Company registration number: 03526088 Charity registration number: 1075288
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
(A company limited by guarantee)
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
Forrester Boyd Chartered Accountant Waynflete House 139 Eastgate Louth Lincolnshire LN11 9QQ
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Contents
| Reference and Administrative Details | 1 |
|---|---|
| Trustees' Report | 2 to 7 |
| Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities | 8 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 9 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 10 |
| Balance Sheet | 11 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 12 to 23 |
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Reference and Administrative Details
Trustees P Williams, Chair D Billard M Allingham G W Baker A Maggs J Bramley G Rogers B Barber S W Bygott Senior Management / A Gaskins, Chief Executive Leadership Team D Rossiter, Deputy Chief Executive J Lambton, Project / Finance manager Charity Registration Number 1075288 Company Registration Number 03526088 The charity is incorporated in England & Wales. Registered Office Melbourne House 16 Town Hall Street Grimsby Lincolnshire DN31 1HZ Independent Examiner Forrester Boyd Chartered Accountant Waynflete House 139 Eastgate Louth Lincolnshire LN11 9QQ Bankers HSBC Bank plc Grimsby 55 Victoria Street Grimsby North East Lincolnshire DN31 1UX
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Trustees' Report
The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements and auditors' report of the charitable company for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Structure, governance and management
Nature of governing document
The Charity is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were adopted on 12 March 1998 and last amended on 18 April 2019.
Recruitment and appointment of trustees
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance of the charity. Trustees are either elected or co-opted onto the Board and the total number may not exceed 16. Elected Trustees may remain in office for 2 years and then must seek re-election. Co-opted members are appointed by the Board and serve for terms determined by the Board at the time of their co-option.
Effective partnership and co-operation between the Board of Trustees and the staff contributes to the success of the working of the organisation. The Board of Trustees is required to meet at least 4 times per year to discuss strategic and operational performance and agree business plans and budgets.
Induction and training of trustees
New Trustees receive an induction pack containing everything they need to know about the Charity and its work for effective and informed decision-making.
Risk management
The Trustees have introduced a formal risk management process to assess business risks and implement risk management strategies. This has involved identifying the types of risk the Bureau faces, pioritising them in terms of potential impact and likelihood of occurrence, and identifying the means of mitigating the risks. As part of the process the Board of Trustees have reviewed the adequacy of the Bureau's internal controls.
Objectives and activities
Objects and aims
The organisation exists for the promotion of any charitable purpose for the benefit of the community in North East Lincolnshire by the advancement of education, the protection of health and relief of poverty, sickness and distress through the delivery of advice services.
The aims of the Bureau are:
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To help people find a way forward.
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To improve the policies and practices that affect people's lives.
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The service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and their responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination.
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To provide the citizens of North East Lincolnshire with a high quality, holistic advice and information service which is accessible to them and appropriate to their needs.
Our charity was founded in 1939 and since then we have given advice, information and support to anyone who needs it. We help people online, over the phone and face to face from our office through our network of local outreaches. Every year thousands of people turn to us. This gives us a unique insight into their needs and concerns. We use this knowledge to campaign on big issues both locally and nationally. So one way or another, we are helping everyone - not just those we support directly.
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Trustees' Report
Objectives, strategies and activities
The Charity is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were adopted on 12 March 1998 and last amended on 18 April 2019.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance of the charity. Trustees are either elected or co-opted onto the Board and the total number may not exceed 16. Elected Trustees may remain in office for 2 years and then must seek re-election. Co-opted members are appointed by the Board and serve for terms determined by the Board at the time of their co-option.
Effective partnership and co-operation between the Board of Trustees and the staff contributes to the success of the working of the organisation. The Board of Trustees is required to meet at least 4 times per year to discuss strategic and operational performance and agree business plans and budgets.
New Trustees receive an induction pack containing everything they need to know about the Charity and its work for effective and informed decision-making.
