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2021-03-31-accounts

Annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021

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Foreword by Maddy Hamp, Chair of the Trustee Board

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

POSSABILITY PEOPLE LIMITED (limited by guarantee) Known as Possability People

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Management Committee

Maddy Hamp Kathy Goddon Samantha Oakley Sophie Reilly Mark Green Linda Elisha Claire Arielle Leon Mark Lawson

Patron Vacant

Chief Officer Geraldine DesMoulins

Charity number 1114435 Company number 05706441

Registered office & principal address

Montague House

Somerset Street Brighton East Sussex BN2 1JE

Auditors

Kreston Reeves LLP

Plus X Innovation Hub Lewes Road Brighton East Sussex BN2 4GL

Bankers

CAF Bank Limited Kings Hill 25 Kings Hill Avenue West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ

Contact information

Telephone: 01273 894040 Textphone: 07718 424214 Email: hello@possabilitypeople.org.uk www.possabilitypeople.org.uk

If you need this publication in an alternative format and/or language, please contact us to discuss your needs. This publication is available to download from the website www.possabilitypeople.org.uk

Contents

t’s difficult to know where to start. None of us have lived through a global pandemic or had to deal with such extraordinary circumstances that Ithe year gave us.

Each and every one of us has been affected by Covid-19; no-one has been spared. And while we are now hopeful that life will return to some sort of normality, we are keenly aware that the disease will have left deep scars for many of our friends, beneficiaries, volunteers, and staff.

I am incredibly impressed by, and proud of, the way in which Possability People’s staff and volunteer team have found their way through such difficult times.

The teams acted swiftly to move services and projects online wherever possible. They created new projects which held out a virtual hand to anyone who needed it. They didn’t baulk in providing face to face support for those clients who needed it. They found ingenious solutions to keep people connected and supported, many of which worked so well that they will continue.

“Possability People is a unique organisation, filled with courage and creativity...”

And of course, support for people who will be affected by the ongoing effects of the virus, be that health, wellbeing, or financial will continue to be provided by all our teams.

Possability People is a unique organisation, filled with courage and creativity and a commitment to supporting disabled people and people with long term health conditions.

The fact that many of the staff and volunteers were themselves shielding didn’t deter them from providing a compassionate and high quality service during a time of extreme stress.

The organisation has supported 6,743 people over the year, which I think you’ll agree is a tremendous achievement.

On behalf of the board, the most sincere thank you to the staff, volunteers and our supporters. I hope you will see from this report just how much they have all achieved.

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Cover photo courtesy of ryan-kwok-tNffWlNwJ3Efrom Unsplash

To promote social inclusion of disabled people in the South East (1) by facilitating their involvement and participation in the planning and decision making structure of their communities, so that they can have equal rights and a voice and control over issues affecting their lives, and (2) by providing services including advice and guidance on welfare rights, health, housing and employment”. From our memorandum of association.

How our activities deliver public benefit

Structure, governance and management

The trustees confirm they have complied with their duty to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. The main activities undertaken to further the charity’s purposes for the public benefit are detailed in the section Our aims and objectives on page 10.

The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee (05706441), incorporated on 13 of February 2006 and registered as a charity (1114435) on 31 May 2006 and originally registered 27 January 1981 (281731).

The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association.

Possability People’s underlying principle is the Social Model of Disability. The organisation believes disabled people are disabled not by limitations of their bodies and minds but by the societal barriers of unequal access, prejudice, discrimination, and social exclusion.

In 2011 we developed a new brand confirming our working name as: The Fed – Centre for Independent Living (The Fed) which is the name by which we were more commonly known. In June 2016 we rebranded the organisation and our registered name The Brighton & Hove Federation of Disabled People was changed to Possability People.

Possability People is a membership organisation. Currently our membership comprises of 32 organisations and 25 individuals.

We are the leading organisation in Brighton and Hove which supports people with a wide range of disabilities (pan impairment).

Possability People is a User Led specialist infrastructure organisation whose membership is drawn from individuals or organisations with a personal or professional experience of disability services and rights.

The trustees are pleased to present their annual group report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 March 2021 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a group directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.

Our membership elect a Board of Trustees made up of volunteer representatives (over 60% of whom are Disabled People). Possability People can demonstrate that it meets the exacting criteria of the Department of Health regarding its user led status.

The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and 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).

