Annual Report and Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2023
POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Contents
| Page No. | |
|---|---|
| Welcome from the Chair | 2 |
| Welcome from the Chief Executive | 3 |
| Our Vision, Mission and Values | 4 |
| What is Advocacy? | 5-6 |
| Strategic Report | 7-14 |
| Our Strategy | 7 |
| Areas of Focus 2022-2023 | 7 |
| Outcomes and Achievements | 8-9 |
| Our Services | 10-13 |
| Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | 13-14 |
| Governance, Structure and Management | 15-18 |
| Financial Review | 18-19 |
| Statement of Trustee Responsibilities | 20 |
| Independent Auditor’s Report | 21-23 |
| Financial Statements | 24-41 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 24 |
| Balance Sheet | 25 |
| Cash Flow Statement | 26-27 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 28-41 |
| Corporate Information | 42 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Welcome from the Chair
Without doubt, against a backdrop of economic volatility, rising costs, high inflation, deteriorating health and social care provision, human rights infringements and political grandstanding, the past twelve months have brought challenge unprecedented in recent history to individuals, families and organisations across the UK. Confronting this challenge for so many who lack capacity, stamina, strength, capability, funds and/or access to support networks, has been so much harder. In pursuit of its charitable purpose, POhWER has had to adapt quickly to respond to the changing operating environment post global pandemic, as well as to the needs of commissioners and contract managers. In addition, the human factors and anxieties associated with potential recession have driven increasing demand for our services from our service user
and beneficiary communities, all of whom have been directly impacted. Our dedicated staff team and many committed volunteers have worked very hard indeed to deliver and make a difference.
In seeking to realise balanced budgets, we also acknowledge that many local authorities are tightening their belts, reducing spending on non-statutory and discretionary activities, to adjust for higher costs elsewhere.
During the year we have endeavoured to make sure that we have invested sufficiently to balance current need to deliver services with future preparedness and resilience. These considerations included increasing financial resilience and sustainability and managing costs, driving greater efficiency and agility and increasing our dialogue and engagement with commissioners. Underpinning the UK’s civil society is the freedom for charities to advocate on behalf of the communities they serve and to this end, to help deliver a level playing field, we engaged in three key areas of campaigning: to protect the Human Rights Act, to reform the Mental Health Act and Liberty Protection Safeguards. We also contributed important evidence to the Covid-19 Public Inquiry. I am gratified to report that POhWER’s campaign work has been highly commended by legal professionals, community activist groups, charity leaders and politicians.
In parallel to our successful campaigning efforts and, despite external threats, we have increased our advocacy support to our service users who often face extensive challenges in their lives. Service users supported by our advocacy services increased by 5.5% totalling 156,405. Our information and advice service decreased slightly by 1.2%, answering 367,873 enquiries.
As POhWER continues to make progress to deliver against its 2020-2025 strategy, building on established and new relationships and contracts to expand and grow into new areas and markets, the Board of Trustees agreed that a full review of POhWER’s Articles of Association should be undertaken. This review was to ensure that POhWER’s Articles were fit for purpose for the immediate and foreseeable future and these were approved by the Board of Trustees and our Members at our 2022 AGM.
None of the above would have been possible without the goodwill and hard work of our dedicated staff, volunteers and fellow trustees. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your enduring support, unswerving commitment and valuable contribution.
Antony Kildare Chair of Board of Trustees
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Welcome from the Chief Executive
Reflecting on the last year gives me great hope for the future of advocacy, information and advice in the UK in supporting people to have a voice, to know what their human rights and options are within public services, and to empower them to be treated as equal people in our society.
This past year we supported over half a million people through our free, independent, and confidential services. We collaborated with hundreds of Civil Society partners to oppose proposed legislation which would have threatened our Human Rights Act. We promoted human rights in every life through our “My Dignity, My Rights” awareness campaign, amplifying the voices of people who might otherwise be ignored without our intervention and support.
I am hopeful for a future time where the vital independent role our colleagues play in delivering a “level playing field”, ensuring everyone is treated with dignity, respect and kept free from harm and abuse, receives the respect it deserves.
My hope is that our society becomes less polarised in the future, and that we become kinder and more empathetic of the struggles others might face different from our own lived experiences. Not everyone needs an advocate, however access to one should not be subject to a “postcode lottery” or local limitations to access their human rights. I remain committed to campaigning for a fairer and more equal society, and will continue to press for meaningful change to tackle inequalities and uphold our rights. Here is to a brighter year ahead.
In solidarity.
Helen
Helen Moulinos Chief Executive
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Our Vision, Mission and Values
Our Vision
Upholding rights and tackling inequalities for those who need to have their voice heard.
Our Mission
To deliver high quality advocacy, information and advice services empowering people to have a voice and to make a real difference to their lives.
Our Values
- P rofessional – We are committed to working in a confidential and person-centred way. Being professional, respectful, reliable, honest and independent.
Our values are our core principles, the qualities and beliefs that drive all of our work. We put people at the heart of everything we do in the way we work with our beneficiaries, partners and stakeholders and, equally importantly, with each other.
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E mpowering – We will empower people to develop their skills and confidence, stand up for their rights and regain control. Thus creating a culture of enablement, not dependency.
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O pen, free and fair – We will deliver services that are free to use and accessible to all members of the community while encouraging and valuing differences and diversity and always working in a fair and open way.
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P ositive difference – We will ensure that our
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passion for our work results in a positive difference to people’s lives and use the learning from our casework to have a positive impact on the delivery of services in the future.
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L ocal – We will engage with local communities in the areas that we serve, understanding their specific needs and determining the best way to meet these.
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E ngaging – We will meaningfully listen and engage with people and groups to ensure they are involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of our services, ensuring we are a pioneering client and needs led organisation.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
What is Advocacy?
POhWER seeks to empower people through advocacy, information, advice and guidance to give people the tools, help and support they need to allow them to be involved and make their own choices and decisions about their lives.
Supporting them to have informed choice and an independent voice by understanding their rights and entitlements given to all of us in the Human Rights Act 1998.
Our independent information and advocacy services seek to empower people, not create dependency and are available to anyone who needs someone by their side regardless of their lived experience or situation.
POhWER shapes its services around the needs of each individual, supporting them as a whole person not as a label, issue or problem statement.
How can POhWER staff or volunteers help you?
Our POhWER colleagues can help a person to speak up for themselves or give their views to understand the process they are going through. They can support them to understand what their rights and what choices are available to them to ensure that they are central to important decisions being made about them. Advocates can also speak up for people when they are unable to do this for themselves.
They can support you to prepare for and take part in meetings and tribunals, raise queries or concerns and access information in the format which is most suitable for you. Advocates can also provide information and signpost people to other helpful services.
Types of advocacy
Statutory Advocacy
In certain circumstances a person has the legal right to an advocate including under the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act.
Non-Statutory Advocacy
Non-statutory advocacy services help those who fall outside the eligibility criteria for statutory services.
Care Act Advocacy
The Care Act says that local councils must involve people in decisions about their care and support needs. If it would be difficult for someone to be involved without support, the council must make sure they get the help they need. If the person doesn’t have someone who can help them they have the right to have an independent Care Act Advocate.
NHS Complaints Advocacy
This is also called Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (IHCA). NHS Complaints Advocates help people to use the complaints process to raise a complaint about NHS funded treatment or care.
Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
An IMCA is an advocate who has been specially trained to support people who are not able to make certain decisions for themselves (they lack the capacity) and do not have family or friends who are able to speak for them. IMCAs do not make decisions and they are independent of the people who do make the decisions.
Regulatory - Fitness to Practice Advocacy
Advocacy that can support people who are involved in complaints about the fitness to practice cases of a registered health or social care professional, overseen by the professions regulatory body.
Community Advocacy
Community Advocates can support people who find it difficult to put their views across or feel they aren’t being listened to and help deal with an issue they are facing.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)/ Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS)
If a person is deprived of their liberty under the Mental Capacity Act, an IMCA will be appointed to protect their human rights and make sure the deprivation is lawful, reasonable and in their best interests. The IMCA supports the person and collects information about them including their beliefs, values and previous behaviour in order to represent their wishes.
Relevant Person’s Paid Representative Service (RPPR)
Everyone who is deprived of their liberty under the Mental Capacity Act must have a representative. This could be a family member or a friend, but if there is no one suitable it could be a Paid Representative also known as an RPPR. RPPRs are qualified advocates who have specialist knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards legislation.
Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
An IMHA is an independent advocate who is trained in the Mental Health Act and supports people who are being treated under the Act to understand their rights and participate in decisions about their care and treatment. IMHAs can support people who are detained in hospital, and people living in the community who are receiving Supervised Community Treatment or are subject to Guardianship under the Act.
Children’s and Young People’s Advocacy including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
CAMHS advocacy support is provided within both private and NHS hospitals across the country. Advocates provide drop-in services for the young people to access advocacy on a regular basis. Advocates support individuals to have their voice heard or work with groups of young people to raise issues they have identified.
Culturally Appropriate Advocacy
Advocates who ensure access to culturally appropriate IMHA and other forms of advocacy aiming to create an increased say and involvement in care and treatment during detention under the Mental Health Act for ethnic minority groups.
Citizen Advocacy
Citizen Advocates are trained volunteers. They provide one-to-one support to help people tackle the issues they are facing. Citizen Advocates may provide support in person, by telephone or by email and help people to access information, speak up and get their voice heard.
Peer Advocacy
Peer Advocates are volunteers with lived experience of using public authority services. They share their experience and provide practical support and encouragement. Peer Advocates are matched with someone who has similar needs and issues to support them to develop new skills and gain confidence.
Self-Advocacy
Self-Advocacy is representing your own views and wishes and asking for what you need or want. It gives you the ability to make your voice heard and take part in important decisions which are being made about you including how and where you live.
Group Advocacy
Group Advocacy brings people with similar needs and issues together to support each other. These groups give people the opportunity to work together, share their experiences and raise joint concerns. Sometimes the group has a facilitator who supports the running of the group and sometimes these groups are self-supporting.
Instructed Advocacy
Instructed Advocacy is when a person is able to tell the advocate what their needs and wishes are and what support they need. They are able to ask the advocate for support and tell them what actions they would like to be taken on their behalf.
Non-Instructed Advocacy
When a person is unable to communicate their wishes and needs for reasons such as temporary unconsciousness, brain injury, dementia etc., an advocate will use techniques such as observing the person, speaking to people who know them well or care for them to build a profile of the person’s needs and wishes and use this to make sure their best interests are represented.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Strategic Report
POhWER empowers people to uphold human rights in their lives and the public services they use that are run by our local and central governments. We help people who, because of disability, illness, social exclusion and other marginalising challenges, find it difficult to express their views, access their human rights or receive the support they require.
Our strategy describes where we are heading and how we will achieve our aims and objectives. For charities like POhWER, who are driving rights-led change through advocacy, a strategy defines the long-term goals, influences, interventions and factors involved in achieving them. Our strategy is built upon six core strategic themes we want to realise through POhWER's charitable work.
Our full strategy can be read here: https://www.pohwer.net/strategy-2020-2025
Areas of Focus 2022-2023
During 2022-2023, we prioritised our strategic resources to deliver against three areas of activity which included growth, systemic change and awareness and operational strengthening.
Our growth and systemic change and awareness plans this year included investment focused on:
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Deepening our campaigning and influencing activities to protect human rights, reform laws and influence policy-makers
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Expanding our geographic services footprint
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Refining services to be more relevant to local people and their requirements
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Understanding unmet needs of our beneficiaries and the issues most important to them
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Investing in our workforce and infrastructure
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Promoting a culture of fairness, equality and transparency by strengthening governance, policies and support
Having completed year 3, we will be entering into year 4 of a 5 year strategic change programme in 2023 - 2024. Progress against completion is very mature for many of the strategies and many ahead of plan. The implementation includes 8 key strategy projects.
The status of the 8 strategic implementation projects are as follows at 31st March 2023:
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Implementation Project % Complete
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| Implementation Project | % Complete |
|---|---|
| 5-year Strategy (Main) | 85.7% |
| Campaigning,Infuencingand Amplifcation | 73.8% |
| Fundraisingand Income Generation | 79.6% |
| Safeguarding | 89.1% |
| Finance and Governance | 63.6% |
| People | 76.8% |
| Equality,Diversityand Inclusion | 72% |
| Qualityand Risk | 80.9% |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Outcomes and Achievements
Over the next 12-18 months our Board and Executive Team will commence work on developing a “beyond 2025” vision and the next strategy for POhWER.
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5-year Desired Outcome (before 2022-2023 Achievement
2025)
Beneficiary reach trebles to Supported 524,278 people who faced extensive challenges in securing their
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| 5-year Desired Outcome (before 2025) |
2022-2023 Achievement |
|---|---|
| Benefciary reach trebles to | Supported 524,278 people who faced extensive challenges in securing their |
| support people not supported by advocacy today |
rights and entitlements within public services. This included advocacy support to 156,405 people and 367,873 contacts through our Help Hub information and support line. For our benefciaries accessing advocacy services, 44% were new clients. 337,381people accessed our digital self-advocacyresources. |
| Service users have an independent voice and are more empowered through POhWER’s intervention Achieve >85% positive client quality outcomes every year |
Feedback from our benefciaries using our services has been broadly positive with 91% rating our services 5 out of 5. 6% gave us a 4 out of 5 and less than 1% gave us a rating of 1 out of 5. This past year we launched “The Big Listen” to digitally and anonymously capture feedback to a wider group which included benefciaries, commissioners, partners and public service professionals. Through our local services we regularly canvas views on the suitability, quality and completeness of our services to ensure we continue to deliver value to thepeople we serve. |
| Embed structured co-production in service design and continuous development Aspirations and unmet needs are better understood and embedded in future service design and development |
We managed unmet needs cases across 16 local communities for additional support where our benefciaries were “falling between the cracks” of public services and unsure where they could turn to for support to access their rights, what rights they had and how they might advocate for themselves within public services. We study these unmet needs and feedback to co-produce new innovative models of advocacy, information and suitable benefciary advice for the future. We also use these unmet needs to campaign for systemic change and to inform our strategic development. Since the start of the year we have attended over 150 local community engagement events promoting the role of advocacy in upholding people’s rights. |
| British society becomes more inclusive and accepting and institutions value and understand the importance of equal treatment and access |
We held briefng sessions with policymakers and politicians, organised petitions to protect the Human Rights Act and created coalitions of civil society senior leaders speaking up to raise awareness of importance of human rights in everyday British life. We focused on awareness raising, relationship building, educational and informative public speaking, digital information content development including two new podcast series and eight new informational flms and also launched new self-advocacy tools on our website to help infuence the attitudes of the British public. Our most popular flms this year were “What is Advocacy?” which received over 17,000 views and “Have you heard about the government’s plans to scrap the Human Rights Act?” which received 22,000 views. We managed our second Human Rights Attitudes and Opinions annual survey. Across the UK, we delivered Rights Strengthening Awareness Raising sessions in-person and digitally promoted education of the general public on equality, rights and entitlements in public services to promote self-advocacy. Our CEO shared the important work of POhWER in the media, amplifying the lived experiences of people across the UK who were struggling to be heard, have a voice and options and be treated as equal people within public services. More information can be found in our External Engagement and Digital section found onpage 11. |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
5-year Desired Outcome (before 2022-2023 Achievement 2025)
| 5-year Desired Outcome (before 2025) |
2022-2023 Achievement |
|---|---|
| The support and investment in our staf |
Detailed under the ‘People’ section on page 16. |
| Raise benefciary reach and awareness of POhWER through face-to-face social media and digital information resources |
Broadcasting key messages and amplifying our benefciaries' experiences are important to POhWER with an aim to raise awareness, tell stories and educate others promoting a fairer and more equal society. One of the barriers to ensuring the public cares about the Human Rights Act is to make it relevant to them. De-ciphering the Human Rights Act through positive stories helps people to understand that this involves all of us. Our benefciary case study base is vast and humanises rights in everyday British life. This past year POhWER was featured in print, radio and television 24 times in major media outlets with an estimated digital reach of 645,000 people. |
| Campaign for proposed changes to key legislation, infuence public attitudes and develop our national parliamentary/policy making relationships Laws and human rights are upheld and new protections developed. |
Our aim is to change laws and to uphold laws important to our benefciaries enabling them to live as equal people through evidence led submissions to powerful people and institutions, ministerial engagement, external awareness raising and through telling the stories of our benefciaries circumstances. During 2022 - 2023, we campaigned to uphold and protect the Human Rights Act this past year with a coalition of charities. 81 MPs and Peers met with our Chief Executive to discuss the detrimental impacts the proposed Bill of Rights would have on the benefciaries we support each day. The bill is no longer proceeding and has been stood down. We supported long overdue reform of the Mental Health Act, informed proposals into social care, and contributed to independent COVID-19 Inquiry. We submitted written evidence to inform the implementation approach for the long-awaited Liberty Protection Safeguards to the government. Our advocacy work continued to create precedent through case law in the Court of Protection. |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Our Services
This past year we saw an increase in new people seeking advocacy support and a decrease in demand for information or advice support. Our existing clients required advocacy support for multiple cases often over a longer time frame which drove exponential demand for our services.