The Board delegates the exercise of certain powers in connection with the management and administration of the Charity as set out below. Requiring regular reporting back to the planned meetings of the Board so that all decisions can ultimately be ratified and controlled by the full Board.
The present Trustees and any Trustees that have served in the last year are listed on page 1 together with the names of the senior executive staff.
Finance Sub-Committee
The terms of reference for this group are as follows:
To support the Honorary Treasurer in assuring that:
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A financial audit, independent examiners and auditors are properly appointed
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A yearly budget and monthly monitoring reports are given to the Board covering income and expenditure.
• There are written procedures for all financial systems and these are controlled and regularly monitored
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That the financial information is used by the Board to review the provision of services
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Identify current and potential risks to assist the trustee board to mitigate them
• To consider proposals for income and expenditure and make recommendations to the Trustee Board regarding decisions relating to the organisation’s strategic or operational functions that have a financial cost that fall outside of the devolved powers of Officers of the Trustee Board as determined by the Office Manual.
Personnel Sub-Committee
The terms of reference for this group are as follows:
• To evaluate, monitor, oversee and control Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire (CANEL) personnel and human resources monitoring and prepare reports when required for the Trustee Board.
• To consider proposals and make recommendations to the Trustee Board regarding decisions relating to CANEL’s strategic or operational functions that have personnel or human resource implications
• All acts and proceedings of the Sub-Committee shall be reported back to the Trustee Board as soon as is reasonably practicable.
• It undertakes the work delegated by the Board. The Board is to ensure that there are adequate resources available to carry out that work.
The Chief Executive
The Chief Executive is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Charity’s affairs and for implementing policies agreed by the Board of Trustees.
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Trustees' Report
Public benefit
In preparation of this report the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and confirms that the Charity’s work meets the requirements for public benefit.
The Trustees are responsible for their annual report and for the preparation of financial statements for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the incoming resources during the year and of the state of affairs as at the end of each of the financial year. In preparing these financial statements the Trustees are required to:
• Ensure that suitable accounting practices are established and applied consistently
- Make judgements and estimates which are reasonable and prudent
• State whether the applicable accounting standards and statement of recommended accounting practice have been followed subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements and
• Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume the charity will continue in operation
The Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that the Charity has appropriate systems and controls, financial and otherwise. The Trustees are also responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that financial statement comply with the Companies Act 1985. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and for their proper application as required by charity law and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities and to provide reasonable assurance that:
• The Charity is operating efficiently and effectively
• All assets are safeguarded against unauthorised use or disposition and are properly applied
- Proper records are maintained and financial information used within the charity, or for publication, is reliable
• The charity complies with relevant laws and regulations
Internal controls over all forms of commitment and expenditure continue to be refined to improve efficiency. Processes are in place to ensure that performance is monitored and that appropriate management information is prepared and reviewed regularly by both management and the Board of Trustees. A programme of internal audits is in place derived from a comprehensive risk assessment.
The systems of internal control are designed to provide reasonable but not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include:
• A business plan that includes an annual budget approved by the Board of Trustees
• Regular review by the Board of Trustees of financial results, variances from budget, non-financial performance indicators and benchmarking reviews.
• Delegation of the day to day management authority and segregation of duties
• Identification of and management of risks
The Trustees have introduced a formal risk management process to assess business risks and implement risk management strategies. This has involved identifying the types of risk the organisation faces, prioritising them in terms of potential impact and likelihood of occurrence, and identifying the means of mitigating the risks. As part of the process the Board of Trustees has reviewed the adequacy of the organisation’s internal controls.
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Trustees' Report
Summary of the main achievements of the charity and the difference the charity's work made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and the wider benefits to society as a whole.
Provision of face to face and telephone advice services from the charity’s main office from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and from outreaches at various venues across North East Lincolnshire on specific days each week. In addition we work with partners to deliver outreach services to identified vulnerable groups including homelessness, domestic abuse and foodbank services.
