold and Asylum Aid to promote improved communications with residents placed in TA, to campaign on national issues and to highlight the poor quality of much TA. This was supported by many Evidence Forms submitted by advisers to highlight issues facing our clients living in TA.

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Volunteering

CAW are committed to providing high quality volunteering opportunities. In April 2024 we increased the capacity for volunteer recruitment and support by retaining both a Volunteer Coordinator and an Advice Assessment Supervisor, with financial support from the Westminster Almshouses Foundation.

The benefits of volunteering to CAW as an organisation are also highly significant. Trained and active volunteers directly support service delivery both of our generalist and contract and specific projects. This is most evident in the Gateway team, where there is a direct correlation between the amount of volunteer time on the service and the amount of demand from residents that we can meet. Volunteers have also proved a very positive source of recruits to paid roles. Over the last year, one volunteer took up a paid frontline role within CAW. This has brought significant benefits to the team and the volunteers, including savings in recruitment and induction, flexibility in relation to being able to respond quickly to new opportunities, and for volunteers the benefit of gaining valuable paid work experience. Four other volunteers secured paid work elsewhere in the advice sector.

Volunteers get involved in a variety of roles, including as Trustees, Client Support, Adviser and Trainee adviser, Gateway Assessor, Financial Capability trainer, Digital Money Coach, and Communications assistant.

Income generation

We are committed to growing our ability to deliver high quality advice in Westminster and beyond, and there are 3 strands to our income generation strategy:

During 2024-25 we maintained our existing grant and contract funding and gained new funding as described above.

Quality Assurance

The organisation undertakes regular and robust file review procedures which are conducted by suitably qualified supervisors. Each assessor or adviser has a number of their case records checked; the ratio is determined by their own level of competency. The quality scores of individual cases reviewed with feedback is provided to frontline assessor and advisers. Where training needs are identified, this is discussed and fed back to the Head of People Development and Volunteering who may address these needs through individual learning activities, in-house group sessions or arranging external training. We have also now introduced a Quality and Partnership Manager role

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

to ensure a strong focus on the quality of our outcomes for clients and the administration of cases.

Partnership Working

CAW is an active member of the new London Citizens Advice charity which was incorporated during 2024.

The Westminster Advice Forum is regularly attended by over 20 representatives of Westminster Advice agencies. We continue to develop our strategy to build partnerships and offer face to face advice in outreach locations, especially through the GLA funded Advising Londoners Project and the City Bridge Debt and Energy project, through which we delivered energy and debt advice at WCC Community hubs, Mary Smiths pantry and the Abbey Centre. Partner development was also supported by delivery of the Advice Training project, providing introductory training to community partners in advice areas, and the steady growth of the Refernet platform.

Structure, Governance and Management

Citizens Advice Westminster is the operating name of Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service and a registered company limited by guarantee and under the number 03039752. Governed by its Articles of Association, the organisation is also a registered charity with the Charity Commission under the number 1059419.

Trustee Board members are drawn from the local community of Westminster and surrounding areas, or have a strong local connection. They can stand as representatives of local community groups (member organisations) or as individuals and are elected to hold office for a period of three years, after which time they may be reappointed for a maximum of nine years. Currently the Board consists of 9 Trustees.

The Trustee Board meets at least four times a year (plus the Annual General Meeting) to discuss and make decisions concerning the business of the organisation. The Finance and General Purposes Committee also meets quarterly.

The organisation is a member of the national body, Citizens Advice, which undertakes an external audit of the organisation every three years, in addition to telephone assessments at yearly intervals. This is to determine whether the strategic aims of the organisation meet standards for membership and that the organisation is operating in adherence to Citizen Advices’ aims and principles.

Objectives

The objects for which the local office was established, as defined by the Articles of Association, are: the promotion of any charitable purposes for the public benefit by the advancement of education, the protection and preservation of health and the relief of poverty, sickness and

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

distress in particular, but without limitation, for the benefit of the community in Westminster and surrounding areas.

The aims of the Citizens Advice Westminster service are:

Our Goal and strategic objectives are set out in our Business Plan:

Goal:

Citizens Advice Westminster works with local community organisations to make a difference to the lives of people in Westminster through advice, research and campaigning. We deliver a high quality, agile advice service which reflects the issues and needs of client groups facing disadvantage.

Our strategic objectives to meet this goal:

Underpinning these objectives, we will

1 Financial Review

The company had net incoming resources on unrestricted funds of £53,347 for the year. Together with an accumulated surplus brought forward from previous years, the company now has an accumulated surplus on unrestricted funds of £286,207. Total incoming resources for the year amounted to £1,693,501 of which £1,371,309 was received from Westminster City Council as payment of fees, grants and contracts.

