**2019/2020 1 Annual Report and Accounts**
Giving people the power to speak up and stop crime. 100% anonymously. Always.
## 2020/21 Annual Report and Accounts
- 3 Welcome from our Chair 4 Welcome from our CEO 5 Report of the Trustees’ for the year 5 Our vision, mission and values
- 6-7 Achieving our strategy 8 Making a difference – stopping crime 9-10 One charity, one team, working better together
- 11-13 Driving quality information
- 14 Building trust in our service
15-16 Using our data to inform us and our partners
- 17 Our future plans
## **Financial statements comprising:**
- 18-19 Financial results
- 20-21 Organisational structure, governance and management
- 21 Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities 22-23 Independent auditor’s report 24-26 Consolidated financial statements 27 Principal accounting policies 28-37 Notes to the financial statements 38 Partnerships
39 Legal and administrative information
## Registered Charity
No. 1108687 (England and Wales) No. SC037960 (Scotland) Company No. 05382856
**2** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Welcome from our Chair**
We give people the confidence to speak up by offering the protection of complete anonymity, a promise we have kept throughout our 33-year history.
**Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC** Chair of Board of Trustees Crimestoppers Trust
Welcome to our Annual Report 20202021. We invite you to journey through our charity’s progress over the past year as we continue to support law enforcement and empower the public to speak up and stay safe, 100% anonymously.
Like many charities, we have had to operate under a new normal created by the Coronavirus pandemic. I am pleased to say that we continued to remain open at all times, whilst adhering to strict government guidelines. Our Contact Centre staff excelled in their role, providing a trusted non-judgemental ear for members of the public who wished to remain anonymous as they voiced their crime concerns and suspicions.
Whilst crime in our communities is something that affects us all, not everyone feels able to talk to the police, whether that be for fear of reprisals, not wanting to go through the courts, or for deeply ingrained cultural reasons. That’s where Crimestoppers comes in. As an independent charity, we give people the confidence to speak up by offering the protection of complete anonymity, a promise we have kept throughout our 33-year history.
From the first call to Crimestoppers in 1988, to the thousands of calls and online forms submitted today, every piece of information we receive has a crucial part to play in protecting the public. Staying silent enables criminals to threaten the safety of our loved ones and our communities; by speaking up, we can support police in their investigations, help deliver justice for families of victims, and locate wanted criminals running from the law.
Our network of staff and volunteers across the UK and array of partners, including PCCs, police, charities and businesses, are vital in delivering our unique anonymous reporting service and giving people the power to stop crime. But none of this would be possible without our beneficiaries – the public – who choose to do the right thing and tell us what they know, despite the difficult circumstances they may find themselves in. I applaud them for having the courage to speak up and thank them for contributing to the safety of our society.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our work, which means so much to us, those who use our service and beyond. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, has the right to feel safe from crime.
With the successful move of the Contact Centre in the rear-view mirror, and having adjusted to working effectively during these challenging times, it provides an opportunity to regroup and redouble our efforts. We are focusing on our core activity of reaching out to as many of our beneficiaries as possible in the year ahead. With an up to date and relevant strategy, a full complement of staff who are bursting with energy and enthusiasm, all underpinned by successful fundraising, we are well placed to have a successful 2021-2022.
## **Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC,**
Chair of Board of Trustees, Crimestoppers Trust
**3** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Welcome from our CEO**
Performance has been impressive these past twelve months. We sent over 174,000 reports to the police.
**Mark Hallas OBE** CEO Crimestoppers
As I reflect on the past year, a key theme is endurance and commitment. As we continue to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic, I find great comfort in the way our staff and volunteers have gone above and beyond to keep our charity’s services open to the public, whenever and wherever we are needed.
Performance has been impressive these past twelve months. We sent over 174,000 reports to the police; a record number of disseminations. Information has been received on a wide range of crime types including murder, rape, possession of weapons and domestic abuse to name but a few. That information has enabled the police to protect the public and arrest dangerous criminals.
Funding for any charity is a challenge, especially in these pandemic times. That being said, I’m pleased to report that we have maintained funding from law enforcement and the Home Office, and increased income from our commercial partners. All the while continuing to bear down on costs. This means that we are in a better position than ever to carry out our good work, helping our beneficiaries to protect their communities.
To reflect our role in supporting police with developing crime challenges, our charity began running a series of impactful national crime campaigns. This work complemented our comprehensive programme of regional and local activity. These campaigns - on themes such as domestic abuse, modern slavery, and crime against businesses – were in direct response to the negative side effects of lockdown. By flagging up ongoing crime concerns to the public, helping them `spot the signs’ and giving them the confidence to speak up anonymously, the rise in information we received has been invaluable to the police.
We have also seen a step change in volunteering as we strive to recruit, induct, and value our precious volunteers more than ever. The connections they make, along with local fundraising and county-level campaigns, helps us reach a greater number of vulnerable communities.
In a similar vein, we value all our partners highly, be they statutory, commercial or charity. We have done more than ever this year to reach out to the right organisations to amplify our messaging, making our voice heard more clearly than ever.
With youth crime continuing to be a significant problem in many areas, we have taken the opportunity provided by not being able to hold face-to-face sessions in schools to completely review and revamp our youth offering. So, as the country has opened up, we have been in the right place to have those important conversations with young people on the crime issues that matter to them.
Our charity has also seen the long-anticipated move of our Contact Centre to Head Office. There will undoubtedly be tangible benefits in the future having more staff working together in one central location. Whilst the project was not without difficulty, I am pleased to say that everyone pulled together, and our Call Agents have now settled in to their new base. They kept taking calls and processing online forms throughout the transition, maintaining a full service throughout.
Ironically, the lockdown gave us the time and space to think through a number of critical initiatives, for example, the move and youth service review, that helped us better focus our efforts on our beneficiaries, those people who are central to everything we do. We care deeply about community safety, supporting people to speak up about crime using our unique and highly respected anonymous reporting service. I hope you enjoying browsing through the following pages and finding out more about how our charity makes a tangible difference, as it evolves to reach more people in their hour of need.
## **Mark Hallas OBE,**
Chief Executive, Crimestoppers Trust
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## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2021**
The Trustees present their report for the year ended 31 March 2021 together with the financial statements of the charity, which have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s Articles of Association, applicable law and in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (UK GAAP).
The Trustees have complied with the duty in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
The charity has one active wholly owned subsidiary, Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited, collectively referred to in this report as the “group”.
## **Our vision, mission and values**
## **Vision (why we exist)**
Everyone has the right to feel safe from crime, wherever they live.
## **Mission (what we do to achieve our vision)**
We’re an independent charity that gives you the power to speak up to stop crime, 100% anonymously.
Whoever you are, wherever you live, from communities to companies.
By phone and online, 24/7, 365 days a year.
We also share advice on how to protect the people and communities you care about from crime, so everyone can feel safe.
## **Values**
At Crimestoppers, we believe that it is people who stop crime. Our community of staff and volunteers live our values every day:
- **We care** – we believe that everyone has the right to feel safe from crime, wherever they live. Crime can be frightening, so we offer hope.
- **We are inclusive** – we don’t judge people. We’re here for everyone who needs us. We can change communities for the better by working together.
- **We are trustworthy** – we’re a reliable, honest and an independent charity. We act responsibly and never break anonymity.
- **We are determined** – we commit all our efforts to achieving positive change. We have a ‘can-do’ attitude.
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## **Achieving our strategy**
This year we have started to pursue a new set of objectives:
- Grow the quality of our information by encouraging new people to contact us anonymously. Build trust and confidence in our service by telling our charity’s story and breaking down the barriers to speaking up
- Attract more people and organisations to support our charity
## Our vision: Everyone feels safe from crime
Speak up. Stay safe. Stop crime
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Ambitions Activities Achievements
Community of
Crimestoppers Quality crime
Anonymity
people telling intelligence
our story
Our story Causes
Engagement make it personal, to connect to Trust and
impact and show our Our Contact and guideour work confidence in
build trust our service
Centre
Education
Expertise in Access to Support of our
‘speaking up’ help and advice charity
Analysis to help remove through partners
the barriers
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We are doing this in a number of interconnected ways – with our Contact Centre service at the heart of how we serve the public, where quality performance is the focus for the coming year.
## **Building a community of Crimestoppers**
It is people who stop crime. Our **•** This year we have focused on our people are our charity’s strongest asset. volunteers and have a plan to improve They are the experts, innovators and recruitment, the induction process facilitators that keep us active and and develop the tools needed for their relevant. They advocate on our behalf community work. Online events and and influence people to speak up and a new Volunteer Awards scheme are support us. fostering engagement.
- Corporate and charity partners have brought expertise and new audiences to our campaigns. Proactive campaign planning allows us to work collaboratively more often.
- Next we will engage with police at all levels – our longest standing partners – so that they have a better understanding of their role in our work.
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## **Telling our story**
- Stories help us connect - to illustrate **•** This year we’ve developed an our impact, build trust in our services, animation video which shows and inspire support. Our service is clearly how our service works, a anonymous – our charity should not be. communications tool which can be People do make a difference, and we used in communities and online. Our need to tell them that. service is transparent, which gives confidence to those who need it.
- Next we will be showing the difference that ‘one call can make’ to solve and prevent crime. And we’re also giving our staff and volunteers an easy online tool to produce campaign materials quickly.
## **Crimestoppers’ causes**
- Fearless is our focus on young people; and this year we’ve been able to review our objectives and working practices so we are consistent.
Allow us to galvanise our charity and its supporters as we make a concerted effort to engage with and help specific audiences overcome their barriers to reporting. We don’t have to accept crimes in our communities, or the spread of fear and exploitation.
- Next we will identify a new audience to focus on, perhaps a different age group or section of society, who are less likely to report crime directly to the police.
## **Access to help and advice**
- We will improve the ‘signs to spot’ about specific crimes on our website so people are able to expose them. This ongoing activity, linked to our campaigns, also signposts services for victims and other specialist help.
Crime is a whole society problem which needs us all to play our part, and that includes protecting ourselves. We are neither the experts on crime prevention nor do we provide a service for victims, but we can help people find what they need through a network of partners - often other charities and companies.
## **Developing our expertise in ‘speaking up’**
- So we can help more people to stop **•** We will conduct research in the crime. To understand better the coming year to understand levels of people who have crime information trust and confidence in our service but remain silent; to help remove and to track how this changes. We their barriers, challenge cultural will look at the motivations for norms and build trust through mutual contacting us. understanding.
- We are working with partners on how to encourage social action around crime, learning from others’ experiences and adding our own.