Continued funding from North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) enabled core service delivery to continue. NELC, Henry Smith Charity funding through its Improving Lives Funding Programme, Money and Pension Services Debt Advice Project, The Headley Trust (cost of living advice) The Evan Cornish Foundation (cost of living advice), Citizens Advice Core Grant funding to develop an outreach service in Immingham and Citizens Advice Energy Advice Project funding provided sufficient funds to develop the senior management roles and a supervision team that oversaw delivery of advice services to 2,916 people who presented 6,978 advice issues. The year saw consolidation and improvement to the new National Citizens Advice Membership Standards, advice channel and methods introduced during the previous year.
Continuation funding from the Henry Smith Charity and new funding from the Headley Trust assisted us to maintain essential advice services. We continued to review and evaluate services, to ensure the charity was working as efficiently as possible and allocated additional resource to volunteer recruitment to help increase advice capacity meet the advice needs of our community. Additional resource to switching to telephone assessments, reducing face to face drop-in assessments because this is a more efficient way of working.
Throughout the year, the organisation has achieved compliance with all external funding contracts.
Citizens Advice Energy Project funding did not meet the estimated outcomes because of specific individual performance issues. However we achieved continued high performance against funded projects and contracts including NELC’s service level agreement the Henry Smith Charity Improving Lives Funding Programme Sharing Advice, and compliance against Money and Pension Service Debt Advice Project (MaPS) to provide debt advice to people at risk of suffering financial exclusion or experiencing financial exclusion allowed the Charity to provide valuable core services to its beneficiaries. The further development of charged-for immigration advice services up to level 2 Office of the Immigration Services accredited immigration advice was also a significant achievement.
The continuing relationship between the organisation and North East Lincolnshire Council remains vital to us and is important for the local authority because it recognises the organisation's contribution to its strategic objectives of developing stronger and sustainable communities through building community capacity and resilience, and to minimise the impact of welfare reforms on the local community. This is reflected in the service level agreement between the two parties.
By far the biggest impact on the organisation was the effect the cost of living increase had on our community with significant increases in debt, welfare benefits, housing and fuel costs placing additional demand on our advice team. The complexity of our beneficiaries’ problems and their advice needs required additional adviser time and resources to identify options and solutions to their problems.
Robust quality assurance methods were evidenced by the quality of our advice service during the year, during which the organisation achieved the highest advice standards as assessed by National Citizens Advice and high levels of compliance against all National Citizens Advice performance quality framework indicators for: client care, client experience, people management and financial management.
Outreach services were consolidated during the year to include key community hubs.
Recruitment, training and support of volunteers is a key organisational aim. Without the dedication and commitment of our volunteers the organisation would be unable to deliver the breadth and level of services it currently offers. Our volunteer base was profoundly affected during the Covid-19 pandemic when we lost 80% of the volunteer cohort during periods of lockdown and we’re working to increase our volunteer cohort.
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Trustees' Report
Wider benefits to society can be identified by examination of the charity’s achievements. Notably, it secured more than £1 million for beneficiaries in unclaimed or withdrawn welfare benefit payments during the year and managed more than £5 million consumer debt in North East Lincolnshire. In addition the charity continued to provide evidence about unfair or unjust policies that affect people’s lives to local and national decision making bodies.
Financial review
Policy on reserves
The Board of Trustees continues to strive to increase the level of reserves to ensure that there are sufficient funds available to cushion any unforeseeable demands upon the financial resources. The aim was to achieve a figure equivalent to three months operational costs. Currently the figure is £130,122 compared to annual running costs in 2023/2024 of approximately £520,488. The reserves of the Charity as at 31st March 2024 in total were £108,432 compared to £138,486 in 2023.
The type of income that the Bureau is reliant upon for funding presents a fairly high risk of being reduced. Budgetary and financial control has been improved in order to reduce the risk of any overspendings and to attempt to mitigate the effect upon a loss of funding.
It is not the policy of the Bureau to embark upon any spending prior to funding being received.
Investment policy and objectives
The investment of the Bureau is limited to making best use of the credit balance held at the bank.