The Trustees are also the directors for the purpose of company law. Trustees serving during the period were:

Maddy Hamp Re-Elected 3/12/2020 Kathy Goddon Re-Elected 3/12/2020 Sophie Reilly Linda Elisha Re-Elected 3/12/2020 Samantha Oakley Mark Green Claire Arielle Leon Mark Lawson Resigned 1 February 2021

None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up. All trustees give their time voluntarily and received no benefits from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in note 7 to the accounts.

Group Structure and Relationships

The charity has a wholly owned non-charitable subsidiary, Possability People Trading Limited, whose purpose is to provide support services to disabled people. Its trading performance and further information is detailed on page 58 of the financial statements.

Recruitment and Appointment of the Board of Trustees

Trustee recruitment process:

  1. The Trustee Board identifies the skills and experience needed by a board member to lead the charity.

  2. The role description is advertised, widely on appropriate lists and on our website. As a userled disability organisation we actively encourage applications from people with lived experience.

3. Potential candidates are sent a Trustee recruitment

pack with information about the organisation and the essential requirements for trustees including a role description and person specification.

  1. Applications are reviewed and shortlisted by the board. A panel is then chosen of two trustees supported by the Chief Officer. The panel sends its recommendation to the board.

  2. Our Memorandum and Articles states that successful candidates can be co-opted on to the board prior to being voted on by the membership at the next AGM.

  3. Appointees are given a thorough induction which includes a presentation of the activities of the charity, confirmation of an understanding of the charity’s policies and procedures, meetings with senior team members. A DBS check will be carried out and also at the time of induction any identified training needs will be addressed.

Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, one third (or the number nearest one third) of the Trustees must retire at each AGM, those longest in office retiring first and the choice between any of equal service being made by drawing lots. A Trustee retiring under this Article may stand for re-election.

Possability People’s Board of Trustees must consist of at least 3 and not more than 15 individual members who meet quarterly and are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the charity.

Day to Day Responsibility

Possability People have a Senior Leadership Team supported by an Offices and Resources Co-ordinator. The Senior Leadership Team consists of:

Chief Officer Strategy and Business Development.

Finance Officer Central Finance, Payroll and Supported Bank Accounts.

Operations & Development Manager Project and service delivery and development, income generation, monitoring and evaluation.

Business Development & Services Manager Service provision and development of new services.

Communications Manager Communications strategy.

Pay policy for senior staff

The Chief Officer and Senior Leadership Team are in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day to day basis. The trustees provide oversight, governance and strategic direction to the charity. Details of trustee’s expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in note 7 to the accounts. The pay of the senior staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in accordance with changes to National Joint Council (NJC) pay-scales.

  1. The recruitment process is reviewed and evaluated.

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Risk Management

The management committee discusses risk on an ongoing basis. Possability People holds a risk register.

The biggest risk to the charity is the pressure on budgets in the public sector which remains a significant source of our income. We have seen cuts to contracted budgets and also discontinued activities. There is further risk as some contracts are now payment by results and in arrears which could potentially put the organisation’s cash under pressure.

To mitigate this risk, we continually look for other opportunities to diversify our offer. This includes successfully increasing our social enterprise activities and looking at strengthening our fundraising activities including bids to Trusts and Foundations.

We do not anticipate going concern issues in the foreseeable period ahead.

COVID-19

The community and voluntary sector recognises the significant risks it faces, and has faced, during the COVID-19 health emergency.

We have been successful in applying for grants from various emergency funds and that has mitigated the disrupted income streams we anticipated from our various activities.

Our underlying social enterprise activity continues to provide regular and reliable income and together with securing funding from Trusts and Foundations. Although public sector funding is under pressure statutory bodies value and recognise our contribution and we continue to receive commissions and contracts from them.

The charity’s objectives are contained in the company’s memorandum of association

To promote social inclusion of disabled people in Sussex (1) by facilitating their involvement and participation in the planning and decision making structure of their communities, so that they can have equal rights and a voice and control over issues affecting their lives, and (2) by providing services including advice and guidance on welfare rights, health, housing and employment.

Our team of At Home PAs continued to work during the pandemic.

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An exceptional year; Covid-19 and beyond.

By the beginning of April, we had moved 35 office based staff to home working, set up over 40 Zoom accounts and trained staff and volunteers to use it, provided 13 additional mobile phones and 5 laptops to volunteers for remote working. We completed 38 new assessments to workstations to ensure all staff and volunteers could safely and effectively work from home and provided additional equipment such as monitor raisers, peripheral keyboards etc. as appropriate. Eighteen volunteers continued their roles remotely, while a further 42 were roles were put on hold. For those not actively volunteering, their teams provided regular catch ups to ensure their wellbeing and continued engagement until they can resume their role. Each staff team has developed detailed plans for remote communication and maintaining positive working relationships in the absence of face to face contact in the office and the camaraderie that usually fosters.