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Data Measure 2021 - 2022 2022 - 2023 % Change
Number of new people supported by
66,875 68,384 2.25%
1:1 advocacy support
Number of existing people
supported by 1:1 advocacy support 81,328 88,019 8.22%
Total number of people supported by
148,203 156,403 5.53%
1:1 advocacy cases
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The post-pandemic environment resulted in a levelling off of new cases and a modest decrease in demand for our information & advice services managed by our Help Hubs.
| Data Measure | 2021 - 2022 | 2022 - 2023 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total number of contacts (phone calls, emails,video conferences) |
372,154 | 367,873 | -1.15% |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
External Engagement and Digital
The diversification of our digital information resources available to the general public and investments in awareness building of human rights through public speaking and media enabled us to find new ways to present relevant information informing people of their rights and entitlements. Our focus this year digitally has been to present human rights information in an easy-to-understand format and to invest in skills and infrastructure to build for future growth.
We produced 8 new short films which were viewed 54,000 times this year. Our podcasts were downloaded 985 times and last summer we engaged 62,000 people on social media through our My Dignity, My Rights Campaign in a single month. Our website traffic and self-advocacy downloads decreased over the past year as our post-pandemic advocacy 1-2-1 case support was more accessible than previous years and returned to full capacity again. Our intentions for next year will be to continue to build our digital audience and understand what new information resources our beneficiaries would like to see.
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Data Measure 2021 - 2022 2022 - 2023 % Change
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| Data Measure | 2021 - 2022 | 2022 - 2023 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of webpage views | 439,440 | 337,381 | -23% |
| Number of self-help and information resources downloaded from our website |
35,594 | 30,314 | -15% |
We routinely capture information about the outcomes that we help people achieve to ensure we are delivering benefits to the beneficiaries we serve. Our Impact Report can be found on our website: - https://www.pohwer.net/our impact
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Top five issues supported by service type
The most common reasons why people contacted POhWER vary by service. Complaints and attitude of staff were most common within NHS Complaints, while other advocacy services focused predominantly on statutory cases and safeguarding with exception of community advocacy where many unmet needs arose.
Geographic Expansion and Local Partnership
We continued our geographic expansion across the UK, establishing new or expanding advocacy services in the following areas:
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Surrey
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Suffolk
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Waltham Forest
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North Lincolnshire
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• Bristol
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Broadmoor
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Walsall
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Barnet
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Enfield
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Haringey
This past year POhWER expanded the number of formal civil society service partnerships. Our 45 charity partners have enabled us to deliver tailored and relevant advocacy knowledge and skills to local people who benefited from these synergistic relationships. We have been grateful to these organisations for their support.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Through our Arthur Bate Fund, POhWER offered small grants to a number of grassroots charities to raise awareness in their local community or establish community advocacy and peer groups empowering people to have an independent voice.
and Safeguarding our beneficiaries is paramount to protecting human rights continued to be prominent in our work. The most significant issues relating to physical, psychological, emotional or institutional abuse cases.
966 safeguarding alerts were raised in 2022/2023, of which 878 were raised to:
Client Setting 22.21% CQC 6.49% Local Authority 65.95% Police 5.35%
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Our focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion this past year has been on driving inclusion and belonging through training and awareness projects, mentoring and coaching programmes, support interventions and well-being programmes for our workforce.
As a charity, we are on a continuous journey, and we aspire to be a leader of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practices within the charity sector by being known for going above and beyond the minimum baseline of equality laws in everything we do.
We aspire to be a charity where everyone who comes into contact with POhWER feels they are free to be their authentic selves in a supportive environment.
Diversity Profile of our Employees and Volunteers 2022 - 2023
Our workforce is a diverse group. However, we continue to be under-represented in many areas, especially within our management and leadership group. We continue to leverage positive action in our recruitment campaigns, interview training, confidence building peer groups and career development opportunities to empower more people from under-represented groups to access leadership opportunities when they arise and to play a role in the charity’s future direction.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Our EDI work this past year examined power imbalances and integrity, such as safeguarding, antiracism, gender inequality, anti-corruption, and anti-bullying for example, and ways to inter-connect EDI into “the DNA” of our charity. We continue to build a stronger picture of how inequality may cause harm to our workforce and beneficiaries, and adopt an approach to organisational integrity that promotes transparency and participation.
We believe everyone has a human right to be treated with respect and dignity. Our beneficiaries come to POhWER for support from all walks of life. No two beneficiaries are the same and we do not have a “typical” beneficiary across the half million beneficiaries we supported this past year.
Diversity Profile of Beneficiaries 2022 - 2023
We continue to implement a multi-year EDI strategy and plan to continuously transform our organisation, actively listen and pivoting our priorities to promote diversity.
Our 2022 - 2025 EDI strategy and plan can be found on our website www.pohwer.net/edi
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Governance, Structure and Management
Legal Status and Objects
POhWER is a charity registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales under charity number 1061543 and registered in Scotland by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator under charity number SCO48858 and is also a company limited by guarantee.
Our organisation was established in 1996 and registered as a charity in 1997 and is governed by its Articles of Association which set outs our objective is to relieve people in need and to promote social inclusion by preventing people from becoming socially excluded and to promote human rights by raising awareness of human rights, in particular by providing advocacy, information, advice and guidance, to help people speak up and to be heard as well as securing their rights and entitlements.
Public Benefit
The Trustees have a duty to report on how POhWER’s charitable object has been carried out for the public benefit and to follow guidance from the Charity Commission on the provision of Public Benefit requirement under the Charities Act 2011.
We demonstrate how we have met our principal objective in our Strategic Report and how POhWER has worked within its charitable objectives in 2022/2023. We set out further specific details in our Impact Report which demonstrates the impact of our work and which compliments this report.
Structure
The Trustee Board is responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the Charity ensuring that the Charity upholds its values and core principles and delivers it key objectives.
Trustees are appointed through a transparent and rigorous recruitment and selection process and are elected by the Members at our AGM. Newly appointed Trustees are provided with a comprehensive induction programme and includes meeting the Executive team. All relevant documents to their role are provided to them including a comprehensive Trustee Handbook. A Trustee SharePoint site is regularly updated and all Trustees have private access to the site.
Trustees deploy a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience essential to good governance. The range of expertise held by our Trustees is reviewed regularly to determine that their experience meets POhWER’s requirements. A skills audit is carried out annually and informs the experience required during any recruitment drive.
Operational management is delegated by the Trustees to the Chief Executive who is accountable to the Trustee Board. The Chief Executive and the Executive team normally attend Board and Committee meetings.
Trustees, Chief Executive and Executive team are expected to behave with the utmost integrity and professionalism at all times and to adhere to POhWER’s Code of Conduct and the Nolan Committee’s Seven Principles of Public Life.
All Trustees of POhWER give their time voluntarily and receive no reward or benefit from POhWER. The Trustee Board meets a minimum of four times each year and in addition there is a Board Away Day which allows Trustees to focus, along with the Executive team, on key strategic issues. Trustees who served during the year are listed on page 42 together with information about their membership of Board Committees.
The Trustees of the Charity are also the Directors of the company for the purpose of company law, and any reference to Trustees is therefore also to Directors.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Delegation and Committees
The Board maintains a Scheme of Delegation and matters reserved for Board Committees are clearly defined in their Terms of Reference. The Committees report directly to the Board.
Finance, Audit and People Committee Fundraising and Nominations Risk Committee is is primarily Income Generation Committee is primarily responsible responsible for Committee is primarily responsible for all aspects monitoring of the primarily responsible for the review and of the Charity’s People Strategy for the oversight of assessment of the financial strategy and monitoring the the Fundraising and balance of skills and performance. It effectiveness of key Income Generation and diversity of oversees the Charity’s human resource Strategy reporting the Board and the resources and has the policies so that they and processes responsibility to responsibility to protect reflect the culture related to income recruit new Trustees the Charity’s assets and values of the generation. To also to vacancies. They and reserves. It also Charity and abide by consider proposals are also responsible has the responsibility best practice and to for appointment of for the review of for ensuring the review periodically Honorary Officers. Executive salaries. effectiveness of the staff remuneration. audit function and adequacy of risk management processes and internal control.