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## **Making a difference – stopping crime**
## **The following are just a small sample of the outcomes of our calls to demonstrate the impact of our charity.**
Please note that details of these cases have been changed to protect the identity of those involved:
**We issued a reward for information following the serious stabbing of a teenager. Our caller named the two men involved, who were arrested and charged with attempted murder.**
**Seeing the serious consequences of domestic abuse motivated our caller to inform us of direct threats to kill a woman. Our information led to the arrest and charge of her partner and appropriate support for the woman and her young child.**
**Our caller’s information led to the rescue of four women who were being physically and mentally abused while being used as modern slaves by a larger group. The rural hotel where they were kept has since been closed down.**
**A teenager who was away from her home and in a different area was abducted by a man and raped. After a police appeal, we were contacted with information that led directly to his identification, arrest and charge with rape, kidnap and actual bodily harm.**
**8** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **One charity, one team, working better together**
## Always open – responding to the pandemic
**It really has been an exceptional year for everyone, and the Crimestoppers community has never stopped providing our 24/7 anonymous service or reaching out to people who may need our help.**
This has come at considerable personal cost to some as we’ve lived with fear and constant change. But we have also seen extraordinary resilience and commitment – qualities exemplified in our charity over the past year.
In April, everyone was grappling with a ‘new normal’ which felt anything but normal. Our office team were all at home, juggling family life and working in a whole new way, or dealing with isolation of one form or another. Our regional and Fearless teams and volunteers, usually out in communities, were exploring new ways to connect online. And our Contact Centre team, as keyworkers, were managing an increase in contact from the public while supporting colleagues who had to shield, self-isolate, or were off sick. That we kept open throughout is a testament to their determination, an amazing willingness to go the extra mile, and a swift learning curve to make our work environment safe.
## **One team – under one roof**
Back in January 2020, we decided to bring our office and Contact Centre teams together in one building. A big
change for us all, but the benefits in team working and cost efficiencies made it worth it; especially as the Cayo Foundation kindly covered the costs of the move itself. Planning was in full swing when the first lockdown was announced, but we kept on. As our building stood empty, our contractors worked out a Covid-safe working environment, and in the summer they built us a dedicated Contact Centre area, new kitchen, and added some small meeting rooms to help with the doubling of staff anticipated in our new combined headquarters.
Staff engagement meetings allowed for concerns and ideas to be shared. Email updates were sent regularly throughout the project. A welcome guide and pack providing information about our new look HQ was given to all staff, including those working in the regions.
Then, one weekend in August, our Contact Centre staff finished in their home of 10 years (30 minutes away) and the next shift started in the new office. With some excellent people planning and IT wizardry, we kept the phone lines open and continued to provide police and other clients with anonymous crime information throughout. There were the inevitable teething issues and the HR team were on site throughout to build relationships, listen and adapt. Everyone pulled together in an excellent example of our ethos of one team - working better together.
**9** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Keeping connected – keeping well**
It has been more important than ever to keep our people connected, to do our work of course, but just as vital to maintain relationships and support our colleagues.
We created a variety of communications to our staff and volunteers. These included updates about the refurbishment of HQ, a staff wellbeing survey and subsequent advice, and Covid safety information. Monthly internal updates keep us all informed on activities, and provided a platform to learn more about our colleagues and their work. A more social newsletter, ‘The Unprecedented Times’, shared our lockdown artistic creativity, pet antics, baking prowess, gardens blooming, exercise challenges and ‘joke corner’.
We initiated online volunteer coffee mornings, a great opportunity for volunteers and staff across the country to meet each other and hear about charity developments from our CEO, attend a virtual Contact Centre visit and hear the personal story of one of our Trustees. More regular events are planned.
## **One team - valuing volunteers**
At the end of last year, our Regional Managers and volunteers created plans for volunteering in each area. The pandemic derailed this activity, but created another opportunity as volunteers from the consultancy firm Clarasys lent us their skills while on furlough. They led a review of regional plans, initiated a survey of our volunteers and helped us put together a national plan to improve our processes and support for volunteering. Since then, we’ve provided training for our Regional Team on effective volunteer management, redefined the purpose of volunteers, improved the end-to-end process for recruitment and initiated online events for volunteers. There is more to come, as we improve our induction programme and provide easy-to-use tools and resources for our volunteers to engage with every community.
**Crimestoppers needs volunteers because it is people who stop crime.**
**10** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Driving quality information** Responding with speed to emerging crime concerns
Over the last year we have delivered national awareness campaigns on domestic abuse, modern slavery, business crime, doorstep crime and scams, child neglect, and serious organised crime.
Prior to the pandemic, our head office staff supported regional colleagues to deliver local campaign activity across varied crime priorities. The pandemic had an impact on the types of information we received with many crime types, such as burglary, reducing with more people staying at home more often compared to before Covid-19. However, our tracking of the data showed an early and dramatic rise in domestic abuse reports, and it became clear to us that domestic abuse was becoming top of everyone’s agenda.
## **Domestic abuse**
This led us to roll out a national awareness campaign to promote our service in relation to domestic abuse and call on neighbours, colleagues, friends and families to tell us what they know if they suspect it.
Our regional staff were quick to support through targeted promotion, with the campaign securing free advertising coverage in the Metro and support from Metropolitan Police Commander Sue Williams and Michelle Blunsom MBE, CEO at East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services. This first tranche of activity was a success, resulting in a 44% increase in reports disseminated to police forces compared to the two weeks previous.
Building on our successes, we went on to work with the Home Office, Refuge, Respect, Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA), Hestia and Neighbourhood Watch to develop and deliver
**#YouAreNotPowerless** , a campaign that sought to raise awareness of our service, educate people on what domestic abuse is, and prevent it by challenging abusive behaviour and signposting to Respect’s service for perpetrators.
Reports on domestic abuse continued to remain consistently higher month-bymonth compared to the previous year.
Crimestoppers recognises that we are in a unique position to work with a variety of experts and partners to pre-empt crime concerns before they happen. Our agile teams work to research, collate and creatively repackage our call to action - to contact us with crime information around specific crime concerns, whilst remaining 100% anonymous.
**Did you know: Domestic abuse represents about 8% of all recorded crime – yet Crimestoppers domestic abuse reports used to make up less than 1% of our total.**
**Now domestic abuse represents nearly 4% of all disseminated reports.**
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Reports relating to Domestic Abuse
800
700
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500
400
300
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100
00
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
2019-2020 2020-2021
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## **Expert partnerships**
Due to the nature of crime, our teams work at speed to create meaningful content in order to drive awareness and unearth information on selected crime concerns. Alongside this, we recognise that we’re not the experts on all crimes; instead we call on and reach out to partners for advice and feedback on our messaging. This ensures we are representing the crime accurately to our Stopper audiences, helping to generate meaningful information for police force investigations.
In addition to the partners we worked with to develop our domestic abuse campaign #YouAreNotPowerless, we also worked with organisations including the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and the Salvation Army to develop a modern slavery awareness campaign, #SlaveryOnYourDoorstep. This achieved a 22% increase in reports sent to police on modern slavery during the campaign.
The past year has led to a step change in our campaigning, running new national campaigns with specialist organisations helping to shape our approach and amplify our message to new and wider audiences.
## **Lending our name**
We often benefit as part of wider groups and conversations about all types of crime through our relationships with statutory, charity and business partners. These networks allow us to spot opportunities where proactive partnerships can develop into campaigns or other more tangible support, such as lending our name to their activity.
The Children’s Society uses our call to action in their County Lines and criminal exploitation work. Their excellent ‘Look Closer’ campaign encourages everyone to learn the signs of child exploitation and how to report it if worried.
In February 2021, they ran a two-week promotion of their campaign and we saw a 72% rise in information about County Lines.
The National Crime Agency has also used Crimestoppers to bring in information. Working with us this year, they helped drive a 17% increase in information about firearms this winter, and a 33% increase in money laundering reports in the spring.
## **Grants and trusts funding boost**
Covid-19 certainly changed the nature and emphasis of trust fundraising this year. However, many trusts and foundations stepped forward to help combat the increased need that resulted from the pandemic.
At Crimestoppers, we were increasingly concerned at the rise in incidences of domestic abuse during lockdowns and, as restrictions eased, there were warnings that victims may face escalating violence if they tried to leave.
At the start of the pandemic, we sent out an appeal to trusts and foundations asking them to support us in encouraging people in communities to report domestic abuse – helping victims and families during lockdown where normal routes of escape were more restricted.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were able to run domestic abuse campaigns across the UK, giving the public the confidence they needed to stand up to this crime and help victims and families stay safe. As well as £58,000 from trusts and foundations, this work was also boosted by funding of £53,000 from the Ministry of Justice through PCCs.
We were truly overwhelmed by the public response to our campaigns, with calls on domestic abuse increasing to an all-time high. Without the generous support of our funders, none of this would have been possible.
**12** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Fearless funding**
PCCs, trusts and foundations continue to generously support our Fearless Team, which goes from strength to strength each year.
Guided by our new Youth Panel, our Fearless workers are continuing to encourage young people to use our anonymous service, whilst delivering anticrime initiatives to young people across the country.
## **Recognition for the grassroots work of local volunteers**
At Crimestoppers, our volunteers are crucial in helping us engage with the communities that need our service most. That’s why this year, we decided to launch our first-ever Crimestoppers Volunteer Awards to recognise those that had gone above and beyond in their volunteering role.
Judged by our CEO Mark Hallas, Volunteer Manager Greg Rees, Trustee Barry Mizen and Lead Volunteer Phil O’Shea, volunteers could be nominated across eight categories, including ‘Volunteer of the Year’, ‘Unsung Hero Award’ and ‘CEO’s Corporate Volunteer Award’.
After narrowing down a host of impressive nominations, the winners were celebrated at our virtual Volunteering Award Ceremony.
## **Expanding our channels and reach**
We implemented a new marketing communication strategy which crystallised our ambitions to grow our digital reach and further engage our partners in our national social media campaigns. This year we delivered 11 national campaigns, many of which have been amplified thanks to our regional manager and partner networks. These efforts resulted in over 1.2 million people visiting our website this year, with more than 377,000 anonymous online forms being submitted to our website by members of the public, which is an increase of more than 48% on the previous year.
Further to this, we created and grew our new mailing list for police communications professionals. This mailing list allows us to deliver partner packs to forces, who can help amplify our campaign messaging through their digital channels. We have also been featured a number of times in the weekly Home Office Vulnerabilities Bulletin, which goes out to partner organisations. In the coming year, we want to build a database of awareness material to enable proactive promotion of our service in relation to various crime types.