This year has taken an unprecedented toll on disabled people. Their vulnerability to the virus and the impact of the measures put in place to control its spread have presented many new and evolving challenges.

The Office for National Statistics[1] reported that disabled people were more likely to be worried or very worried about the virus and the effect it had on their lives, feel stressed, anxious, bored or frustrated about the virus, feel a deterioration of their mental health, be worried they are a burden on other people and feel more lonely than non-disabled people.

This national picture is borne out locally. A large proportion of the disabled people we support in Sussex and Surrey found themselves on the shielding list. Many others with underlying health conditions shielded voluntarily to protect themselves.

We develped a micro-site within our website to collate and share information on Covid-19, not just on the official national guidance but on a variety of subjects to help and support people in lots of ways. From food and shopping, to transport, health and wellbeing, exercise and cultural activities, to home schooling and more, the microsite had 2,368 visits in its first three months. It hosted a regular, initially weekly service update which reiterated the national guidance.

At the start of the pandemic, access to simple basics such as food, medication, healthcare, digital support and registering for centralised support was challenging.

As the year unfolded, new barriers presented themselves. Emergency changes to travel infrastructure made disabled parking and access to disabled facilities more challenging. Changing layouts of supermarket car parks to enable socially distanced queues often meant disabled parking spaces near entrances and exits to the store were cordoned off. Queuing and mask wearing also proved problematic for people with sensory impairments and guide dog owners.

We provided printed and posted material from all our projects and services for people without digital access and invested in the Freephone bolt-on for our Zoom account so people who could only access the service via phone were not expected to pay for the privilege.

While a great deal of information was released by national and local agencies on a regular basis, rarely was this targeted at specific audiences or in accessible formats. People contacted us frequently because they didn’t know what information was pertinent because there was so much of it. As personal protection equipment (PPE) became more widely available and the vaccine programme started rolling out, tailored information about access, eligibility and support for these became vital.

We have worked across Brighton, Hove and Sussex to ensure the needs of disabled people are not overlooked by Brighton and Hove City, Council (BHCC), East Sussex County Council (ESCC) or Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) We also worked with Brighton and Hove City Council to improve the future implementation of Active Travel arrangements.

The money received from our funders feels more important than ever this year, and we are grateful to all of them.

The year tested Possability People just as it has tested our community.

Possability People supported 6,743 people this year

List of funders 2020-21

We are grateful for their support both with our core costs (supporting us by replacing lost income due to the pandemic), which has enabled us to keep working.

And we are grateful for new funding which helped us to meet the emerging needs of our beneficiaries who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

This includes the Barclays 100x100 Covid-19 Community Relief Funding which has enabled us to:

We will keep rolling out the programme and offering support while it is required.

• Department for Work and Pensions – Flexible Support Fund

We were delighted to have been included in Brighton and Hove Bus Company’s ‘Above and Beyond’ campaign. The team are represented on a Brighton and Hove Bus Company bus, which will be seen across the city for a full year.

We are also extremely grateful to all the individuals who have made one off or recurring donations throughout the year, which directly benefits disabled people. Knowing people care boosts the morale of the whole team.

1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/articles/coronavirusandthesocialimpactsondisabledpeopleingreatbritain/february2021

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Our aims and objectives

Our Vision: A society where anything is possible regardless of ability

Our Mission: Ensuring disabled people can live independently, with dignity and without prejudice

----- Start of picture text -----
Aim Outcome Objective
1 To improve Access • To co-design services
accessible
• To make use of digital technology
services People can access
life, society and the • To make our services available in other loca-tions and
personalised services across communities
they needs
• To provide quality training and consultancy for other
providers to improve their offer to disabled people
• To give strength to the voice of our beneficiaries in
their communities
2 To ensure Information • To communicate and offer realistic options
people have
• To produce user friendly material
good quality
People have the
accessible information they need • To provide innovative platforms to share the in-
information
to make decisions and formation disabled people need
plan their lives
• To give people expert advice to solve the prob-lems
they face
3 To enable Support • To help join up services across all sectors
people to live
• To help and encourage people to take part in
more People are enjoying
community life and work
independently
improved health & well-
being, able to move • To offer and champion a range of accessible
forward in their lives volunteering opportunities
• To provide modern, bespoke care and support to
disabled people
• To give people the tools and support to tackle injustice
and discrimination
4 To increase Choices • To expand and develop services
the range of • To raise awareness of what’s out there
options people People have access
have to a wide range of • To facilitate partnership working
options to meet their
• To identify gaps in the market and bring the right
needs people together to fill them
5 To have Ability • To work to Possability People’s vision and mission
well trained
• To listen and respond to the voice of our benefi-ciaries
knowledgeable
People are supported
and their experiences in all we do
staff and
by a passionate and
volunteer teams
committed staff & • To commit to learning and developing in their own
volunteer team work
• To be self-aware and regularly reflect on own work
• To achieve and maintain appropriate quality marks for
our work
----- End of picture text -----

