REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 5414484 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1109262
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2025 FOR HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For the Year Ended 31 March 2025
The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the recommendations of the Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS 102).
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
Home-Start Bedfordshire (HSB) offers support, friendship and practical help to parents and children. To help give children the best possible start in life, HSB supports parents as they grow in confidence, strengthen their relationships with their children and widen their links with the local community.
The objects for which Home-Start Bedfordshire was established are:
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●to safeguard, protect and preserve the good health, both mental and physical of children and parents of children
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●to prevent cruelty to or maltreatment of children
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●to relieve sickness, poverty and need amongst children and parents of children
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●to promote the education of the public in better standards of childcare within the areas of Bedfordshire and Luton
In setting our objectives and planning our activities, the Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.
Charitable activities
HSB offers a unique service, recruiting and training volunteers - who are usually parents themselves —to visit families at home to offer informal, friendly and confidential support.
In addition to our family support work we also work to reduce the impact of domestic abuse through preventative education and through providing one to one support and group work for survivors of domestic abuse.
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
We support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children. The benefits of our support include improved health and well-being and better family relationships.
We have had a busy year in an increasingly difficult economic environment. We are witnessing a sharp increase in need as families grapple with the rising cost of living and growing anxiety about their futures. Economic uncertainty and rising operating costs is making it increasingly difficult to secure consistent funding, putting pressure on our ability to maintain vital services. With limited resources, we are stretched thin, working hard to support
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vulnerable families while navigating an ever more challenging landscape.
We are therefore very pleased to have been successful in winning a contract with Central Bedfordshire Council to deliver volunteer home visiting and volunteer led Empowering Parents Empowering Communities (EPEC) parenting programmes
Home Visiting Volunteer Service
HSB recruits, trains and manages volunteers with parenting or significant experience with children to support vulnerable families. After attending an initial Preparation Course Home- Start volunteers are carefully matched with a family, and visit for a period of time with a planned set of outcomes to work towards.
We provide early help support to families but also work with families where children are “child in need” or on a child protection plan.
We work in partnership with a number of other agencies and receive referrals from other professionals such as Health Visitors, Social Care, Children’s Centres and schools.
A volunteer is carefully matched with the family giving regard to such matters as their own skills, experience and availability. They will visit the family in their home for two to three hours each week.
The type of support depends on the family’s needs.
This could be:
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●Emotional support to help parents find ways to manage and resolve problems
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●Listening visits for parents with mental ill health
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●Encouragement and support to attend Children’s Centres and local resources
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●Assistance with attending medical appointments
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●Advocacy
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●Assistance and mentoring with managing children’s behaviour
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●Modelling good parenting
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●Embedding parenting strategies e.g after attending parenting programmes
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●Assistance and mentoring with developing household routines
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For the Year Ended 31 March 2025
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●Assistance and mentoring with cleaning and decluttering the house
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●Help with budgeting, nutrition and meal planning, cooking and making the home safe
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●School readiness
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●Support both in and after leaving Refuge for parents and children who have fled domestic abuse
As a non-statutory organization many families find being supported by a parent volunteer less threatening and stigmatizing. Research has shown that our support increases parental confidence in bringing up children, enables families to access local services, reduces isolation for parents and children and generally increases resilience in families making a lasting impact.
Over the year we have received a steady stream of referrals, particularly from the Mid Bedfordshire area.
We have a robust monitoring and evaluation system based on the Outcomes Star which tracks each family’s journey of change to ensure that the support given is sufficient and correct. The type of support given may change at review. This year the main reasons for wanting support remain unchanged from last year. These were coping with mental ill health (child and parents) and managing children’s behaviour and parenting children with SEND needs.
The five parameters tracked were parent’s health and well-being, children’s health and well-being, more confident and positive parenting and improvements in the family home.
What service users said:
V is great, she is very calming. An experienced Mum and a good sounding board for any issues. I can talk through problems with her. She is a really lovely person. She is great with both of the children and really easy to talk to.
“Before homestart sent a volunteer to help me I had absolutely no confidence with myself as a mother and was rarely leaving the house.
I was petrified of being alone and couldn't even put my baby in his pram and take him for a walk through fear of him crying and me being by myself when it happened.
I was very lonely and didn't want to go to groups as I felt lacking in many ways and was sure that the other mums would notice.
Homestart sent an incredible volunteer named L. I was very nervous at first as I find it difficult to meet new people and let them into my life. But even on her first visit, L made me feel so so relaxed and comfortable, it was like I had known her forever.
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She soon felt like someone I really looked forward to seeing and who was a huge support to me. I cherished our time together and she made me feel confident in all my choices raising my son. With my new boost of confidence I was soon able to go the groups with L by my side and when our time was up, even go by myself. Something I never saw myself doing.
Loneliness during early motherhood can feel extremely consuming but knowing I had someone coming to see me that day completely changed my mood and really saved me on my dark days.
It's actually very hard to find the words to describe what this charity have done for me, they were like someone holding my hand even when they weren't there.
I wish I could have kept them forever but I know there's lots of families at there that need support and the work they have done with me will continue to be of benefit to me even though my time with them is done.
One day when my son is older I hope to come and help at this charity. I can tell all of the people running it have had their own experiences and even just knowing that makes you feel normal and trust yourself!
Thank you so much homestart, you've been amazing!"