People
In 2022, we continued to expand our People Directorate by recruiting a dedicated Training Officer and Talent Acquisition and Resourcing Officer. These two roles compliment the HR team and enhance the service offering of the People Directorate.
Well-being continues to feature high in our priorities and this has been supported with the introduction of paid carer’s leave, to support anyone with caring responsibility. In addition, we enhanced paid sick leave and paid compassionate leave to ensure that support remains in place at a time when people may need it the most.
Our training schedule has been expanded to start building comprehensive training programmes for
all colleagues in the organisation, ensuring that the entire employment lifecycle with us supports and develops them. Later in 2023 will also see a dedicated new management training programme aimed at providing a toolkit for new managers.
Our EDI Strategy and Plan was launched duirng the year and our focus areas and acheivements can be found on page 14.
A new HR database was introduced in September 2022 and recruitment and training is now embedded in the new system which affords much more flexibility for the leadership team and colleagues wishing to ensure their own personal development needs are met.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Remuneration
All colleagues received a 3% pay increase early in 2023 and our pay also continues to be underpinned by the Living Wage Foundation.
The next benchmarking will take place in 2024 in line with the commitment made by our Trustees and to ensure our salaries remain in line with the market sector.
Fundraising and Income Generation
POhWER has spent 2022-2023 building on the work that was started in the prior year. We pursued further fundraising opportunities in payroll giving, micro donations, streaming events and digital giving. This expanded our core supporter base, gained new audiences and made donor support more accessible to everyone.
The external engagement policy continues to support the charity in how we engage with audiences, such as fundraisers and donors, in an appropriate, respectful and effective manner.
Our network of dedicated and committed supporters continue to engage with us through email and social media, further strengthening relationships. This has been effective as evidenced by an increase in fundraising through direct donations. Our engagement through social media has enabled us to richly evidence our impact on our beneficiaries and wider communities that we work in.
During the financial year we did not work with any fundraising agencies or commercial participators. No complaints were received in respect of our fundraising activity.
POhWER is grateful to our commissioners for their contract funding of our services and to all the other individuals and organisations who have donated or fundraised. We continue to work with funders as we identify unmet needs and together develop and implement pilot schemes to address gaps in services, further supporting the growing numbers of people who need our help.
GDPR
We are committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of the people we support, those we work with, those who support us and those we come into contact with in other ways. We do this in line with POhWER's values and with the law.
POhWER is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and is committed to responsible and ethical fundraising practices. POhWER complies with the Code of Fundraising Practice and the Fundraising Promise.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Risk Management
The Trustees have a responsibility for ensuring that the charity maintains a comprehensive risk management system and that appropriate actions are taken to manage and mitigate risks. The Finance, Audit and Risk Committee monitors and reviews these reports and reports to the Board on their effectiveness.
The principal risks identified through their likelihood and impact on the Charity are:
----- Start of picture text -----
Risk Examples of mitigating actions
----- End of picture text -----
| Risk | Examples of mitigating actions |
|---|---|
| A safeguarding failure results in harm to a benefciary or staf member |
• Continuous strengthening of Safeguarding process and practice • Specialist Safeguarding Resource in place • Mandatory safeguarding training and reinforcement for all staf, volunteers and trustees • Safer recruitment implemented • Focus on identifcation of trends to support escalation of systemic causes of harm • External audit of Safeguarding practices andprocedures |
| Government spending on Covid-19 impacts the available funds for Commissioners to procure advocacy services at previous or appropriate levels |
• Tight cost control mechanisms in place • Rigorous contract retention and tender scoping processes in place • Diversifcation of funding to reduce dependence on local authority statutory advocacy services • Investigate in more detail,volunteer model |
| The legal statutory framework enabling independent advocacy to exist is altered by the government with detrimental impact to our beneficiaries. |
• Campaigning and infuencing in the public domain through digital, media and social media outlets and MPs and Peers awareness raising • Responding to Government consultation, including submitting evidence of impact of advocacy in upholding human rights • Infuencing work done in partnership with 60+ other charities |
| Economic climate for growth and diversifcation of income |
• Monitoring business plans and budget for robustness and ensuring efciency in all departments • Engage with stakeholders to innovate service provision to mitigatepeoplegoinginto crisis |
Financial Review
Despite the challenges of the current economic climate POhWER can report another year of surplus and increased financial sustainability. The economic climate and an increase in non-surplus generating activity has impacted the level of surplus allocated to the reserves at the year end. Total income for 2022/2023 increased by 6% to £16,911,291 (2021/2022: 15,934,026). The increase relates to non-surplus generating activity. POhWER have continued to pursue a strategy of bidding for financially viable contracts with public and private institutions, whilst also working to diversify income streams by inviting grants, private donations and developing emerging advocacy models. This strategy has delivered new income streams but
the impact of this has been negated in year by exiting a number of historic contracts. Costs have significantly increased during the year through a combination of high inflation levels, increased travel expenses post pandemic, and the cost of delivery on the increase in non-surplus income. The overall effects were a decrease in surplus to £267,949 (2021/2022: £1,618,650). In accordance with the surplus reported, cash balances held, including on short-notice deposit accounts, totalled £3,238,682 (2021/2022: £3,568,242). POhWER operates with disciplined debtor and supplier management to ensure that working capital is tightly controlled.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Reserves Policy and Going Concern
At 31 March 2023, POhWER held total reserves of £4,342,414 (2021/22 £4,074,465). Of this amount, £3,981,041 represents the Charity’s free reserves (2021/2022 £3,729,109). Free reserves are the unrestricted reserves of the Charity that are not designated by the Trustees or that represent the value of fixed assets used by the Charity.
In February 2022 the Trustees reviewed the Charity’s reserves policy and amended it in line with the Charity’s latest circumstances, giving regard to regulatory guidance. In February 2023, given there had been no change in circumstance, a light touch review of the designated reserves was undertaken. Reserves are held, in summary, to provide working capital, ensure continuation of services and/or to ensure that the Charity can wind down in an orderly fashion and/or retain an essential administrative function in case of a crisis. The current reserves policy is to hold free reserves representing between 1.5 and 4 months of operating expenditure.
At the reporting date, the Charity held reserves totalling £4,342,414 of which £3,981,041 were free from restriction and were not designated for specific purposes (2021/2022: £4,074,465 total, of which £3,729,109 were free). Free reserves represent 2.9 months of operating expenditure (2021/2022: 3.1 months) so the Trustees are satisfied that free reserves are within the confines of the policy.
Our position post-year end is that we can meet all our financial commitments on time and POhWER remains a going concern. The Charity has a strong record of both winning and retaining contracts, against a backdrop of a financial position that has strengthened through reserves growth over the past few financial years. The Trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period one year from the date of approval of these accounts.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Statement of Trustee Responsibilities
The charity trustees (who are also the directors of POhWER for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) including FRS 102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
observe the methods and principles in the 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);
-
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;
-
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity 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 charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Each of the trustees confirms that:
-
so far as the Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware;
-
the Trustee has taken all steps that he or she ought to have taken, as a trustee, in order to be aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charitable company’s auditor is aware of that information.
This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of s148 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees had no beneficial interests in, or contracts with, the charitable company during the year. Trustees may reclaim the expenses incurred in fulfilling their duties as trustees, and these are disclosed in notes 7 and 18 of the financial statements. All the trustees are required to be Members of the charitable company, but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charitable company.
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.
The Trustees’ Annual Report, incorporating the Strategic Report, was approved by the board of trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Antony Kildare Chair of Board of Trustees
26 October 2023
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of POhWER
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of POhWER for the year ended 31 March 2023 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 Financial Reporting Standard 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:
-
give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2023 and of the charitable company’s net movement in funds, including the income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
-
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
-
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
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 charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the 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 trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees’ Annual Report and the Welcome from our Chair and Chief Executive. 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.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
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’ Annual Report (which includes the strategic report and the directors’ report prepared for the purposes of company law) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
-
the strategic report and the directors’ report included within the Trustees’ Annual Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
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 (which incorporates the strategic report and the directors’ report).
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 and the Charity Accounts (Scotland) Regulations (as amended) require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
-
adequate accounting records have not been kept by the charitable company; or
-
the charitable company 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 require for our audit.