Principal Funding Resources

Citizens Advice Westminster generates income from contracts with Westminster City Council for services provided to Westminster residents. These services are enhanced by the receipt of grants, fundraising and contracts other than Westminster City Council amounting to 19% of income (2024 19%) These funds were used to support the core generalist service, the specialist advice service

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

and generalist advice services to specific groups of clients. All these services are free at the point of delivery and are open to anyone primarily living or working in and around the Westminster area.

Fundraising policy

Citizens Advice Westminster has a Fundraising Strategy which aims to increase funds to the organisation in order to increase and improve access to our advice and information services for the local community. Additionally, the organisation aims to increase our funding base and diversify streams of income that it receives. The organisation will look to increase its level of unrestricted funding, year on year in order to ensure it is able to meet its future liabilities.

Communication and building relationships with key, relevant stakeholders will play a vital role in raising awareness of the impact of the work the organisation does and in direct marketing, to solicit support for the organisation and increase donor giving and create opportunities for funded joint partnership work.

Grant and contract funding will remain key to the organisation, as it is highly cost effective in terms of potential return and an annual target of £50,000 for new funding per year from this source has been agreed by the trustees as a reasonable aim.

The organisation will also explore alternate sources of funding, including paid-for services, corporate sponsorship through the social responsibility policies of companies, in-kind support and individual giving. Our strategy is to focus on a small number of specific activities each year, to include:

Going Concern Statement

There are no material uncertainties which cast doubt on the charity’s going concern.

The financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis. A three-year financial plan is prepared and annual budgets are set to ensure that the organisation can continue to operate as a going concern for at least a year. Management accounts are presented quarterly to the Finance and General Purposes Committee and the Trustee board. Any changes in funding within the year are reflected as soon as practicable and action taken by management to ensure the charity spends within its available resources. Secured income for 2025/26 is £1.9 million and breakeven is anticipated. Additional grant/contract applications are being undertaken to increase income. From September 2025 the outlook is positive with council funding of around £1.6 million per annum secure up to March 2031 with a 5 ½- year contract renewable for up to a further 4 years. Cashflow remains good with an average balance of around £780,000 up to September 2026.

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Investment Policy

Aside from retaining a prudent amount in reserves each year most of the charity's funds are to be spent in the short term so there are no funds for long term investment. The policy of the Board of Trustees is to invest the amount that it has available and grants received in advance on the money market.

Reserves Policy

The Board of Trustees examines the charity’s level of reserves on a regular basis in light of the main risks to the organisation. As the main aim of the charity is to use its funds for the benefit of the people of Westminster it does not aim to keep reserves beyond those prudently required (a) to meet fluctuations in the timing of receipts and expenditure; (b) to ensure that operations are not disrupted by unexpected events; and (c) to enable necessary capital and other expenditures to be made when required. This gives a target of around £400,000 in general funds. At the balance sheet date the charity had unrestricted reserves, excluding long term pension liabilities, of £477,472.

2 Risk Management

The Trustee Board, in collaboration with the Chief Executive, regularly reviews the major risks facing Citizens Advice Westminster as part of its strategic planning process. Risk analysis is conducted to assess both the likelihood and potential impact of key risks, ensuring that the organisation remains resilient in the face of uncertainty.

An annual review of the Risk Assessment Policy was completed during the year, and the Risk Register is reviewed quarterly by the Trustees. The Risk Register outlines the key risks and sets out the mitigation measures and management processes in place to address them effectively.

Citizens Advice Westminster is committed to fostering a culture of proactive risk management aligned with its strategic objectives. This includes the adoption of a Risk Appetite Statement, which defines the level and types of risk the organisation is willing to accept in pursuit of its goals. The risk appetite varies across different categories of risk and is subject to periodic review. The responsibility for setting and maintaining the Risk Appetite Statement lies with the Trustee Board.

All policies and procedures have been updated to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018.

Key risks identified and mitigations include:

Lack of strategic direction and forward planning:

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Poor budgetary control and financial planning:

Operations and service delivery:

Information Management:

People:

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

3 Plans for Future Period

As described above the difficult economic and housing challenges remain significant for our clients. Our focus is set out in the Business Plan and includes:

Our longer-term aspirations

Our service must be robust enough to respond to the impact of further economic shocks and ongoing underfunding of public services. We will continue to develop relationships with funders including Trusts and Foundations. However we cannot rely only or largely on paid staff and short term funded contracts. A crucial shift must be to have a resilient and broad base of volunteers, trained and supported to deliver advice as well as assessment to residents in key area of priority.