At 31[st] March 2025: 196 Central Bedfordshire families were referred for home visiting
support.
62 families had volunteer support
77 families received office support
- 57 families were waiting to be matched
The SEND Parent Mentor project
This is a small project but has continued to be very popular with the need exceeding the funding received and the small team of volunteer mentors. Central Bedfordshire Council are no longer able to fund this service due to council funding constraints but we are able to continue to run this this upcoming year using our reserves.
Since the project began in September 2020 this is what has been achieved
| Achieved | |
|---|---|
| Supported byParent Mentor | 118 |
| Ended ofce support* | 113 |
| Waiting | 44 |
| Total supported | 231 |
| Total referred | 275 |
| No of known children in families supported** |
379 |
Referrals
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__________________
Referrals came from a wide range of sources including Early Help, schools, Health Visitors and also a number of self referrals.
Types of Conditions
Although it was open for all SEND needs almost all of the referrals were for children with confirmed or possible ASC and/or ADHD. Many children were in the process of waiting to be assessed. There was a wide range of ages from 3 year olds to 17 years old.
Some parents also themselves had a diagnosis of autism or ADHD.
Main Issues
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●Struggling with understanding children's needs and behaviours.
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●Seeking strategies and guidance to support children's behaviour from people who understand.
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●Feeling isolated and overwhelmed
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Seeking emotional support - empathy, reassurance and connection.
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●Children's needs not being met at school and difficulty accessing support
Direction and signposting needed to help request a SEN Plan or EHCP. Parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities received an average of 6 weeks phone/online support by trained volunteers who were also parents of SEND children, with the objectives of offering emotional support and practical help and knowledge around the pathways and services available.
This continues to be very popular and due to the small amount of funding we have not had the capacity to meet the need of all the referrals within a time frame that we think is acceptable. However we have been able to offer them our Empowering Parents Empowering Communities Being a Parent of an Autistic Child and Being a Parent of a Child with ADHD parenting programmes while they are waiting.
We have been investing in building up a library of useful resources on common topics that parents can access on our website while waiting for support or may meet their need without having to wait to speak to a mentor.
What service users said:
“N was really approachable and helped me to feel comfortable, she was so lovely and always asked what i needed and how I felt. She gave some really good suggestions and strategies to help with my relationship with my daughter and it really helped. She was such a good match, I feel really lucky to have had her support . “
“Mark was fab, he offered clear and concise guidance verbally and via email. Very good at following up via email with notes and actions - Found the support extremely helpful and relevant.”
Domestic Abuse Services
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The Need
It is estimated that one in four women and one in six men will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime. This may include years of psychological abuse.
Children are often the silent victims of domestic abuse. In homes where domestic violence occurs, 90% of children are in the same or next room during an incident.
Domestic Abuse represents 16% of all crime in Bedfordshire (Bedfordshire Police)
Domestic abuse is a leading cause of homelessness. Housing options reported an average of 21 approaches to the housing team each month by residents at risk of homelessness.
In 2021 it was estimated through the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Needs Assessment that 3,460 children aged 0 to 17 in Central Bedfordshire experienced domestic abuse in the last year (Central Bedfordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy 2022- 25).
Our response
Alongside our home visiting service for women and their children in Refuge and after leaving Refuge we also continued to deliver the Own My Life programme.
Own My Life
Own My Life is a ten week programme. The purpose of the course is to educate and empower women who have been subject to domestic abuse to regain ownership of their own lives.
We continued to run the course online in the evening as women reported that this makes it more accessible. It enables women to join from all around the county, including those who are working during the day or have children.
We ran three Own My Life courses between April 2024 and March 2025. 32 women attended Own My Life. The women were parents to 51 children. Significant increases in emotional and physical health were reported.
What service users said:
“(When my daughter) is old enough to understand life's complexities, I will share my story with her, including the steps I took and about the people I met along the way who helped me to get back on my feet. This way, she can see how independent we can be and the strength and kindness that can be found in the hardest of times.”
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“Please allow me to take this opportunity to thank you all, and everyone who helped organise this course.”
“Your guidance has been invaluable during one of the toughest phases of my life. I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported me in rebuilding my life for the better.”
Domestic Abuse Prevention
Domestic abuse is endemic in society and we therefore feel it is important to look at prevention beginning with teaching children about healthy relationships.
Helping Hands
Helping Hands is a six week course developed by Women’s Aid for children aged between 7 and 11.
The objectives of the course are for children
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●to understand their right to a safe home environment,
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●develop resilience and good self-esteem,
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●to realise how their behaviour affects others and
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to learn to manage strong feelings without violence and gain a knowledge of non-violent problem-solving skills.
We were really pleased to continue to run seven Helping Hands courses this year in Central Bedfordshire primary schools.
Feedback from schools
“ The areas covered in Helping Hands are important to the children, they can talk more easily being in a small group. Boosting their self esteem is really important. Many find the ways to deal withanger very helpful and also identifying who they can go to if they need help. Covering these issues is very hard in a whole class situation and the children that attend the groups are often those who would find it hard to speak up in a class situation.”
Feedback from children:
“I enjoyed the keeping safe week, to know where to go and who to talk to. I also liked the anger week. I’ve tried a new way to try and calm down I enjoyed the looking at what makes a good friend. I really liked all the colouring”
“I enjoyed the feelings week, there was lots of drawings and I like that.” I always feel angry. I enjoyed the cutting and sticking activity looking at different ways for me to try to calm down.