Employees
The organisation aims to be an organisation the employees enjoy working for, where they feel supported and encouraged to develop. Employees are kept fully informed about any strategies and objectives as well as day-to-day news and events. Regular information is available through meetings, team briefings and the intranet. All employees are encouraged to put forward their suggestions and views on performance and strategy. The organisation has introduced an employee assistance programme that provides a range of benefits to employees and volunteers.
The organisation is an equal opportunities employer and encourages participation of black and other ethnic minorities at all levels of service. A policy of recruitment and promotion on the basis of aptitude and ability without discrimination is followed. The Bureau pursues both the employment of disabled people whenever possible and the continued employment and retraining of employees who become disabled whilst employed by the Bureau.
The organisation is committed to the training, career development and promotion of all employees. An individual’s career development is assessed with an annual appraisal and supervisions. Training programmes are provided to meet any ongoing needs with the aim of developing employees for both their current and future roles.
Pensions
The organisation complies with Workplace Pension Scheme legislation and automatically enrols eligible employees unless individuals opt out with informed consent. The organisation operates the NEST scheme and meets statutory contributions.
Disclosure of information to auditor
Each trustee has taken steps that they ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that information. The trustees confirm that there is no relevant information that they know of and of which they know the auditor is unaware.
Small companies provision statement
This report has been prepared in accordance with the small companies regime under the Companies Act 2006.
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Trustees' Report
The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on .................... and signed on its behalf by:
......................................... P Williams Trustee
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities
The trustees (who are also the directors of Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the 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 UK and Republic of Ireland".
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Approved by the trustees of the charity on .................... and signed on its behalf by:
......................................... P Williams Trustee
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau ('the Company')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
Since the Company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or
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the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
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.
...................................... Adam Millson ACA Chartered Accountant The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Waynflete House 139 Eastgate Louth Lincolnshire LN11 9QQ
Date:.............................
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 (Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)
| Note Income and Endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities 4 Total income Expenditure on: Charitable activities 5 Other expenditure 6 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 19 Note Income and Endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities 4 Total income Expenditure on: Charitable activities 5 Other expenditure 6 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 19 |
Unrestricted funds £ 360 193,909 194,269 (182,378) (1,054) (183,432) 10,837 (42,424) (31,587) 81,265 49,678 Unrestricted funds £ 1,574 183,278 184,852 (152,121) (3,013) (155,134) 29,718 (27,168) 2,550 78,715 81,265 |
Restricted funds £ - 296,165 296,165 (337,078) - (337,078) (40,913) 42,424 1,511 57,221 58,732 Restricted funds £ - 281,368 281,368 (308,773) - (308,773) (27,405) 27,168 (237) 57,458 57,221 |
Total 2024 £ 360 490,074 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 490,434 | |||
| (519,456) (1,054) |
|||
| (520,510) | |||
| (30,076) - |
|||
| (30,076) 138,486 |
|||
| 108,410 | |||
| Total 2023 £ 1,574 464,646 |
|||
| 466,220 | |||
| (460,894) (3,013) |
|||
| (463,907) | |||
| 2,313 - |
|||
| 2,313 136,173 |
|||
| 138,486 |
All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2023 is shown in note 19.
The notes on pages 12 to 23 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 10
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
(Registration number: 03526088) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024
| Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 13 Current assets Debtors 14 Cash at bank and in hand 15 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 16 Net current assets Net assets Funds of the charity: Restricted income funds Restricted funds 19 Unrestricted income funds Unrestricted funds Total funds 19 |
2024 £ 1,872 12,640 119,513 132,153 (25,615) 106,538 108,410 58,732 49,678 108,410 |
2023 £ 467 12,305 157,640 |
|---|---|---|
| 169,945 (31,926) |
||
| 138,019 | ||
| 138,486 | ||
| 57,221 81,265 |
||
| 138,486 |
For the financial year ending 31 March 2024 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Directors' responsibilities:
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The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and
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The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
The financial statements on pages 10 to 23 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on .................... and signed on their behalf by:
......................................... P Williams Trustee
The notes on pages 12 to 23 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 11
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
1 Charity status
The charity is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation.