The quality of our advice and assessment should not only reach or exceed regulatory and funder requirements. We want every client to have a professional, high quality experience. Clients should understand that their adviser has empathy and understanding of their situation. They should feel confident in the options before them and supported to follow through the next steps in a way which accords with their capability and needs. Quality of advice should run through all our training, support and supervision.

4 Remuneration Policy

Our pay policy and framework established in 2022 recognises the importance of providing a fair and transparent pay and rewards system which:

The Pay Framework establishes pay and progression routes for all staff including senior management level and this was further refined in 2024 to provide further guidance on internal progression.

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

5 Statement of responsibilities of the Trustees

The Trustees (who are also directors of Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service 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 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:

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The total number of such guarantees at 31 March 2025 was 9 (2024; 9). The Trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The Trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Trustees’ annual report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

6 Auditor

Sayer Vincent LLP was re-appointed as the charitable company's auditor during the year and has expressed its willingness to continue in that capacity.

The report of the Trustees has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

Approved by the Trustees on 16 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Mark Russel Gray

Chair

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Independent auditor’s report

To the members of

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including 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 Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

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

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 Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service’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.

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Independent auditor’s report

To the members of

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Other Information

The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

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

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ annual report. 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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Independent auditor’s report

To the members of

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the statement of trustees’ responsibilities set out in the trustees’ annual report, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the 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 the 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 are set out below.

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities

In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following:

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Independent auditor’s report

To the members of

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

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 so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Farrah Kitabi (Senior statutory auditor)

23 September 2025

for and on behalf of Sayer Vincent LLP, Statutory Auditor, 110 Golden Lane, LONDON, EC1Y 0TG

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Note
2
3a
4
Reconciliation of funds
Net income / (expenditure) and net
movement in funds
Total expenditure
Gross transfers between funds
Donations and legacies
Investment income
Total income
Other
Charitable activities
Income from:
Net income/(expenditure) before transfers
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Restricted
£
-
-
288,892
-		 Unrestricted
£
2,381
12,338
1,388,380
1,510		 2025
Total
£
2,381
12,338
1,677,272
1,510		 Restricted
£
-
-
319,613
-		 Unrestricted
£
2,314
7,897
1,311,221
1,200		 2024
Total
£
2,314
7,897
1,630,834
1,200
288,892 1,404,609 1,693,501 319,613 1,322,632 1,642,245
300,940 1,347,150 1,648,090 366,234 1,212,845 1,579,079
300,940 1,347,150 1,648,090 366,234 1,212,845 1,579,079
(12,048)
4,112		 57,459
(4,112)		 45,411
-		 (46,621)
14,071		 109,787
(14,071)		 63,166
-
(7,936)
42,744		 53,347
232,860		 45,411
275,604		 (32,550)
75,294		 95,716
137,144		 63,166
212,438
34,808 286,207 321,015 42,744 232,860 275,604

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 14 to the financial statements.

21

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Company no. 03039752

Balance sheet

As at 31 March 2025

Note
Fixed assets
8
Current assets
9
Liabilities
10
11
13a
15a
Restricted funds
Creditors: amounts falling due after one year
Unrestricted funds
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Net current assets
Total net assets
The funds of the charity
Total charity funds
Tangible fixed assets
Cash at bank and in hand
Debtors
Total assets less current liabilities		 £
19,834
594,774		 2025
£
4,207		 £
7,202
577,235		 2024
£
2,861
490,073 465,032
614,608 584,437
124,535 119,405
494,280
173,265		 467,893
192,289
321,015 275,604
34,808
286,207		 42,744
232,860
321,015 275,604

Approved by the trustees on 16th September 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Mark Gray Chair

John Robinson Treasurer

22

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Company no. 03039752

Statement of cash flows

As at 31 March 2025

Reconciliation of net income / (expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Net cash provided by / (used in) investing activities
Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Purchase of fixed assets
Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities
Cash flows from operating activities
Depreciation charges
Dividends, interest and rent from investments
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
(as per the statement of financial activities)
Net income / (expenditure) for the reporting period		 £
£
8,469
12,338
(3,268)
9,070
17,539
577,235
594,774
2025		 £
£
8,469
12,338
(3,268)
9,070
17,539
577,235
594,774
2025		 2025
£
45,411
1,922
(12,338)
(12,633)
(13,893)		 2024
£
63,166
761
(7,897)
34,331
(178,853)
8,469 (88,492)
£
£
(88,492)
7,897
(3,622)
4,275
(84,217)
661,452
577,235
2024
9,070 4,275
17,539
577,235		 (84,217)
661,452
594,774 577,235

23

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

a) Statutory information

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in the United Kingdom.