“I liked the feelings BINGO it was great fun”.
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“I liked the week when we looked at what we can do. It made me realise I could do lots of things”
42 children took part in the Helping Hands programme.
Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities
Over the year we continued to deliver the Empowering Parents Empowering Communities programme (EPEC)on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council.
(EPEC) is a programme from the Centre for Parent and Child Support, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. EPEC parenting courses are led by local parent facilitators who have completed accredited EPEC training and receive ongoing training, supervision and support to ensure safe, high quality, and effective practice.
Parents attend eight weekly two-hour sessions. During these sessions, parents learn strategies for improving the quality of their interactions with their child, reducing negative child behaviour and increasing their efficacy and confidence in parenting. The sessions involve group discussions, demonstrations, role play and homework assignments.
EPEC is underpinned by rigorous research and practice evidence showing a significant impact on children’s social, emotional and behavioural outcomes, parenting, family resilience and social capital. The programme encourages engagement in other local services and wider community resources. EPEC has been independently rated as an effective, low cost parenting programme (EiF, 2016, AIFS, 2015).
Impact
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Improved parenting and family resilience through teaching well-evidenced parenting strategies and methods.
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Greater understanding of managing family stress.
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Increased social capital and employability through training parent group facilitators.
This year we ran Being a Parent, Being a Parent of an Autistic Child and Being a Parent of a Child with ADHD. We have continued to deliver all of the programmes online, as parents expressed that this made it more accessible. As Central Bedfordshire is a large area it is difficult to find a convenient place to run a face-to-face group.
The Being a Parent of an Autistic Child and Being a Parent of a Child with ADHD courses continue to be very popular. It was hard to recruit parents for the Being a Parent course this year. Using an online evening delivery has also meant that more parents are able to attend without the need for childcare.
| Being a Parent | |
|---|---|
| No of courses | 1 |
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| No ofparents | 4 |
|---|---|
| No of children | 6 |
| Being a Parent of ASD | |
| No of courses | 3 |
| No ofparents | 42 |
| No of children | 58 |
| Being a Parent of ADHD | |
| No of courses | 3 |
| No ofparents | 45 |
| No of children | 137 |
| TOTAL Parents | 91 |
What our service users said:
“Best thing that ever happened to me. Made me realise how much I was getting wrong.”
“I think the fact the hosts could relate to our situation made me feel confident to open up and not feel alone.”
“Tutors being relatable to my concerns. Talking about their own experiences normalised things”.
“I have been on every ASD and parenting programme available, this has been the best so far. The facilitators really know the challenges of parenting as they have been there themselves which is refreshing from all other programmes.”
“It's been really useful to listen and to talk to other parents regarding experiences and techniques, so thank you for being part of our journey into ASD .”
Child Poverty
Many families are struggling to make ends meet as the cost of living continues to rise. Limited income and mounting expenses force difficult choices between essentials like food and energy bills.
We continue to pass on donations of toys, goods and presents to families from donors and have funded items such as a bike and a bed for a child.
Volunteers
Volunteer training
Volunteers are at the very heart of our service delivery. Alongside other voluntary organisations we are finding that It has become increasingly difficult to recruit volunteers.
Recruiting volunteers today is challenging due to people's increasingly busy schedules and work commitments. Many individuals also face financial pressures, making it harder to donate their time freely.
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For the Year Ended 31 March 2025
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE
We are very grateful to our wonderful team of volunteers.
We aim to make our volunteer’s experience with Home-Start enjoyable and worthwhile by providing training, supporting personal growth and development, recognizing their contributions, and creating a welcoming environment where they feel valued and appreciated.
This year a further 17 volunteers joined our team.
| Home Visitng | |
|---|---|
| As at April 1st2025 | 52 |
| Ended during year | 8 |
| Total | 60 |
| SEND | |
| Current | 11 |
| Ended during year | 0 |
| Total | 11 |
| EPEC | |
| Current | 8 |
| Ended | 0 |
| Total | 8 |
| Other e.g. Own MyLife | 1 |
| Trustees | 5 |
| Ended during year | 2 |
| Total | 7 |
| TOTAL VOLUNTEERS | 87plus 9just completed inducton |
| No of new vols 2024 - 25 | 17(includes 5just completed inducton) |
Our volunteers come from a wide range of social, educational and employment backgrounds. They are also from different age groups and cultures. Many use volunteering as a way into work or education particularly in the fields of social care, nursing and midwifery.
Our volunteers attend an induction Course before being placed with families which includes training on safeguarding, domestic abuse, confidentiality and equal opportunities and also attend a mandatory yearly safeguarding update and ongoing training. They complete diary sheets after each visit and have 6-8 weekly supervision with a paid Coordinator. There are regular ongoing training sessions throughout the year both in house and also from outside speakers.
Our thanks to our volunteers without whom there would be no Home-Start.
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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For the Year Ended 31 March 2025
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Like most Charities in the UK we are increasingly finding it difficult to secure sustainable funding, especially as economic challenges continue to affect society at large. Rising inflation, reduced government grants, and increased demand for services, make maintaining stable income streams difficult.
At the same time, individual and corporate donors may have less disposable income to give, prioritizing personal or business survival over charitable contributions.