Responsibilities of trustees for the financial statements
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 20, 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 is detailed below:
Based on our understanding of the charitable company and the environment in which it operates, we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to company law in England and Wales, and charity law in England and Wales and in Scotland, and we considered the extent to which non-compliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charities and Trustee
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and payroll taxes.
We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to management override of controls. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:
-
Inspecting correspondence with regulators and tax authorities;
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Discussions with management including consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulation and fraud;
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Evaluating management’s controls designed to prevent and detect irregularities;
-
Identifying and testing journals iand
-
Challenging assumptions and judgementsmade by management in their critical accounting estimates.
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.
Lee Stokes (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of haysmacintyre LLP, Statutory Auditors 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1AG 2 November 2023
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 for the audit of the financial statements is located 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, section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Financial Statements
Statement of financial activities For the year ended 31 March 2023
(Including an Income & Expenditure Account)
| Note | Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | 2022 | 2022 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Income from: | ||||||||
| Donations & Legacies | 2 | 28,742 | 6,436 | 35,178 | 1,336 | 21,239 | 22,575 | |
| Charitable Activities: | ||||||||
| - Contract Income | 3 | 60,000 | 16,209,601 | 16,269,601 | - | 15,190,016 | 15,190,016 | |
| - Grants | 3 | 558,949 | 8,000 | 566,949 | 703,126 | - | 703,126 | |
| Investment Income | 4 | - | 33,625 | 33,625 | - | 2,100 | 2,100 | |
| Other Sources | 5 | - | 5,938 | 5,938 | - | 16,209 | 16,209 | |
| Total income | 647,691 | 16,263,600 | 16,911,291 | 704,462 | 15,229,564 | 15,934,026 | ||
| Expenditure on: | ||||||||
| Cost of raising funds | - | (2,986) | (2,986) | - | (84,824) | (84,824) | ||
| Charitable Activities: | 6 | |||||||
| -Statutory services | - | (11,130,729) | (11,130,729) | - | (10,142,934) | (10,142,934) | ||
| -Non Statutory Services | (654,858) | (3,494,522) | (4,149,380) | (657,007) | (2,024,213) | (2,681,220) | ||
| -Secure services | - | (1,360,247) | (1,360,247) | - | (1,406,398) | (1,406,398) | ||
| -Other services | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Subtotal – Charitable Act | (654,858) | (15,985,498) | (16,640,356) | (657,007) | (13,573,545) | (14,230,552) | ||
| Total expenditure | (654,858) | (15,988,484) | (16,643,342) | (657,007) | (13,658,369) | (14,315,376) | ||
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | |||
| 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | 2022 | 2022 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Net income/(expense) | 7 | (7,167) | 275,116 | 267,949 | 47,455 | 1,571,195 | 1,618,650 | |
| Transfers between funds | (4,334) | 4,335 | - | (1,388) | 1,388 | - | ||
| Net movement between funds | (11,501) | 279,451 | 267,949 | 46,067 | 1,572,583 | 1,618,650 | ||
| Reconciliation of Funds | ||||||||
| Total funds brought forward | 58,451 | 4,016,015 | 4,074,465 | 12,384 | 2,443,431 | 2,455,815 | ||
| Total funds carried forward | 15 | 46,949 | 4,295,465 | 4,342,414 | 58,451 | 4,016,014 | 4,074,465 |
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. All recognised gains and losses are included in the above statement of financial activities.
The notes on pages 28-41 form part of these financial statements.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Balance Sheet For the year ended 31 March 2023
| Note Fixed assets Intangible fxed assets 10 Tangible fxed assets 11 Current assets Debtors 12 Cash at bank and in hand Current liabilities Creditors: amounts due within one year 13 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities |
Total 2023 £ Total 2022 £ - 1,605 284,424 236,304 |
|---|---|
| 284,424 237,909 2,021,194 1,554,898 3,238,682 3,568,242 |
|
| 5,259,876 5,123,140 (1,201,886) (1,286,584) |
|
| 4,057,990 3,836,556 |
|
| 4,342,414 4,074,465 |
|
| Net assets Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Designated funds 15 Fixed asset funds 15 General funds 15 |
4,342,414 4,074,465 46,949 58,451 30,000 48,996 284,424 237,909 3,981,041 3,729,109 |
| Total funds | 4,342,414 4,074,465 |
Approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Antony Kildare
Chair of Board of Trustees
26 October 2023
The notes on pages 28-41 form part of these financial statements.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Statement of cash flows For the year ended 31 March 2023
| Statement of cash fows For the year ended 31 March 2023 |
|
|---|---|
| Cash fow from operating activities A Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities Cash fows from investing activities Purchase of tangible and intangible fxed assets Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at 1 April 2022 Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March 2023 B |
Total 2023 £ Total 2022 £ (135,040) 1,421,901 |
| (194,520) (177,871) |
|
| (329,560) 1,244,030 |
|
| 3,568,242 2,324,212 |
|
| 3,238,682 3,568,242 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Notes to the statement of cash flows For the year ended 31 March 2023
For the year ended 31 March 2023 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Reconciliation of net income (expenditure) to | 2023 | 2022 | |
| net cash provided by operating activities | £ | £ | |
| Net income (expenditure) (as per the statement of fnancial activities) |
267,949 | 1,618,650 | |
| Adjustments for: | |||
| Depreciation charge | 144,082 | 106,150 | |
| Amortisation charge | 1,605 | 3,210 | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 2,318 | 511 | |
| (Increase) decrease in debtors | (466,296) | 138,262 | |
| Increase(decrease)in creditors | 84,698 | (444,882) | |
| Net cashprovided by/(used in)operatingactivities | (135,040) | 1,421,901 | |
| B. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents | |||
| Cash in hand | 419 | 535 | |
| Cash at bank | 432,602 | 807,367 | |
| Cash on instant access deposit accounts | 1,014,233 | 1,756,616 | |
| Cash in notice accounts | 1,750,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| Cash held in supplier client accounts | 41,428 | 3,724 | |
| Total cash and cash equivalents | 3,238,682 | 3,568,242 | |
| B. Analysis of movement in net funds | 2022 | Movement | 2023 |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Cash in hand | 535 | (116) | 419 |
| Cash at bank | 807,367 | (374,765) | 432,602 |
| Cash on instant access deposit accounts | 1,756,616 | (742,383) | 1,014,233 |
| Cash in notice accounts | 1,000,000 | 750,000 | 1,750,000 |
| Cash held in supplier client accounts | 3,724 | 37,704 | 41,428 |
| Total cash and cash equivalents | 3,568,242 | (329,560) | 3,238,682 |
The notes on pages 28-41 form part of these financial statements.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023
1. Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are laid out below.
Basis of Preparation
The financial statements have been prepared for the year to 31 March 2023 with comparative information provided in respect of the year to 31 March 2022. They are presented in sterling and rounded to the nearest whole pound.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items initially recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
Critical accounting estimates and ares of judgement
Preparation of the accounts requires the trustees and management to make significant judgements and estimates.
The items in the accounts where these judgements and estimates have been made include:
-
the useful economic lives attributed to tangible and intangible fixed assets to determine the appropriate depreciaton and amortisation charges:
-
the basis on which support cost have been allocated across expenditure headings;
-
the estimated value of accrued income and work in progress: and
-
the recoverability of trade debtors.
Assessment of going concern
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 Standards applicable in the UK and Republic
of Ireland (FRS 102) (‘Charities SORP FRS 102’) (Second Edition, effective 1 January 2019) and the Companies Act 2006.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these accounts. The trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of one year from the date of approval of these accounts, taking into account the expected commercial effects of the current economic climate.
The trustees of the charity have concluded that there are no material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern.
Entity Status
POhWER is a company limited by guarantee registered in England Wales (company number 03323040). It is a registered charity, registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (registered charity number 1061543), and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (registered charity number SC048858). Its registered address is Suite 4, Middlesex House, Meadway Corporate Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2EF.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Income
All types of income are recognised in the period in which the charity has entitlement to the income, the amount of income can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received. Income comprises contract income receivable for the delivery of charitable activities, supplemented by voluntary donations, investment and other miscellaneous income.
Income from voluntary donations comprises donations, legacies and gifts which are recognised in the statement of financial activities when received. Gift Aid is recognised and claimed where the eligibility criteria are met. ‘In kind’ donations are measured at the lower of armslength valuation or value to the charity should the goods or services have been procured at market rates.
Contract income arises from the provision of advocacy services according to the terms of contracts and service level agreements with contract commissioners which comprise local authorities and other organisations. Contract income is recognised in the statement of financial activities over the period for which advocacy services are provided. Where contract income is subject to service level agreements and subject to the quantity of services provided, it is recognised to the extent that chargeable services have been provided.