Percentage Apr 19 - Mar 20 Apr 20 - Mar 21 increase
## Average monthly impressions
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Facebook 2,346,461 4,282,835 83%
Twitter 368,081 597,427 62%
Instagram 94,805 399,717 322%
LinkedIn 3,029 4,077 35%
Total all channels : 2,812,376 5,284,056 88%
Average monthly engagements
Facebook 61,030 131,826 116%
Twitter 4,172 5,797 39%
Instagram 143 202 41%
LinkedIn 179 190 6%
Total all channels : 65,524 138,015 111%
Followers
Facebook 92,545 97,562 5%
Twitter 62,242 63,296 2%
Instagram 2,044 2,782 36%
LinkedIn 2,335 2,642 13%
Total all channels : 159,166 166,282 4%
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## **Building trust in our service**
## Lockdown opens up opportunity for Fearless to reach more youth professionals
**“Just had a Fearless Professionals’ training session via Zoom with Andrea. Really interesting, informative and useful. Can’t wait to access the resources for professionals. Thank you so much.”**
2020 brought great challenge and change as all of our youth workers were affected by restrictions on visiting schools or community settings. With the initial switch to online driven by our Outreach team at the start of the pandemic, a national plan was put in place.
Due to safeguarding concerns, they were unable to deliver sessions online directly to young people. The focus moved to running online training for professionals, which included an introduction to Fearless.org, as well as improving understanding of issues such as knife crime and County Lines. Over 2,000 professionals have benefitted from this new approach.
To reach young people in this time, Fearless produced new digital content, both for our website and for use across our social media platforms. This included new digital assets for use on SnapChat and ‘true or false’ videos on key crime types from our Outreach team. We also created a new Youth Resources section on our website.
## **National online campaigns**
During this period, we delivered 26 digital campaigns across 11 regions. Collectively these youth campaigns resulted in over 80,000 swipe ups to the Fearless website via the Snapchat app and 3.5 million impressions on Instagram.
Regional Managers have also been promoting Fearless during generic awareness raising or crime-specific campaigns, with a clear call to action.
## **Focus on Fearless – National Youth Panel**
Focus on Fearless is a new, active panel of young people who regularly review our work to ensure we effectively engage with their generation. We hope the panel can help us identify issues and opportunities and advise us on how best to deliver the strategy.
In return, those involved in the panel will develop leadership skills and be part of an important and influential decisionmaking process. We hope they also gain experience and knowledge of national crime issues and the wider charity sector.
For 2021, the panel has successfully recruited 13 members, ranging in age from 12 to 17 years. They come from multiple regions across the UK. The first virtual meeting was held successfully in March and we look forward to receiving more of the panel’s thoughts and suggestions in the coming months and years.
## **We currently have Fearless workers in the following locations:**
- London
- Scotland
- West Midlands
- Wales (Cardiff, South Wales and Gwent)
- Gloucester
- Surrey
- Kent
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## **Using our data to inform us and our partners** Exploitation of young and vulnerable people by drug traffickers
Of ongoing concern is the exploitation of young and vulnerable people by using fear and violence, along with inducements, as a recruitment method.
A review of our information found:
- Ongoing growth in the reports of County Lines and cuckooing, both up 14% on last year.
- Drug gangs are increasingly using runners who are dressed up as legitimate well-known food takeaway and online delivery companies. This might be a new trend established due to lockdowns.
- The grooming of young people continues. Online, Facebook is the most popular route, followed by Instagram and WhatsApp. Other apps include Snapchat, Tik-Tok and online gaming platforms. Offline, sweets and drugs are used to entice teenagers.
- Cuckooing continues, where vulnerable groups such as addicts, disabled people and those with mental health concerns are coerced or threatened into allowing their homes to be used for drug dealing. In a few cases, County Lines gangs groomed households, such as a middle-class couple living near County Lines hubs, which may be a new trend.
- Cocaine is the most common drug used in County Lines, followed by cannabis, which has increased compared to previous years. Those distributing cannabis have, on occasion, had connections to cultivation sites.
Exploitation of young and vulnerable people by drug traffickers
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0
2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021
Cuckooing County Lines
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## **Drugs and weapons**
In addition to this exploitation, we have seen increasing numbers of weapons being mentioned as part of drug crimes.
From April to December 2020, reports containing both drugs and knives were up 8% on the previous year, and drugs and firearms up 10%. When we look at just the weapons offences, knife crime dropped 24% and firearms increased by 4% over the same periods – so we may be seeing an increase in the use of weapons with drug crimes.
## **Child sexual abuse - analysis from 100 reports in June 2020**
100 reports were taken at random, summarised and broken down into two sub-type categories:
**Physical sexual abuse -** the relationship could be framed as friendship, romantic or someone to look up to. The perpetrator could equally be someone outside of their immediate group.
**Online sexual abuse -** a child is sexually exploited online. They might be persuaded or forced to send or post sexually explicit images of themselves, film or stream sexual activities, or have sexual conversations.
- Nearly half of the reports (48%) involved physical sexual abuse, and the other half (49%) involved online sexual abuse, with only 3 reports unknown.
- In 40% of reports, the offender was a stranger. This was the case with nearly all reports involving online sexual abuse, although some reports were unknown. In 15% of reports the offender was a member of the family.
- Figures suggest that offenders are most likely to use Snapchat and Facebook when making contact with potential victims.
- 86% of reports were unable to state the control method used. However, 5% of offenders used drugs, and 3% used alcohol.
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## **Supporting government departments & agencies to combat wrongdoing and crime**
Partnerships are essential to our charity as a way to support external organisations who share our values of making the UK a safe place for all. As well as Crimestoppers having many important business and corporate clients, we also work closely with key government and law enforcement agencies to help protect funds, services and national security.
Our relationship with Border Force and HMRC ensures that their intelligence teams receive vital information to combat cross-border criminality. Our information helps disrupt and prevent criminal gangs who are trying to transport drugs and people illegally into the UK. It stops dangerous contraband from entering the country, such as tobacco and alcohol, or dangerous weapons such as powerful tasers or stun guns. We also receive intelligence about endangered animal species and prohibited food items.
## **Immigration enforcement**
Last year our call agents answered over 21,000 Immigration Hotline phone calls, which resulted in nearly 8,000 reports being sent to the Immigration Enforcement allegations team for triage, tasking and action.
We are delighted that Immigration Enforcement has confirmed that funding for their dedicated hotline is guaranteed until 2024.
## **Supporting and protecting the NHS**
There has never been a more important time for our country to protect the hardpressed resources of the NHS. The health service has been battling on many fronts as a result of the pandemic, and every pound saved or prevented from being lost to fraudulent activity can be used to give citizens the care they need, when they need it.
However, despite its cherished status in the national psyche, there are some people who are keen to exploit the NHS for their own financial gain.
Crimestoppers runs the NHS Counter Fraud Hotline and NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Service. These services allow the public to speak up about criminal wrongdoing within the NHS at a time when the service is under extreme pressure.
The NHS Counter Fraud Authority took over 2,100 calls last year and passed on over 540 pieces of actionable information (431 pieces sent to NHS CFA and 110 to NHS Scotland between April 2020 and March 2021).
As the nation and its people continue to adapt and survive during uncertain pandemic times, it’s good to know that our charity is supporting essential government departments and public services, to ensure damaging criminal activity is prevented and exposed thanks to brave individuals who pass on what they know via our vital service.
## **Here are some of the Government agencies we work with:**
- Immigration enforcement
- Border Force
- HMRC
- Environment Agency
- HMPPS (prisons)
- Intellectual Property Office
- Forensic Science Regulator
- NHS Counter Fraud Authority
- NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services
**16** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Our future plans**
Last year brought many unexpected challenges as we responded, both personally and at work, to the pandemic. This difficult backdrop is likely to continue for much of the coming year. Crimestoppers staff and volunteers have shown huge resilience and commitment to keeping our charity open and responsive during Covid. Some of our objectives last year were changed or slowed because of this environment; but huge progress was made and we continue to build on this in the activities for the coming year.
## **Key priorities.**
## **Here are a few key projects which will help us achieve these.**
We have agreed the following areas are our priorities:
## **Crime priorities:**
- Serious violence – drugs, gangs, County Lines, homicide and weapons.
- Fraud/ economic crime – including online.
- Neighbourhood crimes – burglary, robbery, and theft including car theft .
- High harm crimes – domestic abuse, modern slavery, child abuse.
## **Charity priorities:**
- Reinforce our charity’s trustworthiness with our current and potential beneficiaries so people are more confident to contact us.
- Develop the right messages about our charity for different audiences so people are persuaded to contact us.
- Engage police at all levels so they understand better their role in our work.
- Develop meaningful partnerships with third parties who can amplify our work with our target audiences.
- Meet our income generation targets to allow us to do this work.
- Upskill our staff and volunteers to provide professional services and more impactful engagement with our users or potential users.
- Support the wellbeing of our staff and volunteers through changing times so our team continues to be loyal and resilient.
- Simplify our IT networks so they are easier to support and use.
## **Reaching those who need us – building trust and confidence**
**Crime campaigns –** we really lifted both our sights and ambitions last year in running more effective, engaging and comprehensive national campaigns than ever before. That approach in forward planning and coordinating with partners, locally and nationally, must become routine to ensure we reach all those who need to hear about our service. Linked to this is the ongoing programme to add quality information to our website about the ‘signs to spot’, to both improve information received and to help people take action to protect themselves from crime.
## **Quality engagement with the public – equipping staff and volunteers**
**Contact Centre Performance Plan –** Following lots of environmental change for this team in the past year, we are now reviewing all aspects of the day-to-day activity at the Contact Centre. We want to make sure we are 100% professional and effective in all that we do, from taking the call or form, to processing it and disseminating it efficiently and securely. The team works hard, so what we can do to support them and our users better is key.
**National Volunteering Plan –** If we are truly going to have a community of crime stoppers, engaging with all areas of society, then this starts with our volunteers. We have a comprehensive plan, and implementation will continue this year with a more thorough induction programme and new tools and resources for volunteers to use, such as our Brand Centre.
## **One team – working together better**
**Internal communications –** The move and the pandemic proved a catalyst for improving our internal communications. We intend to build on this to foster the ‘one team’ ethos, especially as our partnership networks open up again.
**Rationalisation of our IT systems –** both introducing new software to aid collaboration, and a major rationalisation of our IT architecture, should future-proof our systems and the IT support that is provided.
**17** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Financial results**
The group results for the year ended 31st March 2021 are given in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) on page 24. The charity’s assets and liabilities as at 31st March 2021 are given in the Balance Sheets on page 25.