The registered office address is The Stowe Centre, 258 Harrow Road, London W2 1ES.

b) Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) - (Charities SORP FRS 102) ~~a~~ nd the Companies Act 2006.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

In applying the financial reporting framework, the trustees have made a number of subjective judgements, for example in respect of significant accounting estimates. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The nature of the estimation means the actual outcomes could differ from those estimates. Any significant estimates and judgements affecting these financial statements are detailed within the relevant accounting policy below.

c) Public benefit entity

The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

d) Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern.

The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.

e) Incoming resources

Voluntary income is donations. They are recognised where there is entitlement, receipt is probable, and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.

Income from charitable activities includes income received under contracts for the provision of services and grant funding which is subject to specific performance conditions. Income from the provision of services is recognised as earned as the related services are provided and is stated after discounts. Grant income included in this category is recognised where there is entitlement, receipt is probable, and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. It is only deferred when:

Grants received for services and activities which are not completed at the year end are included in income at the full amount and the unused portion is carried forward in restricted funds at the end of the year.

The charity relies on volunteer advisors to assist in the delivery of the service. These financial statements do not include the value of this work.

24

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

f) Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred. Contractual arrangements and performance related grants are recognised as goods or services are supplied. Partnership payments are accrued when services are supplied irrespective of whether an invoice has been received.

g) Irrecoverable VAT

All resources expended are classified under activity headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resources expended for which it was incurred. The charity is not registered for VAT.

h) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £500. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use. Major components are treated as a separate asset where they have significantly different patterns of consumption of economic benefits and are depreciated separately over its useful life.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

Equipment 25% Straight line
Computer equipment 33% Straight line

i) Operating and finance leases

Rentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities as incurred. Equipment purchased with finance leases, where the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor, is capitalised and the outstanding lease payments, less any finance charges, are included in accruals. Finance charges, if any, are included in the Statement of Financial Activities.

j) Pensions

Westminster Citizens Advice participated in the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureau Pension and Assurance Plan (1991) which was a defined benefit scheme. It operated in the UK and was closed on 31 March 2008. More than one employer participated in the scheme and Westminster Citizens Advice is unable to identify its share of the underlying assets and liabilities in the scheme and so contributions are treated as though it was a defined contributions scheme.

The charity has recognised a liability for commitments to pay an annual payment towards the funding shortfall, as shown in notes 11 and 16.

The charitable company also operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable under the scheme by the charitable company to the fund. The charitable company has no liability under the scheme other than for the payment of those contributions.

25

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

k) Funds structure

The charity has a number of restricted income funds to account for situations where a donor requires that a donation must be spent on a particular purpose or where funds have been raised for a specific purpose. All other funds are unrestricted income funds.

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.

l) Financial instruments

The charity only has both basic and non-basic financial assets and financial liabilities. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Non-basic financial instruments are measured at fair value with any gain or loss going to the statement of financial activities. Full details are given in the financial instruments note.

2 Income from charitable activities

Areas of activity
Special projects
Westminster Almshouses
Carers Network
GLA Crisis Project
Generalist services - Paddington bureau
Advice in Health Settings
National Grid Project
Building Capacity in the Advice Sector
Advice on Prescription
Energy Vouchers
Trussel Trust
Additional Advice Line
Debt Free London
Kings College
Energy Advice Programme
City Bridge Trust		 Restricted
Grants
£
-
45,630
33,121
-
-
25,602
36,879
-
-
41,750
62,600
-
19,560
13,750
10,000
Unrestricted
Fees for
services
£
1,326,147
-
-
17,113
21,285
-
-
4,167
19,668
-
-
-
-
-
-

2025
Total
£
1,326,147
45,630
33,121
17,113
21,285
25,602
36,879
4,167
19,668
41,750
62,600
-
19,560
13,750
10,000
Restricted
Grants
£
-
41,500
32,489
-
-
-
32,591
-
-
13,917
61,400
72,466
24,000
41,250
-
Unrestricted
Fees for
services
£
1,232,618
-
-
20,301
20,220
-
-
16,667
21,415
-
-
-
-
-
-

2024
Total
£
1,232,618
41,500
32,489
20,301
20,220
-
32,591
16,667
21,415
13,917
61,400
72,466
24,000
41,250
-
288,892 1,388,380 1,677,272 319,613 1,311,221 1,630,834