Investment income is recognised where the charity has entitlement and the amount can be reliably measured.
charitable services, do not themselves produce charitable outputs. These support costs include management and administration, human resources, business development, finance and IT.
Direct costs are allocated to the particular activity to which the cost relates. Support costs are apportioned on the basis of income for each category of charitable activity.
Governance costs are the costs associated with the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charitable company. Such costs include preparation of statutory accounts, trustees’ meetings, including specialist access and support costs to enable our volunteer trustees from our service users/members groups to participate and any costs associated with risk management and compliance.
Volunteers
POhWER deeply values the contribution from all those who volunteer their time, commitment and expertise for POhWER. The number of volunteers is rising and includes current and former service users who use their experience and skills to help others (see ‘Making a difference’ for examples). Volunteer roles range from the provision of advocacy services to administrative support services, and their contribution enables POhWER to increase the number of clients reached.
In accordance with the guidance in the Charities SORP FRS 102, the value of volunteers is not included in the statement of financial activities.
Taxation
Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. All expenditure is stated inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
Expenditure comprises direct costs, support costs and fundraising costs. All direct costs and support costs are allocated or apportioned to the main categories of charitable activity, these are nonstatutory advocacy, statutory advocacy, secure and complex services, and other. Costs of raising funds are shown on the Statement of Financial Activities.
Support costs are those costs that, whilst necessary to enable the charity to deliver
The charitable company is a registered charity and is exempt from the taxation of income falling within chapter 3 part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 and section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that this income is used to achieve its charitable objectives. No charge to taxation for the year has arisen as a result of the activities of the charity.
Value Added Tax is not recoverable by the charitable company and is included within the relevant costs in the statement of financial activities.
Operating 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 in equal annual amounts over the lease term.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Defined Contribution Pension Schemes
The defined contribution pension scheme costs charged in the statement of financial activities represent the employer’s pension contributions payable by the charitable company during the financial year.
Intangible Fixed Assets
Intangible fixed assets represent the cost of developing bespoke advocacy case management software. Intangible assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised. The cost of intangible assets includes incidental acquisition costs. Intangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated amortisation. Amortisation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost or valuation of each intangible fixed asset, once brought into use, on a straight-line basis to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The amortisation rate is as follows:
Bespoke software 25.00%
Intangible fixed assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.
Work in Progress
Where income is earned at the end of a referral, the value of work in progress is estimated based on the number of open cases at the year end and the average extent of completeness. Work in progress is included in the accounts only to the extent that the value is material, and judged to be recoverable.
Cash at Bank and in Hand
Cash at bank and in hand represents such accounts and instruments that are available on demand or available on notice accounts of no more than 95 days.
Creditors and Provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date as a results of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are recognised at the amount the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt. They have been discounted to the present value of the future cash payment where such discounting is material.
Financial Instruments
Tangible Fixed Assets
Tangible fixed assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised. The cost of tangible assets includes incidental acquisition costs. Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost or valuation of each tangible fixed asset, once brought into use, on a straight-line basis to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates are as follows:-
| Ofce Equipment: Fixtures and Fittings: Computer Equipment: |
33.33% 20.00% 33.33% |
|---|---|
Tangible fixed assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.
Debtors
Debtors are recognised at their settlement amount, less any provision for non-recoverability. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid. Debtors are discounted to the present value of the future cash receipt where such discounting is material.
Financial instruments are classed as basic, including debtors and creditors. If arrangement with the debtor or creditor constitutes a financing transaction, it is measured at the net present value of future payments, discounted at market rates to the extent where such discounting is material.
Fund Accounting
Unrestricted funds comprise accumulated surpluses and deficits on the general fund which are available for use in furtherance of the objectives of the Charity and which have not been restricted by the donor or designated by the trustees for a specific purpose.
Designated funds are funds transferred from unrestricted funds that the trustees have set aside for a specific purpose.
Restricted funds are those where income has been received from a donor who places specific restrictions on how the funds must be spent. Restricted funds are only expendable in relation to the purposes set out by the donor.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
2. Income from Donations
| 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Unrestricted | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Donations and gifts | 28,742 | 6,436 | 35,178 | 10,532 |
| Legacies | - | - | - | - |
| Donations in kind | - | - | - | 12,043 |
| Total | 28,742 | 6,436 | 35,178 | 22,575 |
3. Income from Charitable Activities
| 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Statutory Services | 10,000 | 11,250,363 | 11,260,363 | 10,682,159 |
| Non Statutory Services | 608,949 | 3,084,949 | 3,693,898 | 3,315,049 |
| Secure & Complex Services | - | 1,882,289 | 1,882,289 | 1,895,934 |
| Other | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 618,949 | 16,217,601 | 16,836,550 | 15,893,142 |
2022: Restricted income from non-statutory services was £713,126. All other income was unrestricted.
4. Investment Income
| 4. Investment Income | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | |
| £ | £ | |
| Bank Interest Receivable | 33,625 | 2,100 |
5. Income from Other Sources
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | |
| £ | £ | |
| Other fees & recharged services | 5,938 | 11,607 |
| CJRSgrants | - | 4,602 |
| Total | 5,938 | 16,209 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
6. Expenditure on Charitable Activities
| Current year: | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory | Non | Secure | Other | Total | |
| services | Statutory | services | services | ||
| services | |||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Direct operating | 9,815,449 | 3,712,974 | 1,137,869 | - | 14,666,292 |
| costs | |||||
| Support costs | |||||
| Management and | 425,265 | 141,102 | 71,901 | - | 638,268 |
| Administration | |||||
| Human | 367,221 | 121,843 | 62,086 | - | 551,150 |
| Resources | |||||
| Business | 286,840 | 95,173 | 48,497 | - | 430,510 |
| Development | |||||
| Finance | 120,034 | 39,827 | 20,295 | - | 180,156 |
| IT | 63,156 | 20,955 | 10,678 | - | 94,789 |
| Governance | 52,764 | 17,506 | 8,921 | - | 79,191 |
| 1,315,280 | 436,406 | 222,378 | - | 1,974,064 | |
| Total Costs | 11,130,729 | 4,149,380 | 1,360,247 | - | 16,640,356 |
| Prior Year | 2022 | 2022 | 2022 | 2022 | 2022 |
| Comparison: | Statutory | Non Statutory | Secure | Other | Total |
| services | services | services | services | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| £ | |||||
| Direct operating | 9,158,300 | 2,375,653 | 1,231,639 | - | 12,765,592 |
| costs | |||||
| Support costs | |||||
| Management and | 294,805 | 91,488 | 52,324 | - | 438,617 |
| Administration | |||||
| Human Resources | 250,808 | 77,835 | 44,515 | - | 373,158 |
| Business | 178,282 | 55,327 | 31,643 | - | 265,252 |
| Development | |||||
| Finance | 163,755 | 50,819 | 29,064 | - | 243,638 |
| IT | 62,159 | 19,291 | 11,032 | - | 92,482 |
| Governance | 34,825 | 10,807 | 6,181 | - | 51,813 |
| 984,634 | 305,567 | 174,759 | - | 1,464,960 | |
| Total Costs | 10,142,934 | 2,681,220 | 1,406,398 | - | 14,230,552 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
7. Net Income / (Expenditure) for the Year
Net income / (expenditure) is stated after charging:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 145,687 | 109,361 |
| Operating lease rentals | 132,450 | 125,570 |
| Auditor's remuneration | ||
| - Audit provision for current year | 22,500 | 22,530 |
| Trustees’ remuneration | - | - |
| Trustees’ reimbursed expenses | 415 | 312 |
8. Staff Costs and Remuneration of Key Management Personnel
Staff costs were as follows:
| Staf costs were as follows: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Salaries and wages | 9,277,917 | 9,392,015 |
| Redundancy payments | 14,748 | 10,455 |
| (including payments in lieu of notice) | ||
| Social security costs | 819,980 | 790,242 |
| Pension contributions | 256,502 | 251,994 |
| Total Staf Costs | 10,369,147 | 10,444,706 |
The number of employees whose emoluments exceeded £60,000 was as follows:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Number | |
| £60,000 to £70,000 | - | 4 |
| £70,000 to £80,000 | 3 | - |
| £80,000 to £90,000 | - | 1 |
| £100,000 to £110,000 | 1 | - |
The company made contributions to the pension plans of 4 employees whose emoluments exceeded £60,000 in 2022/23 of £8,456 (2021/22 £9,094, 5 employees).