## **Trading results**
Total income at **£6,269,435** experienced a 7.1% increase when compared to the prior year, with all areas reporting higher revenue levels except Events and Individual donations. Charitable Activities represents income generated by the charity’s trading subsidiary in providing police forces and other organisations with call handling services from our dedicated Contact Centre. All police forces with the exception of the Metropolitan Police, Scotland and Northern Ireland, accepted a 9% triennial increase in their fees yielding additional income of **£130,005** . Revenue from other organisations generated a further **£101,372** . The total funding provided from the police and Police & Crime Commissioners (PCCs) towards the cost of the Regional Manager network and campaign work throughout the regions amounted to **£1,050,899** , an increase of **£79,678** . Campaign related activity was substantially higher, up **£232,055** , but was partially offset with the termination of a number of Fearless Worker roles, resulting in funding decreasing by **£152,377** . Trust funding of specific
targeted campaigns at **£266,549** was also up by **£49,323** . Grant Income increased by **£115,565** , with campaigns funded by both central and local government responsible for the upside. Intangible income was **£107,200** higher than last year, primarily due to the donation of advertising space in a national newspaper, which would normally have cost **£108,500** . Event income was significantly impacted by the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown measures, resulting in a **£123,013** decline in revenues.
## **Income 2020/21**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Local Government 2.0%
Fundraising
Activities
9.1%
Central
Government
14.7%
Companies &
Trusts 4.3%
Charitable
Activities
51.3%
Other
18.6%
**----- End of picture text -----**
Expenditure increased by **£246,223** (4.3%), compared to the corresponding period. This increase has been driven by higher publicity costs, up by **£543,266** . Campaign activity expanded markedly, with increased utilisation of the various social media channels in particular, to deliver campaigns during the pandemic. Staff and related costs were lower by **£93,556** , with a reduced headcount primarily due to the termination of various Fearless Worker contracts exceeding the general increase in salary and pension costs. Support costs experienced a further year of reduction, down by **£137,879** with minimal levels of travel and subsistence costs due to the lockdown, resulting in a saving of **£163,271** . This reduction was partially countered by increases in property related costs of **£41,420** , with the commencement of the new lease and legal charges of **£24,459** due to a number of major contracts being renewed. Fundraising costs were also lower by **£60,153** , with Events notably impacted by the pandemic resulting in the cancellation of the London Marathon, the Annual Dinner and also all events organised by the Regional Committees.
## **More information is available in the notes to the accounts on pages 28 to 37.**
## **Exceptional items Contact Centre Relocation**
During the year the Contact Centre, which was formerly based at Godstone, was relocated to the Head Office premises based in Wallington. The Head Office premises were refurbished in order to permit the combined facility to operate effectively. The refurbishment and relocation were funded by the Cayo Foundation in the form of a grant of **£300,075** . The bulk of the grant, **£213,724** , was utilised to undertake refurbishment and improvements which have been capitalised. The balance of **£86,351** , was expensed on revenue related items.
We are obligated under FRS 102 to recognise the total grant income in the year of receipt, notwithstanding the fact that the principal element of the expenditure has been capitalised. This has therefore resulted in the overall income and reserve levels being increased as noted in the separate section of the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities by **£202,195** . In subsequent years, for the duration of the lease term of ten years, there will be an additional depreciation charge relating to the refurbishment of circa **£21,000** per annum.
## **Fixed assets**
A summary of changes to fixed assets during the year is set out in Note 10 to the financial statements.
The principal element of capital expenditure, amounting to **£202,959** , was due to the refurbishment of the Head Office premises to facilitate the relocation of the Contact Centre. The remaining balance was mainly attributable to computer equipment and software. Software expenditure was all Contact Centre related; **£40,402** enhancing the Hermes system, **£18,000** on a cloudbased server, **£17,100** as part of the IT rationalisation project and **£9,765** for research and development of the Self-serve portal. Computer equipment purchases of **£41,342** included **£32,339** for a new telephone system and **£9,003** in respect of replacement computers and hardware. Central Office purchases totalled **£12,840** for replacement computers and video conferencing projectors.
**18** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Investment policy**
The charity’s policy is to maintain all of its liquid resources in interest bearing, instant access accounts at competitive rates available in the market.
## **Reserves policy**
The Trustees are committed to holding sufficient free reserves to maintain the charity’s financial stability so that it can continue to provide the resources needed for the effective running of the organisation. The level of free reserves is determined, and stability maintained, by a regular review of unrestricted expenditure requirements against forecast unrestricted income, with the target level of reserves set at six months. Should the level of reserves fall below this, then management will endeavour to restore available reserves to this level within a reasonable time.
At 31 March 2021 group unrestricted reserves, including fixed assets, before the FRS 102 actuarial loss stood at **£1,529,606 (2020 - £1,191,960)** , and after the application of FRS 102 at **£1,348,606 (2020 - £1,047,960)** ; the equivalent of nearly three months of the operating expenditure, which the Trustees consider to be adequate given the economic climate and the many initiatives the charity has in train.
The FRS 102 pension deficit is the long-term liability relating to the defined benefit pension scheme. This does not create an immediate cash flow obligation for the Trust, as any liabilities will crystallise as employees take up pension benefits in future years. The FRS 102 valuation at 31 March 2021 led to a **£37,000** increase in the FRS 102 deficit, taking it to **£181,000** .
## **Going concern**
The Board of Trustees, in considering the adequacy of the charity’s resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, has had due regard to the risks of possible reduced funding from the Home Office, donors and sponsors. The Home Office has committed to continue to support the charity with the award of a grant for 2021/22, at the same level as for the last four financial years. Given the continued pressure on the Home Office’s available funding, we see this continued funding as a positive endorsement of the charity. The Trustees anticipate that Home Office funding will continue to be available for periods beyond 31 March 2022. Additionally, the Trustees believe that the work being undertaken to attract funding from other sources will meet any shortfall and are therefore satisfied that the charity can continue to meet its commitments as they fall due.
## **Risk management and internal control**
The Board of Trustees has examined the major strategic, business and operational risks which the charity faces and confirms that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen these risks. The principal risk facing the charity is to its reputation in being able to guarantee anonymity to every member of the public who passes on information to us about crime. The Trustees will continue to implement policies which protect the operation’s integrity. The other main risk to the organisation is the contribution from the Home Office, as it continues to provide significant funding for the charity; around 12% of its overall
income in 2020/21. Trustees and staff continually look to increase other sources of income to ensure that the charity remains viable.
The Board has overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity has a system of internal control. Such a system of control can provide only reasonable and not absolute assurance against errors or fraud. The controls include clearly documented accounting procedures and a delegation of the authority of the Board of Trustees through the Chief Executive to the rest of the organisation. Controls safeguard Crimestoppers’ assets and maintain the integrity of accounting controls.
Crimestoppers operates an annual planning and budgeting system with an annual budget approved by the Board. Any significant changes to those plans or budgets need specific approval from the Audit Committee. Revised forecasts are undertaken during the course of the year. The financial reporting system compares results with the budget and revised forecast on a monthly basis.
## **Potential impact of Brexit**
Given that the vast majority of the charity’s income is generated within the UK, it is not anticipated that Brexit will have a major negative impact; providing there is not a general downturn in the economy.
## **Potential impact of Covid 19**
The charity is fortunate that the majority of its funding is safe, secured through Police Chiefs, PCCs and the Home Office, accounting for over 80% of budgeted income. The remaining 20% derives from services provided to other organisations and grants, and careful analysis and strong stewardship indicate that about 80% of this is secure. Growth may be more challenging, although there are promising signs.
## **Subsidiary undertakings**
The charity’s subsidiary undertakings as at 31 March 2021 were wholly owned and registered in England and Wales. Details are included in Note 15 to the financial statements. Some of the funds required to support the operations of the charity are raised through its subsidiary, Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited.
## **Employees and volunteers**
Information about the aims and activities of the charity is disseminated to all staff and the volunteers throughout the country by means of briefings, meetings, reports, newsletters and Crimestoppers intranet.
Crimestoppers fully accepts its social and statutory duty of enabling disabled persons to play their part in the community, and will employ them wherever practical. Should any staff become disabled, every reasonable effort is made to continue their employment and where necessary to provide special training or equipment. Career development and promotional opportunities are the same for all staff and volunteers.
The remuneration of the Chief Executive and other senior management is approved annually by the Trustees.
The charity depends heavily on the valuable contribution made by its volunteer committee members, both with regard to fundraising for regional projects and the promotion of the Crimestoppers scheme.
**19** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Organisational structure, governance and management**
## **Charitable status**
The charity is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Our work extends throughout the British Isles, with a notable presence internationally.
## **Board of Trustees and organisational structure**
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and is governed by the Board of Trustees, whose members are also directors for the purposes of the Companies Act. The Trustees who served during the year are set out on page 39. The Board is responsible for the oversight of the management of all the affairs of Crimestoppers. They are subject to fixed-term appointments and election or re-election in accordance with procedures set out in the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, which is its governing document. Trustee recruitment and appointment is on the basis that new appointees are familiar with both the responsibilities of being a Trustee and the detailed nature of the organisation. Due to the Trustees’ business and charities experience and their awareness of the aims of the charity, it is felt that formal training beyond an induction process is unnecessary at the present time, but this will remain under review.
The Board ensures that all activities are within agreed charitable objectives.
The Board’s work includes setting the strategic direction and agreeing the financial plan.
It appoints an Advisory Board (‘AB’) which currently consists of representatives from the Trustees, representatives of the regional volunteer committees and the senior officers of the charity. The AB meets twice a year, the principal purpose of which is to provide a communication channel between the Trustees, senior officers and regional volunteers.
## **Governance Committee**
The Governance Committee is appointed by the Board of Trustees and consists of up to three Trustees. It meets a minimum of twice each year. Its purpose is to ensure that the Board of Trustees fulfils its legal, ethical, and functional responsibilities through adequate governance, policy development, monitoring of Board activities, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of Board performance.
The Governance Committee undertakes an annual review of the Board’s performance and Trustees are confident that the charity’s governance meets the Charity Governance Code’s recommended practice in all material respects. Trustees have reviewed and confirmed that in the few areas where the charity does not – benchmarking, Board size and trustee length of service – there is sufficient justification. The unique nature of the charity’s operation means there are no obvious direct benchmarking comparators, but this will be kept under review; for the time being, Trustees have agreed a regime of continuous improvement. The Board’s complement is under constant review and while this has resulted in a reduction, the number still exceeds
that recommended by the Code. In addition, a number of Trustees have served longer than the recommended nine years. However, those individuals continue to provide excellent service to the charity.
## **Audit Committee**
The Audit Committee is appointed by the Board of Trustees and consists of up to three Trustees. It meets at various times during the year to consider reports from the auditors, and advises the Board on financial control and organisational effectiveness.
## **Trustee Directors’ responsibility**
Each of the Trustee Directors has confirmed that so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity’s auditor is unaware, and that they have taken all the steps that they individually ought to have taken as a Trustee Director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity’s auditor is aware of that information.