This creates a funding gap just as the need for our services grows there is additional pressure on already stretched resources. We are continuing to work hard to innovate, diversify funding sources, and demonstrate impact to stay financially viable in a tough economic climate.
As stated earlier we are very thankful to have been successful in winning a 3 year contract with Central Bedfordshire Council which will give some stability to our home visiting and EPEC services.
We currently have enough in reserves to be able to fund the deficit in the Own My Life and Helping Hands courses and SEND Parent Mentors funding.
We are grateful for the donations that we have received which have allowed us to be able to continue to run the popular Own My Life and Helping Hands courses this year.
The work of HSB would not be possible without the generous support of organisations, businesses and individuals in giving donations, grants, quilts, toys and necessary items for our families in need to whom we are very grateful. Without their kindness our work would not have been possible. A special thank you to our wonderful volunteers who donated both time and expenses.
Income for the year totalled £213,310 (2024: £196,816) and expenditure £210,123 (2024: £211,674) resulting in a surplus of £3,187 (2024: loss £14,858)
Reserves policy
The Trustees have considered the likely risks to the charity over the year and have designated reserves of £277,000 as last year in order that the charity may be able to continue to operate or to wind down if appropriate. These include twelve months’ operating expenditure, pension fund deficit on closure, redundancy payments, equipment replacement.
Future Plans and Risks
Our main risk is from the current financial recession combined with increased operating costs. Recruiting volunteers is also becoming more difficult due to competition from
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both the voluntary and the statutory sectors.
More people are working longer hours due to economic pressure and therefore have less time available. In order to make it easier for people to volunteer we are being more flexible in the delivery of the initial training and ongoing training courses. We will also be considering other ways that people may be able to give their time.
Another risk is that we do not have sustainable funding for three of our services. We are therefore continuing with our plans to diversify our income and attract individual and corporate donors.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Structure and Governance
HSB is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 5[th] April 2005 (amended 9 June 2015 and 2024). Including the activities of its predecessor organisation HSB has been delivering family support services since its launch in 1984.
The members of the Board of Trustees of the Charity during the year ended 31[st] March 2025 were:
Sue Fuchter Chair Enid Miller Treasurer Alison Packer Peter Raza Nigel Taylor Anne Thomson Barry Brown
All of the Trustees of the Charity are also directors of the charity and their responsibilities include all the responsibilities of directors under the Companies Acts and of Trustees under the Charities Act.
Day to day management of the charity is delegated to the Chief Executive Linda Johnson
Company Secretary
Linda Johnson
Staff during the year ending March 2025
Staf |
Role | Additonal responsibilites |
|---|---|---|
| Linda Johnson | CEO | Own MyLife |
| Janine Henderson | Coordinator South Beds | HelpingHands |
| Clare Diggins | Coordinator Mid Beds | Own My Life/Helping Hands |
| Heidi Allen | SEND Parent Mentor Coordinator |
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| Colete Fletcher | EPEC Coordinator | |
|---|---|---|
| Margaret McShane | Administrator |
Reference and Administrative details
Registered Company Number:
5414484 (Registered in England and Wales)
Registered Charity Number
1109262
Registered Office
Delta House 33 Hockliffe St Leighton Buzzard LU7 1EZ
Independent Examiner
Mr M Thomas 128 Putnoe Lane Bedford, MK41 8LS
Bankers
CAF Bank Ltd Cambridge and Counties Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Charnwood Court Kings Hill New Walk West Malling Leicester Kent LE1 6TE ME19 4JQ Shawbrook Bank Ltd. (acc closed Feb 2024) Nationwide Building Society Lutea House Kings Park Road Warley Hill Business Park Moulton Park The Drive Northampton Great Warley NN3 6NW Brentwood Essex CM13 3BE United Trust Bank (a/c opened June 2023) Redwood Bank 1, Ropemaker St The Nexus Building London Broadway EC2Y 9AW Letchworth
SG6 3TA
Hampshire Trust Bank (acc. closed Aug 2023) 55 Bishopsgate
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For the Year Ended 31 March 2025
London EC2N 3AS
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A company limited by guarantee Company Registration Number: 05414484 Registered Charity Number: 1109262
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Report of the Trustees and Financial Statement Year Ended 31 March 2025
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
CONTENTS
| Trustees’ report 3 |
|---|
| Independent examiner’s report 7 |
| Statement of financial activities 8 |
| Balance sheet 9 |
| Notes to the financial statements 10 |
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
Trustees Annual Report
The trustees of Home-Start Central Bedfordshire present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the recommendations of the Statement of Recommended Practice 2005-Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005) and in accordance with applicable laws.
Officers and professional advisers
Trustees serving during the year and since the year end were as follows: Mrs S E Fuchter Mrs A M Packer
Mr P Raza Mr B Brown Mr N C Taylor Mrs E M Miller Mrs A Thomson
Secretary and administration
Mrs L Johnson Delta House 33, Hockliffe St Leighton Buzzard LU7 1EZ
Bankers
CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent, ME19 4JQ
Cambridge & Counties Bank Charnwood Court New Walk Leicester LE1 6TE
Nationwide Building Society United Trust Bank 1, Threadneedle Street 1, Ropemaker St London London EC2R 8AY EC2Y 9AW
Redwood Bank The Nexus Building Broadway Letchworth Garden City SG6 3TA
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
Independent examiner
Mr M Thomas 128 Putnoe Lane Bedford, MK41 8LS
Structure, governance and management
The Charitable Company is controlled by the board of trustees within the terms of the governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes a company limited by guarantee under the terms of Memorandum and Articles of Association of 5 April 2005 (as amended 13 March 2015).