26

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Analysis of expenditure (current year)
Contracts and Fees for Services
Generalist services
Kings College
Energy Advice Programmes
Carers Network
Advice on Prescription
Total Unrestricted
Grants
Energy Vouchers
Westminster Almshouses
Trussel Trust
Additional Advice Line
GLA Crisis Project
Debt Free London
Digital Project
City Bridge Trust
Advice in Health Settings
Building Capacity in the Advice Sector
National Grid Project
Citizens Advice
Total Restricted
Total charitable resource expended 2025
Total charitable resource expended 2024		 Staff costs
£
990,005
3,458
13,975
20,285
12,640		 Other
activity costs
£
201,122
-
-
-
-
Office and
general
£
45,265
122
560
742
557
Premises
£
45,137
104
475
630
472		 Governance
costs
£
11,114
30
138
182
137
2025
Total
£
1,292,643
3,714
15,148
21,839
13,806
2024
Total
£
1,142,239
14,495
23,549
21,285
11,277
1,040,363 201,122 47,246 46,818 11,601 1,347,150 1,212,845
2,560
5,426
30,512
-
37,568
35,867
-
52,752
28,980
17,878
41,074
-		 23,042
-
31
-
1,874
-
-
294
48
1,739
137
-		 -
-
1,207
-
1,704
1,485
-
2,105
1,407
743
1,456
-		 -
-
1,023
-
1,445
1,259
-
1,785
1,193
630
1,235
-		 -
-
296
-
418
365
-
517
345
182
358
-		 25,602
5,426
33,069
-
43,009
38,976
-
57,453
31,973
21,172
44,260
-		 -
-
34,105
83,327
50,031
33,646
48,625
49,977
19,576
15,073
13,422
18,452
252,617
1,292,980		 27,165
228,287		 10,107
57,353		 8,570
55,388		 2,481
14,082		 300,940
1,648,090		 366,234
1,579,079
1,236,723 225,804 62,462 40,653 13,437 1,579,079

Other activity costs includes payments to partners of £150,564 (2024: £150,566) as follows:

Age UK Westminster
Asylum Aid
Deafplus		 2025
77,575
65,597
7,392		 2024
77,575
65,597
7,394
150,564 150,566

27

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

3b Analysis of expenditure (prior year)

Analysis of expenditure (prior year)
Contracts and Fees for Services
Generalist services
Kings College
Energy Advice Programmes
Carers Network
Advice on Prescription
Total Unrestricted
Grants
Trussel Trust
Additional Advice Line
GLA Crisis Project
Debt Free London
Digital Project
City Bridge Trust
Advice in Health Settings
Building Capacity in the Advice Sector
National Grid Project
Citizens Advice
Total Restricted
Total charitable resource expended 2024		 Staff costs
£
849,865
13,455
21,733
19,732
10,409		 Other activity
costs
£
209,396
-
-
-
-
Office and
general
£
44,470
557
973
832
465
Premises
£
28,941
363
634
542
303		 Governance
costs
£
9,567
120
209
179
100
2024
Total
£
1,142,239
14,495
23,549
21,285
11,277
915,194 209,396 47,297 30,783 10,175 1,212,845
31,591
76,693
44,057
30,737
33,018
45,635
17,708
12,666
12,515
16,909		 -
-
2,091
-
12,136
720
148
1,313
-
-		 1,347
3,556
2,081
1,559
1,860
1,941
922
586
486
827		 877
2,314
1,354
1,015
1,211
1,263
600
382
316
538		 290
764
448
335
400
418
198
126
105
178		 34,105
83,327
50,031
33,646
48,625
49,977
19,576
15,073
13,422
18,452
321,529
1,236,723		 16,408
225,804		 15,165
62,462		 9,870
40,653		 3,262
13,437		 366,234
1,579,079

28

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

4 Net expenditure for the year

This is stated after charging / crediting:

This is stated after charging / crediting:
2025 2024
£ £
Depreciation 1,922 761
Auditor's remuneration (excluding VAT):
▪
audit		 10,900 10,375
Trustees' remuneration Nil Nil
Trustees' reimbursed expenses 76 108

The charity trustees were neither paid nor received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2024: £nil). No charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2024: £nil).

Trustees' expenses represents the payment or reimbursement of travel and subsistence costs totalling £76 (2024: £108) incurred by 12 (2024: 12) members relating to attendance at meetings on behalf of the charity.