## **Auditor**
In accordance with the Companies Act 2006, a resolution proposing Mazars LLP be re-appointed as auditor of the charity will be put to the Annual General Meeting.
## **Our volunteers**
There are 44 regional volunteer committees, consisting in total circa 305 volunteers from business, local government, the media and representatives generally of the communities they serve. They are responsible for working collaboratively with a wide variety of partners including the police, Police & Crime Commissioners, Community Safety Partnerships and other partners promoting Crimestoppers generally and managing campaigns in their local area. The majority of committees are supported by salaried Regional Managers. It should be noted that a great amount of time, the value of which is not reflected in these financial statements, is donated by our volunteers, without whom the charity would not be able to sustain the current level of activities.
## **Our staff**
In the year there were on average 95 full time equivalent staff; currently 76 full time and 29 part time paid staff within the group, responsible for the management and administration of the charity, manning our 24/7 call centre, marketing and fundraising, building and maintaining UK-wide partnerships, managing UKwide campaigns, and supporting regional volunteer committees. Of the full-time staff, 20 are based at the charity’s Central Office, 43 work either in management positions or under a shift system in our 24/7 Contact Centre and 13 work in a regional or area managerial role providing support to particular volunteer committees. The Central Office is also the base for several volunteers who assist with fundraising and operational tasks. The organisation has no staff on zero hours contracts.
## **Pensions**
The charity contributes to a defined benefit scheme, which was closed to new entrants in 2005, and to an occupational money purchase scheme. A professional actuary carried out a three-yearly valuation at 31 March
**20** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
2020 of the defined benefit scheme, updated at 31 March 2021, which is not under Crimestoppers’ direct control, as the charity is only a small part of a much bigger group which participates in the scheme.
The revised valuation shows a decrease from the previous valuation undertaken in 2017, with an estimated 77 percent (2017 - 98 percent) being the proportion of the accrued benefits which the scheme assets cover. However, given the unique circumstances created by COVID on market valuations, on 31 March 2020, the Trustees of the Pension Scheme agreed to use the valuation at 31 March 2021 when assessing the shortfall; the proportion of the accrued benefits which the scheme assets covered at this time was 94%.
Additionally, the actuary carries out a separate annual valuation for financial reporting purposes in line with the accounting standard, FRS 102. The annual valuation is carried out using different assumptions and often results in a very different funding deficit or surplus. The 31 March 2021 valuation under this method showed a deficit of **£181,000** compared with a deficit of **£144,000** at 31 March 2020. The balance does not represent the cash position, as the cash flow required relates to future pension contributions and recovery payments agreed with the Trustees of the scheme. Current financial projections indicate that the charity will be able to make these contributions as they fall due. FRS 102 requires that the balance of the pension scheme should be shown as a change in unrestricted funds. The details are shown in full in Note 18 to the financial statements.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
**Peter Gaze**
**Ceris M Gardner 26 July 2021**
## **Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting practice).
Company and charity 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 group and parent charity and of the income and expenditure, of the group for the year. In preparing those financial statements the Trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
- Observe the methods and principles in the charity’s SORP.
- Make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
- 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 adequate and proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the group and parent charity, and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made thereunder and with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the group and parent charity 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 charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of the financial statements and other information included in annual reports may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
**21** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Independent auditor’s report**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of Crimestoppers Trust (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2021 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the Consolidated and Charity Balance Sheets, the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and 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 charity and the group’s affairs as at 31 March 2021 and of the group’s 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.
## **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 charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
## **Other information**
The other information comprises the information included in the Strategic Report and Report of the
Trustees, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006**
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
- the information given in the Report of the Trustees 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 Report of the Trustees has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
In light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Strategic Report or the Directors’ Report included within the Report of the Trustees.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- certain disclosures of Trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
**22** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Responsibilities of Trustees**
As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 21, 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 charity’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 charity 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 the financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. Based on our understanding of the charity and its activities, we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to the Charities Act 2011, UK tax legislation, pensions legislation, employment regulation and health and safety regulation, anti-bribery, corruption and fraud, money laundering, non-compliance with implementation of government support schemes relating to COVID-19, 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 and the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice.
We evaluated the Trustees’ and 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 posting manual journal entries to manipulate financial performance, management bias through judgements and assumptions in significant accounting estimates, in particular in relation to use of restricted and endowment funds, and significant one-off or unusual transactions.
Our audit procedures were designed to respond to those identified risks, including non-compliance with laws and regulations (irregularities) and fraud that are material to
the financial statements. Our audit procedures included but were not limited to:
- Discussing with the Trustees and management their policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations;
- Communicating identified laws and regulations throughout our engagement team and remaining alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout our audit; and
- Considering the risk of acts by the charity which were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.
Our audit procedures in relation to fraud included but were not limited to:
- Making enquiries of the Trustees and management on whether they had knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud;
- Gaining an understanding of the internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud;
- Discussing amongst the engagement team the risks of fraud; and
- Addressing the risks of fraud through management override of controls by performing journal entry testing.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of irregularities including fraud rests with management. As with any audit, there remained a risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations or the override of internal controls.
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 the audit report**
This report is made solely to the charity’s members as a body in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’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 charity and the charity’s members as a body for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Signed:
## **Nicola Wakefield**
(Senior Statutory Auditor)
for and on behalf of Mazars LLP Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor, 6 Sutton Plaza, Sutton Court Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4FS
Date: 10 September 2021
**23** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities**
## **(incorporating the income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2021**
|**Notes**
**Income**
Income from charitable activities
**1**
Donations and legacies
**2**
Other trading activities
**3**
Income from investments
**Total income and endowments**
**Expenditure**
Charitable activities
**4**
Expenditure on raising funds
**5**
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure) before**
**Relocation costs**
**Contact Centre Relocation**
**9**
Grant Income
Relocation costs
**Net Relocation income/(expenditure)**
**Net income/(expenditure) before transfers**
Gross transfers between funds
**Net income/(expenditure) before other**
**recognised gains/(losses)**
**Other recognised (losses)/gains**
Actuarial loss on defned beneft
pension scheme
**18**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of Funds**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
3,217,826
1,025,804
567,732
1,070|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
-
1,453,511
3,433
59|**Total Funds**
**2021**
**£**
**3,217,826**
**2,479,315**
**571,165**
**1,129**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
2,988,850
937,253
600,054
4,027|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
-
1,215,875
105,576
53|**Total Funds**
**2020**
**£**
**2,988,850**
**2,153,128**
**705,630**
**4,080**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**4,812,432**|**1,457,003**|**6,269,435**|**4,530,184**|**1,321,504**|**5,851,688**|
||3,891,250
565,324|1,378,625
119,682|**5,269,875**
**685,006**|3,567,280
584,539|1,396,219
160,620|**4,963,499**
**745,159**|
||**4,456,574**|**1,498,307**|**5,954,881**|**4,151,819**|**1,556,839**|**5,708,658**|
||||||||
||**355,858**|**(41,304)**|**314,554**|**378,365**|**(235,335)**|**143,030**|
||-
82,837|300,075
15,043|**300,075**
**97,880**|-
-|-
-|**-**
**-**|
||**(82,837)**|**285,032**|**202,195**|**-**|**-**|**-**|
||**273,021**
66,625|**243,728**
(66,625)|**516,749**
**-**|**378,365**
(73,801)|**(235,335)**
73,801|**143,030**
**-**|
||**339,646**|**177,103**|**516,749**|**304,564**|**(161,534)**|**143,030**|
||(39,000)|**-**|**(39,000)**|(107,000)|**-**|**(107,000)**|
||**300,646**|**177,103**|**477,749**|**197,564**|**(161,534)**|**36,030**|
||1,047,960|233,582|**1,281,542**|850,396|395,116|**1,245,512**|
||**1,348,606**|**410,685**|**1,759,291**|**1,047,960**|**233,582**|**1,281,542**|
The principal accounting policies on page 27 and the notes on pages 28 to 37 form part of these financial statements. The consolidated statement of financial activities incorporates the consolidated income and expenditure account. For the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, excluding intangible income and expenditure, income for the year was £6,158,235 (2020 - £5,847,688) and expenditure was £5,843,681 (2020 - £5,704,658).
Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of raising income from donations and legacies.
All amounts are derived from continuing activities.
There are no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above.
**24** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Balance sheets as at 31 March 2021**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
CONSOLIDATED CHARITY
**----- End of picture text -----**
|||**CONSOLIDATED**|**CHARITY**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Notes**
**Fixed assets**
Total tangible assets
**10**
Total intangible assets
**10**
**Total fxed assets**
**Current assets**
Debtors
**11**
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash - restricted fund balances
Cash - deferred income
Cash - operating funds
**Total current assets**
**Liabilities**
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
**12**
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities excluding pension liability**
Defned beneft pension scheme defcit
**18**
**Net assets including pension defcit**
**14**
**The funds of the charity:**
**Total restricted funds**
**13**
Unrestricted funds:
Unrestricted funds
**Unrestricted funds excluding pension defcit**
Defned beneft pension scheme defcit
**18**
**Total unrestricted funds**
**Total funds**
**14**||**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
299,884
118,045
99,456
72,349
**399,340**
**190,394**
1,376,513
819,761
345,253
199,968
644,597
1,224,719
1,313,980
1,457,235
**3,680,343**
**3,701,683**
2,139,392
2,466,535
**1,540,951**
**1,235,148**
**1,940,291**
**1,425,542**
(181,000)
(144,000)
**1,759,291**
**1,281,542**
**410,685**
**233,582**
1,529,606
1,191,960
1,529,606
1,191,960
(181,000)
(144,000)
**1,348,606**
**1,047,960**
**1,759,291**
**1,281,542**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
97,024
69,844
2,366
34,584|
||||**99,390**
**104,428**
1,011,669
1,530,492
345,253
199,968
390,413
474,942
976,101
172,392|
||||**2,723,436**
**2,377,794**
948,421
1,336,091|
||||**1,775,015**
**1,041,703**|
|||||
||||**1,874,405**
**1,146,131**|
||||(181,000)
(144,000)|
||||**1,693,405**
**1,002,131**|
|||||
||||**410,685**
**233,582**|
||||1,463,720
912,549|
||||1,463,720
912,549
(181,000)
(144,000)|
||||**1,282,720**
**768,549**|
|||||
||||**1,693,405**
**1,002,131**|
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees:
**Peter Gaze** Date: 26 July 2021
**Ceris M Gardner** Date: 26 July 2021
The principal accounting policies on pages 27 and the notes on pages 28 to 37 form part of these financial statements. Company No 05382856
**25** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Consolidated statement of cashflow**
|**Net movement in funds**
Investment income
Depreciation
Amortisation
Loss on disposal of fxed assets
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
Increase in pension scheme liability
**Net cash (outfow)/infow from operating activities**
**Cashfows from investing activities**
Investment income received
**Cashfows from capital expenditure**
Purchase of tangible fxed assets
Disposal of tangible fxed assets
Purchase of intangible fxed assets
**(Decrease)/increase in cash for the year**|**2021**
**£**
477,749
(1,129)
76,419
66,823
3,700
(556,752)
(327,143)
37,000|**2021**
**£**
**(223,333)**
1,129
(355,888)
**(578,092)**|**2020**
**£**
36,030
(4,080)
81,177
74,240
171
5,479
504,152
105,000|**2020**
**£**
**802,169**
4,080
(79,379)|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||(261,958)
–
(93,930)||(50,918)
1,267
(29,728)||
||||||
|||||**726,870**|
**26** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Principal accounting policies**
## **a) Basis of preparation**
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) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006.