Day to day management is the responsibility of the Chief Executive Linda Johnson
Risk assessment and management
The trustees review the major risks to which the Charity is exposed and ensure that the appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. Areas reviewed include:
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Lease of premises, office equipment and furniture
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Staff and redundancy costs
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Contract relationships
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Insurable risks, including public liability, employer’s liability and property contents
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Precautions against the possibility of dishonesty.
Objectives and activities
Charitable objects
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Safeguard, protect and preserve the good health, both mental and physical of children and parents of children;
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Prevent cruelty to or maltreatment of children;
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Relieve sickness, poverty and need amongst children and parents of children;
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Promote the education of the public in better standards of childcare within in the areas of Bedfordshire and Luton
Charitable activities
The core activity for the year remained that of making available our trained and supervised volunteers to give free, non-judgemental and confidential support to families in their own homes. In addition we ran a number of other services all with the aim of giving children the best start in life.
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
Achievement and performance
Over the year we supported a total of 314 families including 599 children.
This was through peer one to one support services such as our home visiting volunteers and our SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Mentors or group support, for example our peer led parenting programmes, Helping Hands programmes in primary schools and Own My Life domestic abuse survivor programmes.
We are grateful for the donations that we have received which have allowed us to be able to continue to run the popular Own My Life and Helping Hands courses this year. We are also thankful to businesses and individuals who donated goods such as toys and presents that we were able to pass on to local families in need.
We would like to say a huge thank you to the individuals and organisations who have given to our charity over the year.
Leighton-Linslade Town Council have given us a grant for many years now which we very much appreciate.
Financial Review
Like all charities we have faced rising costs but also an increase in demand for our services partially due to growing pressures such as the cost-of-living crisis and mental health challenges. Many families are experiencing heightened anxiety about financial instability, uncertain futures, and the broader social and environmental climate.
Charities are stepping in to fill the gap as public services face increasing strain and limited funding.
Our main funding currently comes from a contract with the local authority. We are thankful that we have been successful in a tender bid for Home Visiting and Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities projects, beginning April 2025. This three year contract offers the stability we have been aiming for but we are mindful that we cannot be reliant on this in the future.
However the SEND Parent Mentor project which has a long waiting list is no longer going to be funded by Central Bedfordshire Council due to funding efficiencies. Our current reserves mean that we are able to continue to fund this project as well as Own My Life and Helping Hands.
This gives us time to continue to search for other funding streams.
Income for the year totalled £213,310 (2024: £196,816) and expenditure £210,123 (2024: £211,674) resulting in a surplus of £3,187 (2024: loss £14,858)
Plans for the future
As stated we are heavily reliant on contract funding from the local authority for our main peer support work. We are therefore continuing with our plans to diversify our income and attract individual and corporate donors.
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
We believe that effective stewardship of our volunteers, donors and service users is essential for our long term sustainability.
The Trustees have considered the likely risks to the charity over the year and have designated reserves of £277,000 as last year in order that the charity may be able to continue to operate or to wind down if appropriate. These include twelve months’ operating expenditure, pension fund deficit on closure, redundancy payments, equipment replacement.
This report was approved by the Trustees on 23rd July 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Mrs S Fuchter Chair of Trustees
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF HOME-START CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE (a company limited by guarantee). Charity number 1109262. Company number 05414484.
I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 7 to 13
Respective responsibilities of trustee and examiner
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity's gross income did not exceed £250,000.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act.
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view,’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention, which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and
-
• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
-
have not been met; or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Mervyn Thomas July 25, 2025 128 Putnoe Lane
Bedford, MK41 8LS
- 7 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
| STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending 31st. December 2025 | |||
| Total funds | Total funds | ||
| Notes | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | ||
| Income from: | |||
| Voluntary income | 202,028 | 186,514 |
|
| Investment Income | 11,282 | 10,302 |
|
| Total income | 3 | 213,310 | 196,816 |
| Expenditure on: | |||
| Family support | 209,550 | 207,423 |
|
| Governance costs | 573 | 4,251 |
|
| Total Expenditure | 4 | 210,123 | 211,674 |
| Net income/(expenditure) | 3,187 | (14,858) | |
| Reconciliation of funds: | |||
| Total funds brought forward | 7 | 481,564 | 496,422 |
| Total funds carried forward | 484,751 | 481,564 |
(continued
- 8 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
| BALANCE SHEET | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending 31st.March 2025 | Total funds | Total funds | |
| Notes | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | ||
| Current Assets | |||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 487,989 | 487,989 485,441 |
|
| Debtors & prepayments | 5 | - | - 94 |
| Total Current Assets | 487,989 | 485,535 | |
| Liabilities | |||
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | 6 | (3,238) | (3,971) |
| Net Assets | 484,751 | 481,564 | |
| Funds of the Charity: | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 484,751 | 484,751 481,564 |
|
| Restricted Funds | - | - - |
|
| Total funds | 484,751 | 481,564 |
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under s477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024 in accordance with s476 of the Companies Act 2006. The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
-
(a) Ensuring that the company keeps accounting records that comply with s386 and s387 of the Companies Act 2006 and;
-
(b) Preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of the financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of s394 and s395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charitable companies and the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008).