The address of its registered office is:
Melbourne House 16 Town Hall Street Grimsby Lincolnshire DN31 1HZ
Authorised for issue date
These financial statements cover the individual entity, Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau.
2 Accounting policies
Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
Statement of compliance
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Basis of preparation
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
These financial statements have been prepared in sterling which is the functional currency and are rounded to the nearest pound.
Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity. Specifically in connection with the current economic climate, the trustees have considered the impact of COVID-19 on the business and they are satisfied that the company has sufficient financial headroom to continue trading for at least the next twelve months. For this reason the financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis.
Income and endowments
All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
Donations and legacies
Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.
Expenditure
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.
Charitable activities
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Grant provisions
Provisions for grants are made when the intention to make a grant has been communicated to the recipient but there is uncertainty about either the timing of the grant or the amount of grant payable.
Support costs
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, for example, allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.
Governance costs
These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees meetings and reimbursed expenses.
Taxation
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
Tangible fixed assets
Individual fixed assets costing £500.00 or more are initially recorded at cost.
Depreciation and amortisation
Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:
Asset class Fixtures and fittings Office equipment
Depreciation method and rate 15% reducing balance 33% straight line
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
Fund structure
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.
Pensions and other post retirement obligations
A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the Company has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.
Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as employee benefit expense when they are due.
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
3 Income from donations and legacies
| Donations and legacies; Donations |
Unrestricted General £ 360 360 |
Total 2024 £ 360 360 |
Total 2023 £ 1,574 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,574 |
4 Income from charitable activities
| General advice Money Advice Service Debt Advice Project Headley Trust Citizens Advice - Help to Claim The Henry Smith Charity - Improving Lives National Lottery Immigration Orsted Citizens Advice - Energy Evan Cornish |
Unrestricted funds General £ 161,325 - - - - - 32,584 - - - 193,909 |
Restricted funds £ - 139,815 30,000 - 59,300 45,563 - - 15,487 6,000 296,165 |
Total 2024 £ 161,325 139,815 30,000 - 59,300 45,563 32,584 - 15,487 6,000 490,074 |
Total 2023 £ 178,293 136,179 15,000 (7,587) 58,100 54,776 4,985 24,900 - - |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 464,646 |
The income from charitable activities in 2023 totalled £464,646 and was allocated between funds as follows: Unrestricted funds - £183,278 Restricted funds - £281,368
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
5 Expenditure on charitable activities
| Note Direct costs Grant funding of activities Staff costs 10 Support costs 7 Governance costs 7 |
Unrestricted General £ 5,396 71,047 84,135 13,038 8,762 182,378 |
Restricted £ 15,811 - 261,687 54,510 5,070 337,078 |
Total 2024 £ 21,207 71,047 345,822 67,548 13,832 519,456 |
Total 2023 £ 12,069 71,047 313,527 56,394 7,857 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 460,894 |
Expenditure on charitable activities in 2023 totalled £460,894 and was allocated between funds as follows: Unrestricted funds - £152,121 Restricted funds - £308,773
6 Other expenditure
| Note Depreciation, amortisation and other similar costs Total for 2024 Total for 2023 |
Unrestricted funds General £ 1,054 1,054 3,013 |
Total funds £ 1,054 |
|---|---|---|
| 1,054 | ||
| 3,013 |
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
7 Analysis of governance and support costs
Charitable activities expenditure
Unrestricted
| Unrestricted | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rent and rates Light, heat and power Insurance Repairs and maintenance Telephone and equipment Computer software and maintenance Printing, postage and stationery Sundry Bank charges |
General £ 3,105 1,867 414 2,127 3,071 557 980 876 41 13,038 |
Restricted £ 13,029 6,108 1,961 7,816 14,800 1,040 4,701 4,935 120 54,510 |
Total 2024 £ 16,134 7,975 2,375 9,943 17,871 1,597 5,681 5,811 161 67,548 |
Total 2023 £ 16,087 4,601 1,755 8,603 16,058 1,045 5,099 3,066 80 |
| 56,394 |
Allocated support costs in 2023 totalled £56,394 and was allocated between funds as follows: Unrestricted fund - £8,176 Restricted fund - £48,218
Governance costs
| Independent examiner fees Examination of the financial statements Other fees paid to examiners Trustees remuneration and expenses Legal fees |
Unrestricted funds General £ 2,948 617 503 4,694 8,762 |
Restricted funds £ 982 471 1,497 2,120 5,070 |
Total 2024 £ 3,930 1,088 2,000 6,814 13,832 |
Total 2023 £ 4,000 1,357 - 2,500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,857 |
Page 17
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
8 Net incoming/outgoing resources
Net (outgoing)/incoming resources for the year include:
| Operating leases - plant and machinery Depreciation of fixed assets Independent Examination |
2024 £ 2,022 1,054 4,000 |
2023 £ 1,018 3,013 4,000 |
|---|---|---|
9 Trustees remuneration and expenses
No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year.