Crimestoppers Trust 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 note(s). The Trustees have reviewed detailed cash flow projections to 31 July 2022 and have agreed detailed budgets for the year ended March 2022. Both sources of income and types of expenditure have been reviewed. The Trustees have also considered the Group’s working capital and capital expenditure requirements. As a result of the foregoing, the Trustees are satisfied that it is appropriate to prepare the accounts on a going concern basis.
The principal accounting policies of the charity are set out below:
## **b) Company status**
The charity is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are the Trustees named on page 39. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity.
## **c) Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Board of Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Funds held by regional committees which are not for a specific purpose are regarded as Unrestricted while still within the control of the relevant committee. Restricted funds are funds that are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or that have been raised for particular purposes.
## **d) Income**
All income is included in the SOFA when the Charity is legally entitled to it, receipt is probable, and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.
## **Voluntary income**
Voluntary income represents income received from monetary donations, grants and intangible income. It is credited on receipt or entitlement to unrestricted funds or restricted funds, as appropriate, unless required by the donor to be deferred to future years. Intangible income, which comprise gifts in kind and donated services, is included in voluntary income at a valuation which is an estimate of the financial cost borne and confirmed by the donor, where such a cost is quantifiable and measurable. Such costs include amounts in excess of commercial discounts given, where such discounts are deemed by the donors as donations. No income is recognised when there is no financial cost borne by a third party.
## **Activities for raising funds**
Activities for raising funds represent income from fundraising events and licensing undertaken by the charity during the year.
## **Investment income**
Investment income consists of interest and is accounted for on a receivable basis.
## **e) Expenditure**
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category.
Costs of raising funds are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charity’s activities.
Support costs, which include the central and regional functions such as general management, finance and accounting, information technology and human resources, are allocated across the categories of charitable expenditure and the costs of raising funds. The basis of the cost allocation is by head count and estimated time spent by personnel under each category.
## **f) Tangible fixed assets**
Fixed assets are capitalised when their cost exceeds £500 and when their useful economic life is expected to exceed three years in the case of computer equipment and five years for all other assets.
Depreciation is charged to the SOFA so as to write off the cost of fixed assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Depreciation is charged on a monthly basis from the month of purchase, with a whole month’s charge in the month of disposal. Leasehold improvement costs are amortised over the remaining period of the appropriate lease.
## **g) Intangible fixed assets**
Intangible fixed assets are recognised as website and software costs exceeding £500. These costs have been capitalised at historic cost and amortised on a straight-line basis over three years. Depreciation is charged to the SOFA on a monthly basis from the month of purchase, with a whole month’s charge in the month of disposal.
## **h) Pension costs**
The charity is a participating employer member of the Foundation Pension Plan, which is closed to new members. The scheme is a defined benefit pension scheme, the funds of which is administered by its own Trustees and is separate from those of the participating employers. The cost of providing pensions and related benefits is charged to the SOFA over the employees’ service lives on the basis of a constant percentage of earnings, which is an estimate of the regular cost. Variations from regular cost, arising from periodic actuarial valuations, are allocated over the expected remaining service lives of current employees on the basis of a constant percentage of current and estimated future earnings. Any difference between the charge to the SOFA and the contributions payable to the scheme is shown as an asset or a liability in the balance sheet.
The full surplus or deficit for the scheme is recognised on the balance sheet in line with the requirements of FRS 102. The cost of the pension scheme has been brought into the SOFA in full, and allocated across expense codes on a consistent basis with the allocation of all other staff costs.
Pension costs in respect of the group occupational money purchase scheme are charged to the SOFA for the year in which they are payable.
## **i) Operating leases**
Payments made under operating leases are charged to the SOFA when incurred. The charity does not acquire assets under finance leases.
**27** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
|**1. Income from charitable activities**
24/7 Call Centre
Other
Contractual Income
**2. Donations and legacies**
Income from donations:
Other voluntary income
Companies and trusts
Individuals
Grant Income:
Central government
Local government
Intangible income
**Total income from donations and legacies**|**2021**
**£**
2,579,961
637,865
–
**3,217,826**
**2021**
**£**
1,050,899
266,549
4,036
**1,321,484**
922,073
124,558
**1,046,631**
111,200
**111,200**
**2,479,315**|**2020**
**£**
2,448,357
536,493
4,000|
|---|---|---|
|||**2,988,850**|
|||**2020**
**£**
971,221
217,226
29,614|
|||**1,218,061**|
|||872,079
58,988|
|||**931,067**|
|||4,000|
|||**4,000**|
||||
|||**2,153,128**|
Central government grants include £770,500 (2020 - £770,500) Home Office contribution to support the core operating costs of the Charity.
|**3. Activities for raising funds**
Corporate partners and other licensing income
Events|**2021**
**£**
563,638
7,527
**571,165**|**2020**
**£**
575,091
130,539|
|---|---|---|
|||**705,630**|
**28** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
|**4. Charitable activities**
Staff Costs – promoting the Crimestoppers scheme and building up
anti-crime partnerships, nationally and locally
Publicity and promotion of the Crimestoppers scheme
Support costs
Other direct operational expenditure
Audit fee
Rewards|**2021**
**£**
3,243,284
1,269,698
725,430
12,305
18,158
1,000
**5,269,875**|**2020**
**£**
3,293,240
726,432
888,544
25,900
18,933
10,450|
|---|---|---|
|||**4,963,499**|
Within the £5,269,875 (2020 - £4,963,499) of Charitable Activities cost for the Charity are £58,716 (2020 - £57,803) relating to Governance Costs.
Within the £3,243,284 (2020 - £3,293,240) of Staff Costs are £nil (2020 - £13,434) Redundancy Costs.
Within the £1,269,698 (2020 - £726,432) for the publicity and promotion of the charity are matching costs of £111,200 (2020 - £4,000) of the intangible income (outlined in note 2 above).
|**5. Expenditure on raising funds**
Staff costs, including consultancy and training
Support costs
Fundraising events and publicity
**6. Staff costs**
Total costs of:
Wages and salaries
National insurance
Pension and other benefts
Consultancy and temporary staff
Training and recruitment
Pension scheme administration
Other staff costs|**2021**
**£**
494,140
173,292
17,574
**685,006**
**2021**
**£**
3,110,333
300,574
127,607
104,491
60,166
29,939
4,314
**3,737,424**|**2020**
**£**
537,740
148,057
59,362|
|---|---|---|
|||**745,159**|
|||**2020**
**£**
3,243,847
305,629
120,592
72,803
54,835
28,656
4,618|
|||**3,830,980**|
**29** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **6. Staff costs (continued)**
The average number of full-time equivalent employees (including part time staff) during the year were as follows:
|Generating voluntary income
Fundraising trading
Charitable activities
Total
Average number of staff during the year
Higher paid employees received emoluments during the year in the following bands:
£60,000 - £69,999
£70,000 - £79,999
£120,000 - £129,999
£130,000 - £139,999|**2021**
5
5
85
**95**
**107**
**2021**
1
2
–
1
**4**|**2020**
5
6
90|
|---|---|---|
|||**101**|
||||
|||**113**|
|||**2020**
–
2
1
–|
|||**3**|
Of these employees none (2020 - None) was a member of the Trust’s defined benefit pension scheme.
The total remuneration cost of the key management personnel during the year was £419,793 (2020 - £398,071).
## **7. Trustees’ emoluments**
No Trustee received any emoluments or expenses during the year (2020-Nil).
|**8. Support costs**
Travelling Expenses
Rent, repairs and maintenance
Depreciation
Losses on disposal of fxed assets
Stationery, copying and postage
Telephones & internet
Legal fees
Other support costs|**Charitable**
**Activities**
**£**
8,011
167,704
121,361
3,585
17,859
110,057
48,061
248,792
**725,430**|**Expenditure on**
**Raising funds**
**£**
245
65,688
10,350
115
5,059
13,449
8,886
69,500
**173,292**|**2021**
**Total**
**£**
**8,256**
**233,392**
**131,711**
**3,700**
**22,918**
**123,506**
**56,947**
**318,292**
**898,722**|**2020**
**Total**
**£**
**171,527**
**191,972**
**155,419**
**171**
**30,020**
**100,579**
**32,488**
**354,425**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**1,036,601**|
## **9. Contact Centre Relocation**
During the year the Contact Centre, which was formerly based at Godstone, was relocated to the Head Office premises based in Wallington. The Head Office premises were refurbished in order to permit the combined facility to operate effectively. The refurbishment and relocation were kindly funded by the Cayo Foundation in the form of a grant of £300,075. The bulk of the grant, £213,724, was utilised to undertake refurbishment and improvements which have been capitalised. The balance of £86,351 was expensed on revenue related items, primarily staff related costs, including redundancy costs of £29,588, payments in lieu of notice of £20,700 and recruitment costs of £17,104. In addition, there were depreciation charges of £11,529 incurred in respect of the capitalised improvements.
We are obligated under FRS 102 to recognise the total grant income received in the year of receipt, notwithstanding the fact that as noted above the principal element of the expenditure has been capitalised. This does unfortunately result in the income and reserves levels being ‘inflated’ for the current year, by £202,195 as noted on the Income statement. In subsequent years, for the duration of the lease term of ten years, there will be an additional depreciation charge relating to the refurbishment of circa £21,000 pa.