The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Trustees and the Executive Team.
None of the trustees receive any remuneration in connection with their services to the charity (2021/22: £nil). The total remuneration including employer’s pension contributions of the Executive Team for the year was £371,942 (2021/22: £365,110).
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Number | |
| Charitable activities | 395 | 407 |
| Management, support services | 33 | 25 |
| and administration | ||
| Total | 428 | 432 |
In accordance with the relevant accounting standards, employee numbers are counted irrespective of hours worked. POhWER benefits from the services of part time employees, and the headcount expressed in full time equivalents would be 328 for charitable activities (2021/22: 346) and 30 in management, support services and administration (2021/22: 23).
9. Defined Contribution Pension Schemes
The charitable company opened a defined contribution pension scheme provided by the NOW: Pensions Trust effective from the staging date of 1 April 2014, we subsequently moved to The Peoples Pension on 1 April 2019, both schemes satisfy the requirements of automatic enrolment pension legislation. The charitable company pays employer’s contributions of 3% of pensionable salary into this defined contribution pension scheme provided that an employee pays employee contributions of at least 5% of pensionable salary. The charitable company pays employer’s contributions exceeding 3% in a limited number of cases in order to comply with contractual obligations. At the year end, amounts of £56,335 were due to the pension scheme provider (2021/22: £57,085).
10. Intangible Fixed Assets
| 10. Intangible Fixed Assets | |
|---|---|
| Bespoke Software | |
| £ | |
| Cost or valuation | |
| At the start of the year | 162,077 |
| Additions in the year | - |
| Disposals in theyear | (20,713) |
| At the end of theyear | 141,364 |
| Depreciation | |
| At the start of the year | (160,472) |
| Charge for the year | (1,605) |
| Disposals in theyear | 20,713 |
| At the end of theyear | (141,364) |
| Net book value | |
| At the end of the year | - |
| At the start of theyear | 1,605 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
11. Tangible Fixed Assets
| 11. Tangible Fixed | Assets | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofce | Fixtures and | Computer | ||
| Equipment | Fittings | Equipment | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Cost or valuation | ||||
| At the start of the year | 77,886 | 25,062 | 490,622 | 593,570 |
| Additions in the year | - | 97,042 | 97,478 | 194,520 |
| Disposals in theyear | (70,514) | (19,421) | (44,259) | (134,194) |
| At the end of theyear | 7,372 | 102,683 | 543,841 | 653,896 |
| Depreciation | ||||
| At the start of the year | (70,502) | (21,396) | (265,368) | (357,266) |
| Charge for the year | (5,538) | (1,288) | (137,256) | (144,082) |
| Disposals in theyear | 68,668 | 19,421 | 43,787 | 131,876 |
| At the end of theyear | (7,372) | (3,263) | (358,837) | (369,472) |
| Net book value | ||||
| At the end of the year | - | 99,420 | 185,004 | 284,424 |
| At the start of the year | 7,384 | 3,666 | 225,254 | 236,304 |
| 12. Debtors | ||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Trade debtors | 1,839,903 | 1,300,640 | ||
| Accrued income | 31,615 | 70,954 | ||
| Prepayments | 129,454 | 165,270 | ||
| Other debtors | 20,222 | 18,034 | ||
| Total Debtors | 2,021,194 | 1,554,898 |
13. Creditors: Amounts Due Within One Year
| 13. Creditors: Amounts Due | Within One Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Trade creditors | 281,599 | 228,171 |
| Taxation and social security | 185,215 | 196,865 |
| Accrued expenses | 237,718 | 229,731 |
| Other creditors | 124,303 | 58,637 |
| Deferred income | 373,051 | 573,180 |
| Total Creditors | 1,201,886 | 1,286,584 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Income received in advance of the provision of services is deferred. Deferred income recognised during the year is as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Deferred income brought forward | 573,180 |
| Deferred income released during the year | (573,180) |
| Income deferred duringtheyear | 373,051 |
| Deferred income carried forward | 373,051 |
14. Movement in Restricted Funds
| Start | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | End of year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| of year | between | 31.03.2023 | |||
| 01.04.2022 | funds | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted funds | |||||
| - Birmingham NNS Grants | 39,974 | 175,000 | (205,710) | - | 9,264 |
| - Birmingham NNS | - | 179,598 | (153,761) | - | 25,837 |
| - Herts Community | - | 159,350 | (152,155) | (7,195) | - |
| Navigator Service | |||||
| - Oxfordshire Community | 12,151 | - | (303) | - | 11,848 |
| Advocacy | |||||
| - Food bank | - | 10,000 | (10,000) | - | - |
| - NHS Bristol Members | - | 50,000 | (50,000) | - | - |
| Event | |||||
| - Family Action Birmingham | - | 35,000 | (35,000) | - | - |
| Household Support | |||||
| - Shout About It | - | 1,150 | (1,150) | - | - |
| - Training grant Luton | - | 10,001 | (10,018) | 18 | - |
| - Hertfordshire Suicide | - | 3,000 | (3,000) | - | - |
| Prevention Podcast | |||||
| - Allen & Overy | 6,326 | - | (6,326) | - | - |
| - Kickstart | - | 24,592 | (27,435) | 2,843 | - |
| Total Funds | 58,451 | 647,691 | (654,858) | (4,334) | 46,949 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Prior Year Comparison
| Start | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | End of year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| of year | between | 31.03.2022 | |||
| 01.04.2021 | funds | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted funds | |||||
| - Birmingham NNS | 103 | 350,916 | (310,350) | (695) | 39,974 |
| - Herts Community | - | 181,297 | (180,370) | (927) | - |
| Navigator Service | |||||
| - Oxfordshire Community | 12,281 | - | (131) | - | 12,150 |
| Advocacy | |||||
| - Nottingham Peer | - | 986 | (986) | - | - |
| Advocacy | |||||
| - Hertfordshire Members | - | 350 | (350) | - | - |
| Event | |||||
| - Family Action Birmingham | - | 18,338 | (18,338) | - | - |
| Household Support | |||||
| - East Herts District Council | - | 1,000 | (1,000) | - | - |
| Hub Training | |||||
| - Herts Help at Home – | - | 750 | (750) | - | - |
| Emergency Grant | |||||
| - Nottinghamshire Mental | - | 78,907 | (78,907) | - | - |
| Health Discharge | |||||
| - Leicester Health Surveys | - | 298 | (298) | - | - |
| - Birmingham Covid | - | 3,897 | (3,897) | - | - |
| Support | |||||
| - Islington Covid Support | - | 1,477 | (1,427) | (50) | - |
| - Bedford Infection Control | - | 6,000 | (6,000) | - | - |
| - Barnet Infection Control | - | 6,300 | (6,300) | - | - |
| - Hertfordshire Suicide | - | 3,000 | (3,000) | - | - |
| Prevention Podcast | |||||
| - Bedfordshire Infection | - | 28,400 | (28,400) | - | - |
| Control | |||||
| - Allen & Overy | - | 8,000 | (1,674) | - | 6,326 |
| - Bedford Covid Support | - | 6,000 | (6,000) | - | - |
| - Kickstart | - | 8,546 | (8,829) | 284 | - |
| Total Funds | 12,384 | 704,462 | (657,007) | (1,388) | 58,451 |
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Restricted Funds
Birmingham NNS (Neighbourhood Network Scheme)
Working on behalf of Birmingham City Council to support citizens over 50 in the community to live healthy, independent lives. The Neighbourhood Network Scheme helps connect older people to individuals, groups, organisations, activities, services and places in their neighbourhoods.
Management Funding
Funding from Hertfordshire County Council and NHS Herts Valleys CCG towards the HertsHelp service Manager.
Hertfordshire Navigator Service
A grant for a Community Navigator who provides face to face support to help with a variety of issues including practical support to help arrange bill payments, sorting domestic paperwork and reviewing benefit entitlement in Hertfordshire.
Nottingham Community Mental Health
A pilot to develop a community mental health service in Nottingham.
Oxfordshire Community Advocacy
A grant from Oxfordshire Advocacy, known as Getting Heard, to deliver community advocacy in Oxfordshire.
East Herts District Council Hub Training A grant towards training for our Hub employees.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Mental Health Discharge
A grant to support the integration of community mental health in Nottinghamshire.
Leicester
A grant for conducting telephone surveys.