No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year.
10 Staff costs
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
| The aggregate payroll costs were as follows: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staff costs during the year were: Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs - Defined contribution |
2024 £ 318,406 21,494 5,922 345,822 |
2023 £ 287,851 20,460 5,216 |
| 313,527 |
The monthly average number of persons (including senior management team) employed by the charity during the year expressed as full time equivalents was as follows:
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | |||
| Headcount | 14 | 15 |
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year.
The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £106,437 (2023 - £100,617).
Page 18
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
11 Independent examiner's remuneration
| 11 Independent examiner's remuneration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Examination of the financial statements Other fees to examiners All other services All fees dislcosed are inclusive of VAT |
2024 £ 3,930 1,088 |
2023 £ 4,000 |
| 1,357 | ||
12 Taxation
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.
13 Tangible fixed assets
| Cost At 1 April 2023 Additions At 31 March 2024 Depreciation At 1 April 2023 Charge for the year At 31 March 2024 Net book value At 31 March 2024 At 31 March 2023 |
Furniture and equipment £ 52,765 - 52,765 52,765 - 52,765 - - |
Computer equipment £ 9,559 2,459 12,018 9,092 1,054 10,146 1,872 467 |
Total £ 62,324 2,459 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64,783 | |||
| 61,857 1,054 |
|||
| 62,911 | |||
| 1,872 | |||
| 467 |
Page 19
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
14 Debtors
| Trade debtors Prepayments Accrued income |
2024 £ 4,200 8,440 - 12,640 |
2023 £ 825 5,181 6,299 |
|---|---|---|
| 12,305 |
15 Cash and cash equivalents
| Cash on hand Cash at bank |
2024 £ 162 119,351 119,513 |
2023 £ 170 157,470 |
|---|---|---|
| 157,640 |
16 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| 16 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Accruals and deferred income |
2024 £ 4,205 13,255 8,155 25,615 |
2023 £ 3,338 - 28,588 |
| 31,926 |
As at 31st March 2024 no income was deferred. As at 31st March 2023 income totalling £23,898 was deferred and consisted of National Lottery grants received in advance. This income was released into the Statement of Financial Activities during the year ended 31st March 2023.
17 Obligations under leases and hire purchase contracts
Operating lease commitments
Total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:
| Land and buildings Within one year Between one and five years Other Within one year Between one and five years |
2024 £ 15,000 33,750 48,750 1,259 2,760 4,019 |
2023 £ 15,000 48,750 |
|---|---|---|
| 63,750 | ||
| 2,024 4,018 |
||
| 6,042 |
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
18 Pension and other schemes
Defined contribution pension scheme
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the charity to the scheme and amounted to £5,922 (2023 - £5,216).