**30** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **10a. Consolidated fixed assets**
|**Cost**
At 1 April 2020
Additions
Disposals
At 31 March 2021
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2020
Charge for the year
Eliminated on disposals
Loss on disposal
At 31 March 2021
**Net book value**
At 31 March 2021
At 31 March 2020|**Tangible**
**Leasehold**
**Improvements**
**Furniture,**
**Fixtures &**
**Fittings**
**Computer**
**Equipment**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
260,119
176,910
391,475
828,504
202,959
4,817
54,182
261,958
(255,249)
(56,234)
(82,147)
(393,630)
**207,829**
**125,493**
**363,510**
**696,832**
256,228
145,507
308,724
710,459
12,166
12,421
55,532
80,119
(254,672)
(53,479)
(81,779)
(389,930)
(577)
(2,755)
(368)
(3,700)
**13,145**
**101,694**
**282,109**
**396,948**
**194,684**
**23,799**
**81,401**
**299,884**
**3,891**
**31,403**
**82,751**
**118,045**|**Intangible**
**Software**
**£**
444,992
93,930
(250,745)|
|---|---|---|
|||**288,177**|
|||372,643
66,823
(250,745)
-|
|||**188,721**|
||||
|||**99,456**|
||||
|||**72,349**|
## **10b. Charity fixed assets**
|**Cost**
At 1 April 2020
Additions
Disposals
At 31 March 2021
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2020
Charge for the year
Eliminated on disposals
Loss on disposal
At 31 March 2021
**Net book value**
At 31 March 2021
At 31 March 2020|**Tangible**
**Leasehold**
**Improvements**
**Furniture,**
**Fixtures &**
**Fittings**
**Computer**
**Equipment**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
167,837
97,713
215,850
481,400
55,899
-
12,840
68,739
(165,616)
(940)
(53,833)
(220,389)
**58,120**
**96,773**
**174,857**
**329,750**
166,451
88,917
156,188
411,556
2,984
3,479
35,096
41,559
(165,616)
(940)
(53,465)
(220,021)
-
-
(368)
(368)
**3,819**
**91,456**
**137,451**
**232,726**
**54,301**
**5,317**
**37,406**
**97,024**
**1,386**
**8,796**
**59,662**
**69,844**|**Intangible**
**Software**
**£**
178,108
-
(47,756)|
|---|---|---|
|||**130,352**|
|||143,524
32,218
(47,756)
-|
|||**127,986**|
||||
|||**2,366**|
||||
|||**34,584**|
**31** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
|**11a. Consolidated debtors**
Trade debtors
Prepayments
Accrued income
**11b. Charity debtors**
Trade debtors
Prepayments
Accrued income
Amounts due from associated undertakings|**2021**
**£**
1,013,952
148,774
213,787
**1,376,513**
**2021**
**£**
164,371
122,369
212,537
512,392
**1,011,669**|**2020**
**£**
671,448
147,938
375|
|---|---|---|
|||**819,761**|
|||**2020**
**£**
543,917
127,048
375
859,152|
|||**1,530,492**|
|**1,011,669**
**1,530,492**|**1,011,669**
**1,530,492**|**1,011,669**
**1,530,492**|
|---|---|---|
|Amounts due from associated undertakings includes the outstanding management charge in respect of strategic and|||
|support services supplied to the subsidiary £108,320(2020 - £493,890).|||
|**12a. Consolidated creditors due within one year**|**2021**|**2020**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Trade creditors|236,872|230,699|
|Taxation and Social Security|292,400|380,407|
|Accruals|236,325|164,498|
|Deferred income|1,373,795|1,690,931|
||**2,139,392**|**2,466,535**|
The deferred income of £1,493,352 at the end of 2020 was released during the year.
|**12b. Charity creditors due within one year**
Trade creditors
Taxation and Social Security
Accruals
Deferred income|**2021**
**£**
203,135
42,258
203,573
499,455
**948,421**|**2020**
**£**
179,365
181,178
131,333
844,215|
|---|---|---|
|||**1,336,091**|
**32** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **13. Movement on restricted funds**
|**13. Movement on restricted funds**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Total regional restricted funds**
Fearless Worker Funding
Bedfordshire Police
Contact Centre Relocation
Other restricted funds (subtotal)
**Total Central Ofce restricted funds**
**Total restricted funds**|**Opening**
**Balance**
**£**|**Income**
**£**|**Expenditure**
**£**|**Net Transfers**
**£**|**Closing**
**Balance**
**£**|
||**144,089**|**355,580**|**(328,374)**|**(63,032)**|**108,263**|
||52,210
13,284
-
23,999|225,066
-
300,075
876,357|(206,575)
(8,312)
(15,043)
(955,046)|380
8,863
(82,837)
70,001|71,081
13,835
202,195
15,311|
||**89,493**|**1,401,498**|**(1,184,976)**|**(3,593)**|**302,422**|
|||||||
||**233,582**|**1,757,078**|**(1,513,350)**|**(66,625)**|**410,685**|
Purpose of restricted funds
- Fearless Worker Funding - These are funds specifically received in respect of Fearless Workers across a number of regions, with the funding running through into the next financial year.
- Bedfordshire Police - Ongoing funding provided by Bedfordshire to fund campaigns.
- Contact Centre Relocation - Grant income received from the Cayo Foundation to fund the refurbishment of the Head Office premises to facilitate the relocation of the Contact Centre. This balance represents the amount included as part of the fixed assets which will be written off over the lease term of ten years.
## **14a. Consolidated fund balances at 31 March 2021**
|represented by:
Fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Pension liability
**Net assets at 31 March 2021**
**14b. Charity fund balances at 31 March 2021**
represented by:
Fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Pension liability
**Net assets at 31 March 2021**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
339,377
1,137,037
1,958,577
(1,905,385)
(181,000)|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
59,963
239,476
345,253
(234,007)
-|**Total**
**Funds**
**£**
399,340
1,376,513
2,303,830
(2,139,392)
(181,000)|
|---|---|---|---|
||**1,348,606**|**410,685**|**1,759,291**|
||**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
39,427
772,193
1,366,514
(714,414)
(181,000)|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
59,963
239,476
345,253
(234,007)
-|**Total**
**Funds**
**£**
99,390
1,011,669
1,711,767
(948,421)
(181,000)|
||**1,282,720**|**410,685**|**1,693,405**|
**33** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **15. Subsidiary companies**
The group subsidiary companies at 31 March 2021, which were all wholly owned and registered in England and Wales, were as follows:
## **Activity**
Crimestoppers Enterprises Limited Dormant Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited Operation of a 24/7 call handling centre
The results of Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited for the year ended 31 March 2021 were as follows:
|Turnover
Cost of sales
Gross proft
Administrative expenses
Operating Surplus
Interest receivable and similar income, net of interest payable
**Proft for the year**
Fixed assets
Net current (liabilities)/assets
**Net assets**
Proft and Loss Account
**Total shareholder funds**|**2021**
**£**
3,357,982
(1,789,732)
1,568,250
(780,911)
787,339
733
**788,072**
299,951
(234,067)
**65,884**
65,884
**65,884**|**2020**
**£**
3,091,238
(1,762,137)|
|---|---|---|
|||1,329,101
(586,795)|
|||742,306
3,182|
|||**745,488**|
|||85,966
193,444|
|||**279,410**|
|||279,410|
|||**279,410**|
During the year there was a charge from the parent company to Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited for the provision of management and support services £658,320 (2020 - £493,890) ; it is included in the Administrative expenses figure.
All taxable profits of the company are distributed to the parent charity, Crimestoppers Trust, and on this basis no taxation charge is payable for either the year ended 31 March 2021 or the year ended 31 March 2020. Where taxable profits are lower than the accounting profits due to temporary timing differences, reserves are retained in the company. For 2020/21 distributions of £1,001,598 (2019/2020 - £500,000) were made to Crimestoppers Trust.
Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited is a company limited by guarantee.
**34** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **16. Leases**
|Commitments under operating leases are as follows:
Consolidated:
Payments within one year
Expiring between one – fve years
Expiring after fve years
Charity:
Payments within one year
Expiring between one – fve years
Expiring after fve years|**Land & buildings**
**Others**
**2021**
**2020**
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
66,000
50,456
5,878
8,156
445,500
-
-
5,863
561,000
-
-
-|
|---|---|
||1,072,500
50,456
5,878
14,019|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
66,000
29,706
5,878
8,156
445,500
-
-
5,863
561,000
-
-
-|
||1,072,500
29,706
5,878
14,019|
The lease for the Central Office based in Wallington, Surrey was renewed with effect from 7 July 2020 for a further 10-year period. The initial rental for the period to 6th July 2023 is £66,000 pa which subsequently increases to £132,000 pa for the remaining term.
## **17. Related Parties**
During the year the charity received a donation of £40,000 (2020 – £40,000) from the Bestway Foundation Charitable Trust. Lord Choudrey, a Trustee of the charity, is a Trustee of the Bestway Foundation Charitable Trust.
Ms Angela Entwistle and Mr Stewart Anthony Harris, both Trustees of the charity, are also Trustees of the Cayo Foundation. For the year to 31 March 2021, the charity received a grant from the Cayo Foundation totalling £247,713 (2020 - £52,362). The grant was to assist with the Contact Centre move from their premises based in Godstone to the Central Office headquarters and the full value of the grant across the two financial years of £300,075 was expended for the refurbishment of the Central Office premises. The grant was not included as income within the 2019/20 financial statements, but was incorporated as part of the year end creditor balance.
Bill Griffiths, a Trustee of the charity, provided consultancy for which he incurred expenses and was reimbursed £105 (2020 - £317).
Sir Paul Stephenson, a Non-Executive Director of British Horse Racing Authority (BHA), is also a Trustee of the charity. During the year Crimestoppers provided an Integrity Line service and Intellectual Property to the BHA at a cost of £17,977 (2020 – £13,663).
Peter Clarke, a Trustee of the charity, was HM Chief Inspector of Prisons until October 2020. During the year Crimestoppers provided a reporting service to offenders in prisons funded by HM Prison & Probation Service at a cost of £43,643 (2020 - £47,722).
During the year Crimestoppers charged management fees to its wholly owned subsidiary, Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited of £658,320 (2020 - £493,890) ; in addition, distributions of £1,001,598 (2020 – £500,000) were made by Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited. At 31 March 2021 £282,498 (2020 - £859,152) was due from Treble 5 Treble 1 Limited.
## **18. Pension commitments**
The charity participates in the Foundation Pension Plan, a non-segregated multi-employer defined benefit pension scheme in the UK. The disclosures set out below are based on calculations carried out as at the Balance Sheet Date by a qualified independent actuary.
The assets are held in a separate trustee-administered fund to meet long-term pension liabilities to past and present employees. The trustees of the Plan are required to act in the best interest of the Plan’s beneficiaries. The appointment of trustees is determined by the trust documentation.
The liabilities of the Plan are measured by discounting the best estimate of future cash flows to be paid out of the Plan using the projected unit method. This amount is reflected in the surplus or deficit in the balance sheet.