Birmingham Covid Support
A local authority grant to support with additional costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Islington Covid Support
A local authority grant to support with additional costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bedford Borough Council Infection Control
A local authority grant to support with additional costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Barnet Infection Control
A local authority grant to support with additional costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hertfordshire Suicide Prevention Podcast
A grant to produce a suicide awareness & prevention podcast.
Central Bedfordshire Infection Control
Heart of England Food Bank
Hertfordshire crisis funding for a beneficiary.
Bristol Members Event
Training grant ring fenced to south west used to upskill advocates in courage leadership.
Shout About It
Network event, fees, grants and donations received as part of the annual event to fund future network events.
Luton Training Grant
Training grant to upskill advocates.
Hertford Members Event
A local authority grant to support with additional costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Allen & Overy
A grant to advance parents’ advocacy to help navigate child protection proceedings, either through 1-2-1 support or through the development of self-advocacy tools.
Bedford Covid Support
A local authority grant to support with additional costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kickstart
A government grant towards the cost of workers employed on the Kickstart scheme.
A corporate donation towards events for members in Hertfordshire.
Family Action Household Support Fund
A funding programme to support households in most need in Birmingham with food, energy, water bills and other essential costs.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
15. Movement in Unrestricted Funds
| Start of year | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | End of year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01.04.2022 | between | 31.03.2023 | |||
| funds | |||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Unrestricted funds | |||||
| - General fund | 3,729,109 | 16,263,600 | (15,988,484) | (23,184) | 3,981,041 |
| Designated funds | |||||
| - Arthur Bate fund | 36,530 | - | - | (6,530) | 30,000 |
| - PR fund | - | - | - | - | - |
| - Staf training | - | - | - | - | - |
| - Technology | - | - | - | - | - |
| development fund | |||||
| - Community fund | 12,466 | - | - | (12,466) | - |
| - Fixed assets fund | 237,909 | - | - | 46,515 | 284,424 |
| Total Funds | 4,016,014 | 16,263,600 | (15,988,484) | 4,335 | 4,295,465 |
| Prior Year Comparison | |||||
| Start of year | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | End of year | |
| 01.04.2021 | between | 31.03.2022 | |||
| funds | |||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Unrestricted funds | |||||
| - General fund | 2,214,826 | 15,229,563 | (13,655,169) | (60,111) | 3,729,109 |
| Designated funds | |||||
| - Arthur Bate fund | 39,730 | - | (3,200) | - | 36,530 |
| -PR fund | - | - | - | - | - |
| -Staf training | 6,500 | - | - | (6,500) | - |
| development fund | |||||
| -Technology | - | - | - | - | - |
| development fund | |||||
| -Community fund | 12,466 | - | - | - | 12,466 |
| Fixed assets fund | 169,909 | - | - | 68,000 | 237,909 |
| Total Funds | 2,443,431 | 15,229,563 | (13,658,369) | 1,389 | 4,016,014 |
Unrestricted Funds
- wish to become trustees of charities
General fund
The General Fund comprises the accumulated surpluses and deficits which have neither been restricted by conditions imposed by donors, nor have been designated by the trustees for specific purposes.
Designated funds
The Arthur Bate fund
In memory of Arthur Bate, a founding trustee of POhWER and campaigner for the rights of people with disabilities, the Arthur Bate fund was created to provide support for people who:
-
seek to set up self-advocacy groups
-
want to set up peer support groups
-
want to set up advocacy groups
-
seek to start other kinds of advocacy activity
PR Fund
A seed fund to buy in specialist PR and media support to further develop the charity’s campaigning activities.
Staff Training Development Fund
A fund to purchase supplementary advocacy training and materials over and above the general budget for NAQ-level training.
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
Fixed assets fund
Technology Development Fund
A fund for investment in (1) automation development and (2) ongoing improvements to the charity’s operational management system.
Community Fund
A fund to develop community advocacy and engagement.
The fixed assets fund reflects the carrying net book value of the charity’s tangible and intangible fixed assets and has been separated from the charity’s general unrestricted funds in recognition of the fact that these assets are essential to the day-to-day operations of the charity and should not be considered realisable to meet future commitments.
16. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds
| Current Year | General | Designated | Fixed assets | Restricted | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | fund | Funds | 2023 | |
| Intangible | - | - | - | - | - |
| Assets | |||||
| Tangible Assets | - | - | 284,424 | - | 284,424 |
| Cash | 3,161,733 | 30,000 | - | 46,949 | 3,238,682 |
| Debtors | 2,021,194 | - | - | - | 2,021,194 |
| Creditors | (1,201,886) | - | - | - | (1,329,256) |
| Total | 3,981,041 | 30,000 | 284,424 | 46,949 | 4,342,414 |
| Prior Year | General | Designated | Fixed assets | Restricted | Total |
| Comparison | funds | funds | fund | Funds | 2022 |
| Intangible | - | - | 1,605 | - | 1,605 |
| Assets | |||||
| Tangible Assets | - | - | 236,304 | - | 236,304 |
| Cash | 3,460,795 | 48,996 | - | 58,451 | 3,568,242 |
| Debtors | 1,554,898 | - | - | - | 1,554,898 |
| Creditors | (1,286,584) | - | - | - | (1,286,584) |
| Total | 3,729,109 | 48,996 | 237,909 | 58,451 | 4,074,465 |
17. Operating Lease Commitments
The total commitment under non-cancellable operating leases at 31 March 2023 is analysed according to the periods in which the leases expire:-
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Land & Buildings | Land & Buildings | |
| £ | £ | |
| Less than 1 year | 126,549 | 110,510 |
| 2-5years | 292,902 | 224,345 |
| Total | 419,451 | 334,855 |
Lease costs expensed during the year amounted to £132,450. (2021/22: £125,570).
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POhWER Annual Report 2022/23
18. Related Party Transactions
During the financial year 3 trustees were reimbursed £415 (2021/22: 7 trustees reimbursed £312) for travel and incidental expenses which related to carrying out their duties as Trustees of the charitable company. Trustees are based in a wide geographical area in a reflection of the areas we work in.
Trustees made no voluntary donations in the financial year (2021/22 donations including gift aid were £2,187).
There were no other related party transactions during the financial year (2021/22: none).
Expenditure includes £3,118 (2021/22: £3,032) in respect of trustees’ indemnity insurance which provides cover of up to a maximum of £5,000,000.
41
Corporate Information
POhWER
Trustees
A company limited by guarantee
Antony Kildare (Chair) Abdi Mohamed (d) (from October 2022) Alex Cisneros (d) (from October 2022) Andrew McGrath (a)(d) Bridget Flint (a)(b) (retired October 2022) Corinne Mills (b) (from October 2022) Gemma Hope (c) (from October 2022) Geoff Gibbs (a)(d) (retired October 2022) Ian Holland (c)
Registered Office
Suite 4, Middlesex House Meadway Corporate Centre Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 2EF
Registered in England and Wales with the Charity Commission under charity number 1061543
Jackie Kinsey (b) Mitch Miller (b) Paul Robinson (a) (from October 2022) Rachael Gilthorpe (c) (from October 2022) Sandra Harding (a)(c)
Registered in Scotland by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator under charity number SCO48858
Sundera Kumara-Moorthy (a)(c) (retired October 2022)
Registered company number 03323040
Toby Cotton (a)(d) (retired October 2022)
www.pohwer.net
- a. Member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee
Auditors
- b. Member of the People Committee
haysmacintyre LLP 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1AG
-
c. Member of the Fundraising and Income Generation Committee
-
d. Member of the Nominations Committee
Legal Advisors
Stone King LLP Boundary House 91 Charterhouse St Barbican, London EC1M 6HR
Bankers
The Co-operative Bank plc PO Box 101 1 Balloon Street Manchester M60 4EP
Executive Team
Chief Executive Helen Moulinos
Deputy Chief Executive Elyzabeth Hawkes
Company Secretary (resigned 2 February 2023) and Chief Finance Officer (resigned 30 March 2023)
Tim Jarvis
Patrons
Lord Michael Cashman CBE Peter Duncan Nitu Shah Samantha Lee Howe Dr Melrose Stewart
Vice Presidents
Aruna Patel Carol Lee MBE Gary Blaker Iris Lusack Judith Smart Phil Lawrence Steven Rathbone Tim Anfilogoff
Director of Finance and Resources from 1 July 2023
Vicky Hilpert
Company Secretary ( from 2 February 2023) Janet Douglas
Director of Fundraising and Engagement Fiona McArthur-Worbey
People Director Julie Born
42