19 Funds
| Unrestricted funds General General fund Unrestricted fixed assets Immigration Restricted funds Money Advice Service Debt Advice Project Citizens Advice - Help to Claim The Henry Smith Charity - Improving Lives National Lottery Headley Trust NELC Winter Grant Evan Cornish Citizens Advice - Energy Citizens Advice - COL Total restricted funds Total funds |
Balance at 1 April 2023 £ 80,798 467 - 81,265 35,046 14 - 8,743 - 13,418 - - - 57,221 138,486 |
Incoming resources £ 161,685 - 32,584 194,269 139,815 - 59,300 45,563 30,000 - 6,000 15,487 - 296,165 490,434 |
Resources expended £ (130,107) (1,054) (52,271) (183,432) (129,632) - (67,797) (54,235) (44,047) - (6,551) (23,822) (10,994) (337,078) (520,510) |
Transfers £ (64,570) 2,459 19,687 (42,424) - - 8,497 - 14,047 - 551 8,335 10,994 42,424 - |
Balance at 31 March 2024 £ 47,806 1,872 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49,678 | |||||
| 45,229 14 - 71 - 13,418 - - - |
|||||
| 58,732 | |||||
| 108,410 |
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Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
| Unrestricted funds General General fund Unrestricted fixed assets Immigration Restricted Money Advice Service Debt Advice Project Citizens Advice - Help to Claim The Henry Smith Charity - Improving Lives National Lottery Orsted Headley Trust NELC Winter Grant Total restricted funds Total funds |
Balance at 1 April 2022 £ 75,235 3,480 - 78,715 36,439 7,601 - - - - 13,418 57,458 136,173 |
Incoming resources £ 179,844 - 5,008 184,852 136,179 (7,587) 58,100 54,776 24,900 15,000 - 281,368 466,220 |
Resources expended £ (120,622) (3,013) (31,499) (155,134) (137,572) - (70,231) (46,033) (35,937) (19,000) - (308,773) (463,907) |
Transfers £ (53,659) - 26,491 (27,168) - - 12,131 - 11,037 4,000 - 27,168 - |
Balance at 31 March 2023 £ 80,798 467 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81,265 | |||||
| 35,046 14 - 8,743 - - 13,418 |
|||||
| 57,221 | |||||
| 138,486 |
The specific purposes for which the funds are to be applied are as follows:
Money Advice Service Debt Advice Project - to provide high quality debt advice
Citizens Advice - Help to Claim - to provide support to individuals to assist them in completing their initial claim for Universal Credit.
The Henry Smith Charity - to provide advice, advocacy and support to people at a crisis point.
NELC Winter Grant - to provide support to vulnerable households and families particularly affected by the pandemic.
Evan Cornish - to provide advice during the cost of living crisis.
CABS Energy - to provide support to vulnerable households and families particularly affected by the energy cost crisis.
CABS COL - to provide advice during the cost of living crisis.
Unrestricted general fund
This represents income received without restrictions which is used supporting general advice funds.
Unrestricted fixed asset funds represent capital expenditure made using general funds.
Immigration - to provide OISC Level 2 immigration advice and support.
Page 22
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
20 Analysis of net assets between funds
| Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets 21 Analysis of net funds Cash at bank and in hand Net debt Cash at bank and in hand Net debt |
Unrestricted funds General £ 1,872 73,421 (25,615) 49,678 Unrestricted funds General £ 467 88,826 (8,028) 81,265 At 1 April 2023 £ 157,640 157,640 At 1 April 2022 £ 168,277 168,277 |
Restricted funds £ - 58,732 - 58,732 Restricted funds £ - 81,119 (23,898) 57,221 Financing cash flows £ (38,127) (38,127) Financing cash flows £ (10,637) (10,637) |
Total funds at 31 March 2024 £ 1,872 132,153 (25,615) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108,410 | ||||
| Total funds at 31 March 2023 £ 467 169,945 (31,926) |
||||
| 138,486 | ||||
| At 31 March 2024 £ 119,513 119,513 At 31 March 2023 £ 157,640 157,640 |
22 Related party transactions
There were no related party transactions in the year.
Page 23