The projected unit method is an accrued benefits valuation method in which the liabilities make allowance for projected earnings.
The liabilities set out in this note have been calculated based on the scheme funding assessment being carried out by the trustees as at 31 March 2020, updated to the Balance Sheet Date.
The value of the assets for the charity at the Balance Sheet Date has been taken as the same proportion of the liabilities that relate to the employees and former employees of the charity in comparison to the liabilities of the whole plan at the Balance Sheet Date. When apportioning the assets of the Plan in this way, no allowance has been made for the effects of GMP equalisation for the charity.
The following disclosures relate only to employees and former employees of the charity.
At the Balance Sheet Date, contributions are payable to the Plan at the rates set out in the schedule of contributions dated 30 June 2018; 19.2% of Pensionable Earnings by the charity and 6% of Pensionable Earnings by employees.
In addition, the charity will pay its share of the death in service insurance premiums and administration expenses, including levies. The charity’s contributions (including death in service premiums) expected to be made in the year commencing 1 April 2021 are £14,000.
**35** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **18. Pension commitments (continued)**
## **18. a) Principal Assumptions**
The principal actuarial assumptions at the balance sheet date were:
|**18. a) Principal Assumptions**
The principal actuarial assumptions at the balance sheet date were:|||
|---|---|---|
||**2021**|**2020**|
|Discount rate|1.90%|2.20%|
|RPI Infation|3.30%|2.60%|
|CPI Infation|2.40%|1.60%|
|Rate of increase in salaries|1.00%|1.00%|
|Rate of increase to pensions in payment:|||
|Fixed|In line with
Scheme Rules|In line with
Scheme Rules|
|RPI capped at 5.00% pa|3.20%|2.60%|
|CPI capped at 2.50% pa|2.00%|1.50%|
|Pre and post retirement mortality|S3PxA with CMI|S3PxA with CMI|
||2020 with 1.25%|2019 with 1.25%|
||pa long term|pa long term|
||improvements|improvements|
||80% of|80% of|
|Cash commutation|maximum|maximum|
||tax-free cash|tax-free cash|
|Future life expectancy of male aged 65 at balance sheet date|21.9|21.9|
|Future life expectancy of male achieving 65, 20 years after balance sheet date|23.2|23.2|
|Future life expectancy of female aged 65 at balance sheet date|24.3|24.2|
|Future life expectancy of female achieving 65, 20 years after balance sheet date|25.7|25.6|
|For the avoidance of doubt the above assumptions are in absolute terms.|||
## **18. b) Asset Breakdown**
The major categories of the Scheme assets are:
|UK and Overseas Equities
Insured Pensioners
Government Fixed Interest Bonds
Corporate Bonds
UK Index Linked Bonds
Cash
**Total**
**Net defned beneft liability**
Fair value of Scheme assets
Present value of defned beneft obligation
Defned beneft liability recognised in balance sheet|**2021**
**£000’s**
1,084
378
50
347
259
30
**2,148**
**2021**
**£000’s**
2,148
2,329
(181)|**2020**
**£000’s**
922
405
28
340
221
35|
|---|---|---|
|||**1,951**|
|||**2020**
**£000’s**
1,951
2,095|
|||(144)|
## **18. c) Net defined benefit liability**
**36** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
|**18. d) The total expense recognised in the statement of fnancial activities**
Current Service Cost
Net interest on the net defned beneft liability
Total
**18. e) Total amounts taken to Other Comprehensive Income**
Actual return on Scheme assets
Amounts included in net interest on the net defned beneft liability
Remeasurement gains and (losses)
- Return on Scheme assets excluding interest income
Remeasurement losses and (gains)
- Actuarial losses and (gains)
Total
**18. f) Changes in the present value of the defned beneft obligation**
Present value of defned beneft obligation at beginning of period
Benefts and death in service premium paid
Current service cost
Interest cost
Remeasurement losses and (gains)
- Actuarial losses and (gains)
Employee contributions
Present value of defned beneft obligation at end of period
**18. g) Changes in the fair value of assets**
Fair value of Scheme assets at beginning of period
Interest income
Remeasurement gains and (losses)
- Return on Scheme assets excluding interest income
Contributions by employer
Employee contributions
Benefts and death in service premium paid
Fair value of Scheme assets at end of period|**2021**
**£000’s**
9
3
12
**2021**
**£000’s**
287
(42)
245
284
39
**2021**
**£000’s**
2,095
(107)
9
45
284
3
2,329
**2021**
**£000’s**
1,951
42
245
14
3
(107)
2,148|**2020**
**£000’s**
13
1|
|---|---|---|
|||14|
|||**2020**
**£000’s**
(104)
(50)|
|||(154)
(47)|
|||107|
|||**2020**
**£000’s**
2,211
(137)
13
51
(47)
4|
|||2,095|
|||**2020**
**£000’s**
2,172
50
(154)
16
4
(137)|
|||1,951|
**37** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Partnerships**
- Association of Convenience Stores
- B&Q Screwfix
- Barnardo’s
- BASE
- Border Force
- Brighton & Hove Taxis
- British Horseracing Authority
- Cabinet Office
- Carlisle Support Services
- Charity Retail Association
- Electoral Commission
- Energy Theft Tip-Off Service
- England and Wales Cricket Board
- Environment Agency
- EPC-UK
- ESRI
- FACT
**•** FireStoppers - County Durham and Darlington, Derbyshire, Northumberland, Northamptonshire, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Services
- First Central
- Food Standards Scotland
- Forensic Science Regulator
- Harod Global Investigative Solutions
- Henry Squire & Sons Ltd
- HMPPS
- HMRC
- Immigration Enforcement
- Independent Press Standards Organisation
- Insurance Fraud Bureau
- Industry Trust
- Intellectual Property Office
- International Weightlifting Federation
- JELC
- Liberty
- Link ATM
- Lloytron
- Long Clawson Dairy
**•** Mitie
- Morrisons
- Muller
- National Farmers’ Union
- National Marine Intelligence Centre (PortSafe)
- NEXT
- NHS Counter Fraud Authority
- NHS Scotland
- Northern Powergrid
- Openreach
- Ring
- Royal Mail
- Save the Children
- Scottish Football Association
- Security Industry Authority
- SelectaMark
- Sodexo (HMP Addiewell)
- South Caernarfon Creameries
- Thames Water
- Tideway
- Trading Standards - East Midlands, Greater Manchester, Kent & Medway, Wales
- TSB
- UK Anti-Doping
- William Hill
- Wine & Spirit Trade Association
## **Trusts and Foundations**
- The Bestway Foundation
- The City Bridge Trust
- The Adint Charitable Trust
- The Peacock Charitable Trust
- The Ingram Trust
- The Henry C Hoare Charitable Trust
- The John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust
- The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
- The London Community Foundation
- Comic Relief
- The National Lottery Awards For All
- The GM Morrison Charitable Trust
- The Enkalon Foundation
- The Halifax Foundation
- The Irish Society
- The Mr and Mrs TCS Haywood Charitable Trust
- The Constance Travis Charitable Trust
- The JR Corah Foundation Fund
- The Gilbert & Eileen Edgar Foundation
- Foundation Derbyshire
- The Gray Trust
- Babergh Parish Council, Suffolk
- The Sir James Reckitt Charitable Trust
- The Austin Hope Pilkington Trust
- The David Gibbons Charitable Trust
- The Helen J Cope Charitable Trust
- The Miss G Marriage Charitable Trust
- The Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust
- The Annie Trammer Charitable Trust
- Cranleigh Parish Council, Surrey
- The RW Mann Trust
- The Rothley Trust
- The Mather Family Charitable Trust
- The Rodger De Haan Charitable Trust
**38** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
## **Legal & administrative information**
## **Trustee Directors**
## **Chair of Trustees**
- Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC
## **Trustees**
- Lord Choudrey CBE
- Mr Peter Clarke CVO OBE QPM
- *Ms Angela Entwistle
## **Senior Officers**
- *Mr Mark Hallas OBE, Chief Executive
- *Mr Bob Booker, Director of Finance, Company Secretary
- *Mr Michael Duthie, Director of Operations
- *Mr Rodger Holden, Director of Business Development
- Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE MA
- Mr Richard Gamble FCA
- Ms Ceris Gardner
- Mr Peter Gaze FCA
- Mr Bill Griffiths CBE BEM QPM
- Mr Stewart Harris
## **Bankers**
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc 280 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4RB
## **Auditor**
- Ms Suzanne Jacob OBE (appointed 27 April 2021)
- *Mr Michael Laurie CBE
- *Mr Barry Mizen MBE
Mazars LLP 2nd Floor, 6 Sutton Plaza, Sutton Court Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 4FS
- Mr Nick Ross
- Mr Stephen Rubin OBE
- Sir Paul Stephenson QPM
## **Advisory Board**
Trustee Directors and officers marked with a * serve on the Advisory Board, together with the following:
- Mr Phil O’Shea
- Deputy Chair & AB Member for Northern Ireland & the Islands (Isle of Man & Channel Islands)
- Mrs Sue Thompson – South East Region Representative (resigned February 2021)
- Mr Peter Rolington
- South Region Representative
- Mr Stuart Rawlins
## **Solicitors**
Bates Wells, 10 Queen Street Place, London, EC4R 1BE
## **Status**
Crimestoppers Trust was originally established by a Deed of Trust on 20 October 1986 and was registered by the Charity Commission with effect from 4 November 1987. On 1 April 2005 the complete undertaking of Crimestoppers Trust was transferred to a company limited by guarantee, Company Number 05382856, which is itself a registered charity, Number 1108687 (England) and Number SC037960 (Scotland). The registered office of the charity is at 10 Queen Street Place, London, EC4R 1BE.
The principal office is PO Box 324, Wallington, SM6 6BG.
- Eastern Region Representative
- Mr Bill Cullen
- East Midlands Region Representative
- Mrs Nina Dawes
- West Midlands Region Representative
- Mr Ian Johnston – Wales Representative
- Miss Jane Antrobus
- North West Region Representative
- Mr Jonathan Hamill
- North East Region Representative
- Mr Jim Ferguson – Scotland Representative
**39** 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
We believe everyone has the right to feel safe from crime, wherever they live, wherever they work, for ourselves and all those we care about.
But sometimes people might be worried about a crime, or something that’s wrong, and want to pass on information. Which is why it’s good to know they can always trust Crimestoppers.
We’re an independent charity that gives people the power to speak up and stop crime, 100% anonymously. By the phone and online, 24/7, 365 days a year. No police contact. No witness statements. No courts. Every year we help stop thousands of crimes. So, let’s make communities safer together. Find out more about our work. Contact us at hello@crimestoppers-uk.org
crimestoppers-uk.org