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 23rd July 2025 and were signed on its behalf by Mrs S Fuchter
Sign
- 9 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
Dated: 23rd July 2025
- 10 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. Status of Charitable Company
The Charitable Company is limited by guarantee. Each member of the company has undertaken to contribute up to £1 to the Charity Company’s assets should it be wound up.
2. Accounting policies
Accounting convention
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards, the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued in March 2005 (SORP 2005).
Incoming resources
Incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charitable Company is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Donated facilities are included at the value to the Charitable Company where this can be quantified and a third party is bearing the cost.
Grant income and grants for expenses are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities and income and expenditure account in the year in which they are receivable.
Resources expended
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, they have been apportioned to activities on a basis of time spent. Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the Charitable Company and include an appropriate apportionment of management overheads.
Governance costs
Governance costs comprise all costs involving the public accountability of the Charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. These costs include an allocation relating to support costs.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are those funds which may be used towards meeting the objectives of the Charitable Company at the discretion of the Trustees.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charitable Company for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of restricted funds is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
Pension costs
The Charitable Company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the Charitable Company’s pension scheme and are charged to the Statement of Charitable Activities in the period to which they relate.
The pension scheme is administered by TPT Retirement Solutions on behalf of a consortium of companies of which we are part.
Taxation
The Charitable Company, as a registered charity, is not liable to taxation. The Charitable Company cannot recover value added tax, and the expenditure where applicable is therefore included gross of the related value added tax.
Interest receivable
Interest on deposit and other accounts is allocated to income in the year in which it is receivable.
3.1 Analysis of Income 2024
| 3.1 Analysis of Income 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total | Total | |
| Funds | Funds | |
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Income from: | ||
| Core funding grant | 172,150 | 167,500 |
| Other grants and income | 9,092 | 3,700 |
| Donations | 20,786 | 15,314 |
| Total Voluntary Income | 202,028 | 186,514 |
| Bank Interest | 11,282 | 10,302 |
| Total Income | 213,310 | 196,816 |
3.2 Grants received 2024
Grants were received or were in use during the year 2024_2025 from the following: Leighton Linslade Town Council Ward Councillor Grant - Cllr Ghent
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HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
- 13 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
4.1 Analysis of Expenditures
| 4.1 Analysis of Expenditures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total | Total | |
| Funds | Funds | |
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Family Support | £ | £ |
| Staff | ||
| Payroll | 178,278 | 120,833 |
| Pensions and life assurance | 9,979 | |
| Staff expenses | 2,152 | 2,618 |
| Recruitment expenses | 37 | |
| Training | - | 192 |
| Total Staff | 180,430 | 133,659 |
| Buildings | ||
| Premises Rent and Rates | 3,900 | 9,079 |
| Insurance and security | 1,294 | 1,240 |
| Total Buildings | 5,194 | 10,319 |
| Support | ||
| Volunteer Expenses, Support & CRBs | 3,301 | 1,534 |
| Volunteer Training | 713 | 672 |
| Refreshments | 218 | 623 |
| Administration --office costs | 6,584 | 12,021 |
| Marketing | 3,313 | 36,300 |
| Project costs | 6,364 | 8,316 |
| Publicity and fundraising expenses | 3,313 | 3,859 |
| Bank charges | 120 | 120 |
| Total Support | 23,926 | 63,445 |
| Total Family Support | 209,550 | 207,423 |
| Governance Costs | ||
| AGM costs | 363 | 45 |
| Professional fees | 210 | 58 |
| Committee expenses | - | - |
| Home-Start accreditation fee | - | 4,148 |
| Total Governance | 573 | 4,251 |
| Total Expenditure | 210,123 | 211,674 |
- 14 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
4.2 Staff Employed
| 4.2 Staff Employed | ||
|---|---|---|
| Headcount | Headcount | |
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Equivalent Whole Time Employees | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| 5. Debtors | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | ||
| Prepayments | - | 94 |
| Debtors | - | - |
| Total Debtors | - | 94 |
| 6. Creditors | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Amounts falling due within 1 year | £ | |
| Payroll | 2266 | 2,427 |
| Other creditors | 972 | 1,544 |
| Total Creditors | 3,238 | 3,971 |
7. Funds Analysis
In 2025 no restricted Income was received and zero restricted funds were carried forwards from 2024
- 15 -
A company limited by guarantee Company Registration Number: 05414484 Registered Charity Number: 1109262
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Report of the Trustees and Financial Statement Year Ended 31 March 2025
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
CONTENTS
| Trustees’ report 3 |
|---|
| Independent examiner’s report 7 |
| Statement of financial activities 8 |
| Balance sheet 9 |
| Notes to the financial statements 10 |
- 2 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
Trustees Annual Report
The trustees of Home-Start Central Bedfordshire present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the recommendations of the Statement of Recommended Practice 2005-Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005) and in accordance with applicable laws.
