Registered Charity Number 1064266 Registered Company Number 3370871 EAST LONDON COMMUNITY LAW SERVICE REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 31 MARCH 2025 East London Community Law Service Report and Accounts Contents Company Information Trustees Report Statement of Trustees responsibilities Independent Examiner's Report Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet Notes to the accounts Statement of Financial Activities Page 1 2-3 3-4 5 6 7 8-9 10 AEAST LONDON COMMUNITY LAW SERVICE Company Information Trustees Dr . Qadir Bakhsh MBE (Chairman) Dr . A Q Sheikh (Vice Chairman) Mr. Robert Manso Mr. Said Aweys Mr. Clive Lucking Secretary Mr. Mabrouk Alloune Independent Examiners S. ASGHAR & CO 85 Station Road Harrow London HA2 7SW Bankers The Co-operative Bank PO Box 101 1 Ballon Street, Manchester, M60 4EP Registered Office Dahir Community House 702 High Road Leyton London E10 6JP Registered Charity Number 1064266 Company Number 3370871 1 • East London Community Law Service (a company limited by guarantee but without a share capital) Report of the trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025 Governing Document Name, registered office and constitution of the charity The full name of the charity is East London Community Law Service (ELCLAS) 08/09/1997 Date of Incorporation Company registration Number Registered Office 3370871 Dahir Community House, 702 High Road Leyton, London E10, 6JP 1064266 Charity Registration Number Objectives and Activities • We provide free advice; information and representation to asylum seekers, migrants and others on matters of housing, debt, and welfare benefits hate crime domestic violence, education, training and employment. • We work to help provide relief of poverty of asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and other members of the community with restricted income who are resident in the borough by providing free and confidential advice, assistance, counselling, translation and interpretation service in matters of money, debt, welfare benefits, housing health, training and employment. Review of Activities East London Community Law Service is still facing some difficult challenges financially in the coming This year again, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Community Funds, we have seen a slight increase in our generated income. However, we have been able to show a positive balance in our bank accounts after so many years of financial struggle and this is thanks to the grant and letting some of our facilities to provide the much-needed funds for continuing the work we do for the Refugees and Migrants in several boroughs. The demand for our services has continued to grow even though we do not have a full contingent of staff but our sterling staff with the help of volunteers has coped reasonably well this year But the organisation is still struggling to find support for our work. Our Multicultural Advice Service (MASC ) is still operating essentially on a voluntary basis and now includes signposting cases to Citizens Advice bureaux and Victim support in cases where specialist skills are required. Our future plan for funding some level of activity continue to include, asking our partners in the consortium to share our office facilities to increase their contribution to our costs while we continue to seek funding. 2 Financial Review The financial results this year shows an improvement in state of affairs, the charity recorded a surplus of £7410 compared to £133 deficit in (2023/2024) The Charity is aware that there is still real financial test ahead in the coming years which we should overcome by reducing our expenditure on salaries, applying for funding and reducing our opening days to reduce our energy consumption. Achievement and Performance of the Charity The charity was able to advice over 630 clients covering a wide range of ethnic origins, age, sex, religion and disability either face to face or over the phone, referrals and signposting. We assisted asylum seekers and migrant either from the EU or other countries from the day they arrive into the UK in applying for support (National Asylum Support Services) and Welfare benefit according to their circumstances and we were able to achieve a lot of success in securing both accommodation and subsistence support for them. We assisted clients who were granted refugee status and economic migrants who were entitled to the EU Brexit settlement scheme in their difficult transitional period by applying for the right benefits that they are eligible for while waiting to get jobs where they are found fit to work, the total financial amount gained in all the claims we submitted on their behalf was above £ 101,283 according to our daily monitoring database. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our frontline volunteer advisers, we were successful in securing temporary accommodation for 9 clients threatened either with homelessness or evictions and easing debt problems for others through securing easy payment plan. Life in the borough continue to be a struggle not only for migrants and refugees but also for residents finding it hard to meet day to day commitments and we think the local authority could do more to alleviate unnecessary suffering The Board also wish to extend thanks to our volunteers whose work has enabled the organisation to continue its services with a very acceptable level of efficiency. Trustee's responsibilities in relation to the financial Statements: Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the end of the financial year and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure for the financial year. In doing so the trustees are required to: 1, Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. 2, Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. 3, 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 maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 3 charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. This report was approved by the trustees on (.) th •sepale and signed on their behalf Signed: QaD Bench Name: QADiR BAKISH 4 Independent Examiner's Report to the trustee of East London Community Law Services I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of East London Community Law Services for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and the related notes. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustee you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011('the Act'). The trustee considers that an audit is not required for this year under the Charities Act 2011, s.144 (2) (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I can confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in, any material respect: • the accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or • the accounts do not accord with those records; or • the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Waqas Imtiaz Khan (FCCA) Chartered Certified Accountants 85 Station Road North Harrow London HAS 7SW 30/9/2625 East London Community law Service Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31st March 2025 notes Incoming Resources Incoming Resources from generated funds Grant Funding Activities for generating funds Other Income & refunds Total Incoming Resources Expenditure Cost of charitable activities Governance costs Total Resources Expended Net Incoming Resources Before Transfers Total Funds Brought Forward Total Funds Carried Forward 2 3 Unrestricted Restricted Funds 2025 Funds 2025 - 27,382 27,382 33,196 1,086 34,282 -6,900 397,822 390,922 14,310 14,310 9,059 9,059 5,251 5,251 Total Funds 2025 14,310 27,382 41,692 33,196 1,086 34,282 7,410 397,822 405,232 Total Funds 2024 6,500 27,998 80 34,578 33,624 1,086 34,710 -133 397,954 397,822 • East London Community law Service Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2025 notes 2025 2024 Fixed Assets Tangible Assets 4 359,160 359,160 Current Assets Debtors Cash at bank & in hand Total Current assets 28832.51 28,833 21422.12 21,422 Current Liabilities Amounts due within one year 5 Net Current assets Total Assets less Current liabilities 856 27,977 387,137 856 20,566 379,726 Long Term Liability Total Net assets 387,137 379,726 Funds of the Charity Unrestricted Accumulated Funds Restricted Accumulated Funds Restricted Fixed asset Revaluation Reserve 12,137 110,000 265,000 Total Charity Funds 387,137 4,726 110,000 265,000 379,726 The trustees are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 and no notice has been deposited under section 476 of the act requesting that an audit be conducted for the period ended 31st March 2025 The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for; (a) ensuring the company keeps accounting records which complies with the requirements of section 386 of Companies Act 2006. (b) preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the 31st March 2024 and of its income and expenditure for that finance year in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies act relating to accounts so far as applicable to the company. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to small companies. ith Sep 2025 al Bas Signed:..... Dr Qadir Bakhsh Chairman, Board Of Trustees Signed:C Mr Mabrouk Alloune Secretary ..... 7 East London Community Law Service Notes to the Accounts for the period ending 31st March 2025 1, Accounting Policies Accounting Basis (a) The Financial statements are prepared under the historic cost basis in accordance with Financial Reporting Standards For Smaller Entities and in compliance with Statements of Recommended Practice applicable to Charities.) (b) The organisation's main source of income is from grants and donations. Some income is derived from activities and services provided by the Company. (c) Grants received for specific purposes are accounted for as Restricted Funds and are applied in accordance with the terms of the grant. (d) Rental Income is included gross in the income and expenditure accounts on a receivable basis (e) Income and expenditure relating to the activities of the charity have been taken into account on the accruals basis. 2, Grant Funding(Restricted Funds) Job Retention Grant Waltham forest discretionary grant Big Lottery Community Funds Year 2025 14310 3, Income from Activities (Unrestricted Funds) Year 2025 Other income & refunds Rental Income ELCLAS Income From Private Lettings - 27382 27,382 Donation Relie & other income & donations 4, Tangible Functional Fixed Assets At Cost /Valuation/ Revaluation Additions At 31st March 2025 Accumulated Depreciation & Impairment value Opening balance B/Forward Charge for the year 2025 Total Cumulative depreciation Net Book Value @31st March 2025 Freehold land & Building Fixture & Fitting & Equipment 375,000 375,000 15,840 15,840 359,160 5, Current Liabilities Other Creditors 6, Long Term Liability Year 2025 856 Year 8 Year 2024 6,500 Year 2024 - 80 27,998 28,078 : 64,236 64,236 64,236 64,236 Total Fixed Value 439,236 439,236 80,076 80,076 359,160 Year 2024 856 - Year The Company has a debt with Pension Trust which occurred when it withdrew from the pension scheme in 2005 2025 - 7, Staff Costs Gross Salaries Average Nos of staff equivalent full time Year 2025 21312 1 8, Fund Structure Policy The Charity maintains a general unrestricted fund which represents funds which are expendable at the discretion of the trustees in the furtheranace of the objects of the charity. Restricted Funds have been provided to the charity for particular purposes and it is the policy of the board to carefully monitor the application of those funds in accordance with restrictions placed on them The Freehold Land & Building are treated by the requirements of the funder as restricted and are held on trust for the activities of the charity The trustees are not in a position to dispose of the property the detailed operations of this fund is described under the accounting policy " Capital Grants" 9 2024 Year 2024 18,240 1 9, As a registered charity, the company is exempt from income & corporation tax on income derived from its charitable activies as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities 10, No Trustee or management committee member received any remuneration during the year nor were any amounts reimbured to them in the current year or in the previous year East London Community Law Service Statement of Financial Activities For year ended 31st March 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2025 Incoming Resources from generated funds Grant Funding Activities for generating Funds Other Income& refunds Total Income Property Licence TV Licence Staff Salaries Light & Heat Cleaning Insurance Software Support Telephone& Internet Stationery Professional Fees Accountancy Fee Independent Examiners Fee Bank Charges Council Tax & Business rates Water Rates Repairs & Maintenance Sundry Expenses Companies House Boiler Replacement Expenses Total Resources Expended Net Incoming Resources Before Transfers Total Funds Brought Forward Total Funds Carried Forward Notes 2 3 27,382 27,382 - 21,312 1,134 1,175 145 1,111 184 150 13 25,223 2,159 397,821 399,980 10 Restricted Funds 2025 14,310 14,310 : 5404 - 600 - 3,055 : - 9,059 5,251 0.00 Total Funds 2025 14310 27,382 41,692 21312 5404 1134 1175 145 600 3055.0 1111 184 150 13 34,282 7,410 397,821 405,231 Total Funds 2024 6,500 27,998 80 34,578 80 18,240 6,193 1,043 981 120 500 2,957 1,128 320 150 3,000 34,711 -133 397,954 397,821