5 Staff costs and numbers

Staff costs were as follows:

Staff costs were as follows:
Working from Home Allowances
Salaries and wages
Employer's National Insurance
Total emoluments paid to staff were:
Increase/(Decrease) in pension deficit
Employer's Pension contributions - Defined contribution schemes		 2025
£
1,147,042
8,943
114,240
23,779
(1,024)		 2024
£
1,067,781
8,721
98,750
22,321
39,150
1,292,980 1,236,723
1,161,143 1,078,796

No employees received more than £60,000 during the year (2024: None)

The average weekly number of employees during the year was 36 (2024: 34).

The total employee benefits (including pension contributions and employer's national insurance) of the key management personnel were £226,645 (2024: £183,320 ).

6 Related party transactions

There are no related party transactions to disclose for 2025 (2024: none).

There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties. Aggregate donations from trustees were £118.

29

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

7 Taxation

The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

8 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets
Cost
Depreciation
At the end of the year
Net book value
Pension Deficit Contributions
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Accruals
Trade creditors
Grants and other income in advance
HMRC -Taxation and social security
Additions in year
Charge for the year
At the start of the year
At the end of the year
Defined Contribution Pension Scheme
At the start of the year
Prepayments
Debtors
At the end of the year
At the start of the year
Other debtors
Trade debtors		 Equipment
£
9,822
-		 Computer
equipment
£
82,511
3,268
Total
£
92,333
3,268
9,822 85,779 95,601
6,961
905		 82,511
1,017		 89,472
1,922
7,866 83,528 91,394
1,956 2,251 4,207
2,861 - 2,861
2025
£
4,786
6,543
8,505		 2024
£
-
3,302
3,900
19,834 7,202
2025
£
22,731
5,064
25,605
48,849
4,286
18,000		 2024
£
19,308
5,148
27,027
47,107
2,815
18,000
124,535 119,405

10 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

30

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

11 Creditors: amounts falling due after one year

Creditors: amounts falling due after one year
Unwinding of the discount
Net movement
Pension Deficit Provision brought forward
Due in more than one year
Employer contributions to Pension Recovery Plan
Provision carried forward
Due in less than one year		 2025
£
210,289
(18,000)
(1,024)		 2024
£
189,139
(18,000)
39,150
(19,024) 21,150
191,265
(18,000)		 210,289
(18,000)
173,265 192,289

Westminster Citizens Advice annual deficit payments from 1st April 2021 are £18,000 per annum until 30th September 2040. If Citizens Advice Westminster paid its annual contributions as planned, using an actuarial discount rate of 5.8 %, the net present value would be £191,265 (2023/2024 £210,289 and 4.9% discount).

12
13a
Long term liabilities
13b
Long term liabilities
Analysis of net assets between funds (current year)
Financial instruments
Defined pension scheme liability
Financial liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss
Net assets at 31 March 2024
Net current assets
Net assets at 31 March 2025
Net current assets
Tangible fixed assets
Analysis of net assets between funds (prior year)
Tangible fixed assets		 Restricted
funds
£
-
34,808
-		 2025
£
191,265		 2024
£
210,289
191,265 210,289

£
4,207
455,265
(173,265)
Unrestricted		 Total
funds
£
4,207
490,073
(173,265)
34,808 286,207 321,015
Restricted
funds
£
-
42,744
-
£
2,861
422,288
(192,289)
Unrestricted		 Total
funds
£
2,861
465,032
(192,289)
42,744 232,860 275,604

31

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

14a Movements in funds (current year)

Restricted funds:
City Bridge Trust
Trussel Trust
Energy Vouchers
Total restricted funds
Unrestricted funds:
General funds
Designated funds
Total unrestricted funds
Total funds
Pension reserve
Kings College
Total unrestricted funds including
pension reserve
Debt Free London
GLA Crisis Project
Carers Network
Advice on Prescription
Building Capacity in the Advice Sector
Westminster Almshouses Foundation
Childcare
National Grid Project
Energy Advice Programmes
Advice in Health Settings		 At 1 April
2024
Income
£
£
21,674
13,750
8,927
19,560
225
-
494
41,750
-
10,000
11,424
62,600
-
45,630
-
33,121
-
25,602
-
36,879		 Expenditure
£
(31,974)
(21,172)
-
(44,259)
(5,426)
(57,453)
(43,009)
(33,069)
(25,602)
(38,976)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
2,015
-
-
-
-
-
2,097		 At 31 March
2025
£
3,450
7,315
225
-
4,574
16,571
2,621
52
-
-
42,744
288,892		 (300,940) 4,112 34,808
443,149
1,342,375
-
19,668
-
4,167
-
17,114
-
21,285		 (1,292,643)
(15,148)
(3,714)
(13,806)
(21,839)		 (15,409)
(4,520)
(453)
(3,308)
554		 477,472
-
-
-
-
443,149
1,404,609		 (1,347,150) (23,136) 477,472
(210,289)
-
232,860
1,404,609		 -
(1,347,150)		 19,024
(4,112)		 (191,265)
286,207
275,604
1,693,501		 (1,648,090) - 321,015