Officers and professional advisers
Trustees serving during the year and since the year end were as follows: Mrs S E Fuchter Mrs A M Packer
Mr P Raza Mr B Brown Mr N C Taylor Mrs E M Miller Mrs A Thomson
Secretary and administration
Mrs L Johnson Delta House 33, Hockliffe St Leighton Buzzard LU7 1EZ
Bankers
CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent, ME19 4JQ
Cambridge & Counties Bank Charnwood Court New Walk Leicester LE1 6TE
Nationwide Building Society United Trust Bank 1, Threadneedle Street 1, Ropemaker St London London EC2R 8AY EC2Y 9AW
Redwood Bank The Nexus Building Broadway Letchworth Garden City SG6 3TA
- 3 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
Independent examiner
Mr M Thomas 128 Putnoe Lane Bedford, MK41 8LS
Structure, governance and management
The Charitable Company is controlled by the board of trustees within the terms of the governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes a company limited by guarantee under the terms of Memorandum and Articles of Association of 5 April 2005 (as amended 13 March 2015).
Day to day management is the responsibility of the Chief Executive Linda Johnson
Risk assessment and management
The trustees review the major risks to which the Charity is exposed and ensure that the appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. Areas reviewed include:
-
Lease of premises, office equipment and furniture
-
Staff and redundancy costs
-
Contract relationships
-
Insurable risks, including public liability, employer’s liability and property contents
-
Precautions against the possibility of dishonesty.
Objectives and activities
Charitable objects
-
Safeguard, protect and preserve the good health, both mental and physical of children and parents of children;
-
Prevent cruelty to or maltreatment of children;
-
Relieve sickness, poverty and need amongst children and parents of children;
-
Promote the education of the public in better standards of childcare within in the areas of Bedfordshire and Luton
Charitable activities
The core activity for the year remained that of making available our trained and supervised volunteers to give free, non-judgemental and confidential support to families in their own homes. In addition we ran a number of other services all with the aim of giving children the best start in life.
- 4 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
Achievement and performance
Over the year we supported a total of 314 families including 599 children.
This was through peer one to one support services such as our home visiting volunteers and our SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Mentors or group support, for example our peer led parenting programmes, Helping Hands programmes in primary schools and Own My Life domestic abuse survivor programmes.
We are grateful for the donations that we have received which have allowed us to be able to continue to run the popular Own My Life and Helping Hands courses this year. We are also thankful to businesses and individuals who donated goods such as toys and presents that we were able to pass on to local families in need.
We would like to say a huge thank you to the individuals and organisations who have given to our charity over the year.
Leighton-Linslade Town Council have given us a grant for many years now which we very much appreciate.
Financial Review
Like all charities we have faced rising costs but also an increase in demand for our services partially due to growing pressures such as the cost-of-living crisis and mental health challenges. Many families are experiencing heightened anxiety about financial instability, uncertain futures, and the broader social and environmental climate.
Charities are stepping in to fill the gap as public services face increasing strain and limited funding.
Our main funding currently comes from a contract with the local authority. We are thankful that we have been successful in a tender bid for Home Visiting and Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities projects, beginning April 2025. This three year contract offers the stability we have been aiming for but we are mindful that we cannot be reliant on this in the future.
However the SEND Parent Mentor project which has a long waiting list is no longer going to be funded by Central Bedfordshire Council due to funding efficiencies. Our current reserves mean that we are able to continue to fund this project as well as Own My Life and Helping Hands.
This gives us time to continue to search for other funding streams.
Income for the year totalled £213,310 (2024: £196,816) and expenditure £210,123 (2024: £211,674) resulting in a surplus of £3,187 (2024: loss £14,858)
Plans for the future
As stated we are heavily reliant on contract funding from the local authority for our main peer support work. We are therefore continuing with our plans to diversify our income and attract individual and corporate donors.
- 5 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
We believe that effective stewardship of our volunteers, donors and service users is essential for our long term sustainability.
The Trustees have considered the likely risks to the charity over the year and have designated reserves of £277,000 as last year in order that the charity may be able to continue to operate or to wind down if appropriate. These include twelve months’ operating expenditure, pension fund deficit on closure, redundancy payments, equipment replacement.
This report was approved by the Trustees on 23rd July 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Mrs S Fuchter Chair of Trustees
- 6 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF HOME-START CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE (a company limited by guarantee). Charity number 1109262. Company number 05414484.
I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 7 to 13
Respective responsibilities of trustee and examiner
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity's gross income did not exceed £250,000.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act.
-
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
-
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view,’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention, which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and
-
• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
-
have not been met; or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Mervyn Thomas July 25, 2025 128 Putnoe Lane
Bedford, MK41 8LS
- 7 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
| STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending 31st. December 2025 | |||
| Total funds | Total funds | ||
| Notes | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | ||
| Income from: | |||
| Voluntary income | 202,028 | 186,514 |
|
| Investment Income | 11,282 | 10,302 |
|
| Total income | 3 | 213,310 | 196,816 |
| Expenditure on: | |||
| Family support | 209,550 | 207,423 |
|
| Governance costs | 573 | 4,251 |
|
| Total Expenditure | 4 | 210,123 | 211,674 |
| Net income/(expenditure) | 3,187 | (14,858) | |
| Reconciliation of funds: | |||
| Total funds brought forward | 7 | 481,564 | 496,422 |
| Total funds carried forward | 484,751 | 481,564 |
(continued
- 8 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
| BALANCE SHEET | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending 31st.March 2025 | Total funds | Total funds | |
| Notes | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | ||
| Current Assets | |||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 487,989 | 487,989 485,441 |
|
| Debtors & prepayments | 5 | - | - 94 |
| Total Current Assets | 487,989 | 485,535 | |
| Liabilities | |||
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | 6 | (3,238) | (3,971) |
| Net Assets | 484,751 | 481,564 | |
| Funds of the Charity: | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 484,751 | 484,751 481,564 |
|
| Restricted Funds | - | - - |
|
| Total funds | 484,751 | 481,564 |
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under s477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024 in accordance with s476 of the Companies Act 2006. The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
-
(a) Ensuring that the company keeps accounting records that comply with s386 and s387 of the Companies Act 2006 and;
-
(b) Preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of the financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of s394 and s395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charitable companies and the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008).