32

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

14b Movements in funds (prior year)

Restricted funds:
City Bridge Trust
Trussel Trust
Additional Advice Line
Digital Project
Total restricted funds
Unrestricted funds:
General funds
Designated funds
Total unrestricted funds
Building Capacity in the Advice Sector
GLA Crisis Project
Kings College
Pension reserve
Childcare
National Grid Project
Energy Advice Programmes
Advice on Prescription
Total unrestricted funds including
pension reserve
Total funds
Carers Network
Debt Free London
Citizens Advice
Advice in Health Settings		 At 1 April
2023
Income
£
£
15,000
-
-
41,250
-
24,000
225
-
-
13,917
-
61,400
-
41,500
261
32,489
10,843
72,466
48,965
-
-
32,591		 Expenditure
£
(18,452)
(19,576)
(15,073)
-
(13,423)
(49,976)
(50,031)
(34,105)
(83,327)
(48,625)
(33,646)		 Transfers
£
3,452
-
-
-
-
-
8,531
1,355
18
(340)
1,055		 At 31 March
2024
£
-
21,674
8,927
225
494
11,424
-
-
-
-
-
75,294
319,613		 (366,234) 14,071 42,744
326,283
1,244,029
-
21,415
-
16,667
-
20,301
-
20,220		 (1,142,239)
(23,549)
(14,495)
(11,277)
(21,285)		 15,076
2,134
(2,172)
(9,024)
1,065		 443,149
-
-
-
-
326,283
1,322,632		 (1,212,845) 7,079 443,149
(189,139)
-
137,144
1,322,632		 -
(1,212,845)		 (21,150)
(14,071)		 (210,289)
232,860
212,438
1,642,245		 (1,579,079) - 275,604

Purposes of designated funds

Energy Advice Programme

Funds were provided via Citizens Advice to provide one-to-one energy and smart meter advice to fuel poor and vulnerable clients who are struggling to pay their bills.

Advice on Prescription

This programme, funded by Kensington and Chelsea Social Council, provides advice to patients on the recommendations of GP's in the West London Clinical Commissioning Group area.

Kings College

This contract with Kings College London is for the provision of debt advice/casework for students. The contract commenced in November 2021.The project ended in July 2024.

Carers Network

This project, funded by the Carers' Network, provides specialist advice to unpaid carers.

33

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

14b Movements in funds (continued)

Purposes of restricted funds

Citizens' Advice

A grant for additional advice staffing, to be spent by March 2024 .

Westminster Almshouses Foundation

A grant of £10,000 has enabled us to extend the capacity of your current volunteer support by providing the cost of the volunteer co-ordination 1 day a week over 12 months.

Childcare

To assist volunteers with childcare costs while undergoing training

National Grid Project

A one year project from January 2024 to provide casework to vulnerable clients who are facing issues arising from high energy bills arising from the cost of living crisis. The project is funded by National Grid and managed by national Citizens Advice.

Advice in Health Settings

A one year innovation project funded by national Citizens Advice from national fundraising linked to the cost of living crisis. CAW were successful in winning funding to pay for an adviser for 1 year to deliver advice in GP surgeries. The project runs from October 2024 – October 2025

City Bridge Trust

A 5 year project to develop debt and energy hubs in community centres, funded by City Bridge Foundation. The project funds a project manager and debt adviser and provides debt advice in outreach locations, volunteer development and debt and energy awareness training.

Building Capacity in the Advice Sector

Funded from Westminster City Council’s cost of living funding, this project funds a CAW trainer to deliver introductory courses on welfare benefits, debt, disability benefits and housing to volunteers and staff of Westminster community organisations.

Energy Vouchers

Funds were provided by Westminster Council Cost of Living Fund to provide vouchers for energy costs to Westminster residents who are experiencing difficulty in paying their energy bills or have energy debt and are working with an energy advice service to help resolve these issues.

Greater London Authority Crisis Project

The Greater London Authority via London Citizens Advice funds CAW to employ a Crisis Support Adviser to provide information and advice for those facing urgent issues including homelessness, eviction, bailiff actions and food poverty. This is delivered both in outreach locations and by phone.