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 23rd July 2025 and were signed on its behalf by Mrs S Fuchter
Sign
- 9 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
Dated: 23rd July 2025
- 10 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. Status of Charitable Company
The Charitable Company is limited by guarantee. Each member of the company has undertaken to contribute up to £1 to the Charity Company’s assets should it be wound up.
2. Accounting policies
Accounting convention
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards, the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued in March 2005 (SORP 2005).
Incoming resources
Incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charitable Company is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Donated facilities are included at the value to the Charitable Company where this can be quantified and a third party is bearing the cost.
Grant income and grants for expenses are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities and income and expenditure account in the year in which they are receivable.
Resources expended
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, they have been apportioned to activities on a basis of time spent. Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the Charitable Company and include an appropriate apportionment of management overheads.
Governance costs
Governance costs comprise all costs involving the public accountability of the Charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. These costs include an allocation relating to support costs.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are those funds which may be used towards meeting the objectives of the Charitable Company at the discretion of the Trustees.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charitable Company for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of restricted funds is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
- 11 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
Pension costs
The Charitable Company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the Charitable Company’s pension scheme and are charged to the Statement of Charitable Activities in the period to which they relate.
The pension scheme is administered by TPT Retirement Solutions on behalf of a consortium of companies of which we are part.
Taxation
The Charitable Company, as a registered charity, is not liable to taxation. The Charitable Company cannot recover value added tax, and the expenditure where applicable is therefore included gross of the related value added tax.
Interest receivable
Interest on deposit and other accounts is allocated to income in the year in which it is receivable.
3.1 Analysis of Income 2024
| 3.1 Analysis of Income 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total | Total | |
| Funds | Funds | |
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Income from: | ||
| Core funding grant | 172,150 | 167,500 |
| Other grants and income | 9,092 | 3,700 |
| Donations | 20,786 | 15,314 |
| Total Voluntary Income | 202,028 | 186,514 |
| Bank Interest | 11,282 | 10,302 |
| Total Income | 213,310 | 196,816 |
3.2 Grants received 2024
Grants were received or were in use during the year 2024_2025 from the following: Leighton Linslade Town Council Ward Councillor Grant - Cllr Ghent
- 12 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Trustees Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2025
Company: 05414484 Charity: 1109262
- 13 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
4.1 Analysis of Expenditures
| 4.1 Analysis of Expenditures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total | Total | |
| Funds | Funds | |
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Family Support | £ | £ |
| Staff | ||
| Payroll | 178,278 | 120,833 |
| Pensions and life assurance | 9,979 | |
| Staff expenses | 2,152 | 2,618 |
| Recruitment expenses | 37 | |
| Training | - | 192 |
| Total Staff | 180,430 | 133,659 |
| Buildings | ||
| Premises Rent and Rates | 3,900 | 9,079 |
| Insurance and security | 1,294 | 1,240 |
| Total Buildings | 5,194 | 10,319 |
| Support | ||
| Volunteer Expenses, Support & CRBs | 3,301 | 1,534 |
| Volunteer Training | 713 | 672 |
| Refreshments | 218 | 623 |
| Administration --office costs | 6,584 | 12,021 |
| Marketing | 3,313 | 36,300 |
| Project costs | 6,364 | 8,316 |
| Publicity and fundraising expenses | 3,313 | 3,859 |
| Bank charges | 120 | 120 |
| Total Support | 23,926 | 63,445 |
| Total Family Support | 209,550 | 207,423 |
| Governance Costs | ||
| AGM costs | 363 | 45 |
| Professional fees | 210 | 58 |
| Committee expenses | - | - |
| Home-Start accreditation fee | - | 4,148 |
| Total Governance | 573 | 4,251 |
| Total Expenditure | 210,123 | 211,674 |
- 14 -
HOME-START BEDFORDSHIRE Company: 05414484 Trustees Report and Financial Statements Charity: 1109262 Year ended 31 March 2025
4.2 Staff Employed
| 4.2 Staff Employed | ||
|---|---|---|
| Headcount | Headcount | |
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Equivalent Whole Time Employees | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| 5. Debtors | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | ||
| Prepayments | - | 94 |
| Debtors | - | - |
| Total Debtors | - | 94 |
| 6. Creditors | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Amounts falling due within 1 year | £ | |
| Payroll | 2266 | 2,427 |
| Other creditors | 972 | 1,544 |
| Total Creditors | 3,238 | 3,971 |
7. Funds Analysis
In 2025 no restricted Income was received and zero restricted funds were carried forwards from 2024
- 15 -