Digital Project

This project was funded by additional funding from Westminster City Council to enhance the charity's digital services. Funding is £75,000 p.a. for two years. The project ended in 23/24 and the work was absorbed into the council contract.

Debt Free London

Funds were provided by the Money Advice Service (now the Money and Pension Service) via Toynbee Hall to provide debt advice.

Trussel Trust

We are funded by Trussell Trust to deliver face-to-face generalist advice at Westminster Chapel foodbank on both a drop-in basis and by appointment

Additional Advice Line

Funds were provided by Westminster Council to provide four additional telephone advisers in response to the cost of living crisis. The project ended in 23/24 and the work was absorbed into the council contract.

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Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

15 Operating lease commitments

There were no operating lease commitments in 24/25 or 23/24.

16 Pension cost and commitments

Citizens Advice ('the Principal Employer') operates a defined benefit scheme ('the Plan') in the UK which provides both pensions in retirement and death benefits to members. Pension benefits are related to the members' final salaries at retirement and their length of service at the date they retired or left pensionable service. The Plan closed to future accrual on 31 March 2008. The Plan also contains some money purchase AVCs and protected rights funds, which are not included in these disclosures.

In accordance with the schedule of contributions agreed by the Employer and Trustee in August 2023, the contributions to the Plan for the year ending 31 March 2025 have been £3,218,000, which includes £2,918,000 towards the deficit and £300,000 as an allowance for administration expenses and all scheme levies.

The Plan is a registered scheme under UK legislation. The Plan is subject to the scheme funding requirements outlined in UK legislation. The Plan is governed by the Plan's Trust Deed and Rules dated 4 April 2011. The Trustee is responsible for the operation and the governance of the Plan, including making decisions regarding the Plan's funding investment strategy (although they are required to consult the Principal Employer).

An actuarial valuation of the Plan was carried out as at 31 March 2025 by a qualified independent actuary, based upon membership data as at 31 March 2022, allowing for assumed membership movements over the period from this date, and any material membership movements significantly different from those assumed (e.g. transfers out).

The most recent formal actuarial valuation of the Plan was as at 31 March 2022 and revealed a funding deficit of £53,536,000. In the recovery plan agreed following the valuation, the Principal Employer and other participating employers agreed to pay deficit reduction contributions of £2,918,000 per annum with the view to eliminating the deficit by 30 September 2040.

The liabilities of the Plan are based on the current value of expected benefit payment cashflows to members of the Plan over the next 60 or more years. The average duration of the liabilities is approximately 10 years.

The Plan is exposed to actuarial risks such as market (investment) risk, interest rate risk, inflation risk, currency risk and longevity risk.

The major assumptions used by the actuary were (in nominal terms) as follows:

The major assumptions used by the actuary were (in nominal terms) as follows:
Revaluation of deferred pensions in excess of GMP
CPI inflation since retirement or 5% pa if less
Discount Rate
Inflation (CPI)
Inflation (RPI)
Pension in payment increases of:
CPI or 3% pa if less
CPI or 5% pa if less
Allowance for commutation of pension for cash at retirement		 2025
%
5.80
3.10
2.75
2.75
2.70
2.70
2.30		 2024

%
4.90
3.20
2.80
2.80
2.80
2.80
2.50
75% of HMRC
maximum
75% of HMRC
maximum

35

Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

16 Pension cost and commitments (continued)

The mortality assumptions adopted at 31 March 2019 imply the following life expectancies:

The assets in the Plan were:
Multi asset funds
Structured Equity
Cash
Fair value of Plan assets
The actual return on assets over the period was:
Present value of funded obligations
Fair value of Plan assets
Surplus/(deficit) in funded scheme
Retiring in 20 years time - Females
Retiring today - Males
Retiring today - Females
Retiring in 20 years time - Males		 (Years)
2025
2024
20.6
20.6
23.4
23.4
21.9
21.8
24.6
24.5
Value at
Value at
31/03/2025
31/03/2024
£000s
£000s
25,527
26,047
29,553
33,448
831
1,100
Life expectancy at age 65		 (Years)
2025
2024
20.6
20.6
23.4
23.4
21.9
21.8
24.6
24.5
Value at
Value at
31/03/2025
31/03/2024
£000s
£000s
25,527
26,047
29,553
33,448
831
1,100
Life expectancy at age 65
55,911 60,595
(2,113)
(96,535)
55,911		 307
(107,082)
60,594
(40,624) (46,487)

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