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Photo courtesy of aidya-f-6wwmP6L1vTc from Unsplash

Strategic Aim: To improve accessible services

1. To co-design services

Possability People is a user-led charity and ensures its services are co-designed. It is the responsibility of the trustees and senior leadership team to ensure every project and service offered is designed and delivered according to the feedback and stated needs of our beneficiaries.

The Advice Centre team has an impressive track record in supporting service users to become volunteers, who often move into paid work in the service if opportunities arise. As reported last year, the Advice Centre identified a need as articulated by our beneficiaries for a peer support community to support the tribunal and appeal process.

All the projects within our Community Employment Service are co-designed. All project staff and volunteers have lived experiences of the barriers our beneficiaries face; many have come through the project as beneficiaries themselves, drop-in sessions are designed and developed with the course participants to meet their needs and aspirations. Encouraging and developing peer support in all activities further underpins this approach. Our work with employers is driven by listening to the experience of disabled people in a variety of workplace settings.

Engagement and inclusion activities are led by our Get Involved Group (GIG). Group members have developed offshoot projects with the support and guidance of the volunteer team. All of the project team have lived experience of the barriers our beneficiaries face. Engagement activities, wherever possible, are workshopped and co-designed to ensure any surveys and mechanisms used for engagement are accessible for disabled people.

Our social enterprise activities support our charitable aims and objectives. Possability People: At Home and our Payroll and Supported Bank Accounts Service (SBA) support the articulated needs of our beneficiaries.

At Home was developed in response to feedback from disabled people who found a gap in the market between self-directed care and support and care agencies. The responsibility and administration of employing their care staff was a barrier to opting for the benefits of self-directed care.

At Home provides consistency because it matches the disabled person with one or more Personal Assistants (PA), who provide a personalised service, service users tell us that this approach gives them greater peace of mind. People are supported to take part in their own care planning to ensure the service provided meets their needs. At Home provides people with the support they need to regain control of their lives because they do not have the burden of employment legislation, but they have the choice and control of who delivers their care, and when and how it is delivered.

Our Payroll and Supported Bank Account Service supports people who opt to direct their own care and employ a PA. If they choose, our service can take responsibility for the administration of their payroll. Also, should people require we can provide a Supported Bank Account (SBA). Direct Payment Users are required to open a separate bank account to receive the funding and one option is SBA. The added value of an SBA is that we make all payments for them which are often time sensitive such as payments to HMRC. Many disabled people told us the legal and administrative requirements of managing these tasks were overwhelming alongside their daily challenges. Our service removes all these stresses so people can concentrate on ensuring that their staff are delivering the personalised support they need.

As a user-led disabled people’s organisation, it is essential our volunteering programme listens to and meets the needs of people who wish to engage with it. Currently over 50 percent of our volunteers identify as disabled, many of whom have accessed our other services. We take all possible steps to ensure our volunteering opportunities are accessible and match the volunteers’ skills, qualities, and aspirations. We continually develop new opportunities within our organisation. We stay up to date with options elsewhere to make the most of every development opportunity, enhancing the volunteer experience, improving our impact and the economic and social return on investment in all our work.

2. To make use of digital technology

Possability People explores all opportunities to use new digital technology to improve accessibility. Our Advice Centre deploys various tools, including online form filling support and benefit calculators to determine their beneficiary’s entitlement.

At Home uses digital technology to improve compliance and service delivery.

Near Field Communication (NFC) tags and online rotas provide real time updates that benefit the client, the PA, and enhance the operation of the service. Care plans are kept up to date and operate in real time via a digital system.

Our regional Get Set projects actively build the digital skills of our participants. We run courses in digital basics and digital employability. Participants learn the digital skills they need to search and apply for work in today’s labour market. All participants have access to a shared Dropbox folder enabling the team to share documents and work collaboratively.

We have maintained our Brighton & Hove and Mid-Sussex database of low cost and free activities called ‘Its Local Actually’. Many micro activity providers do not have their own website, so this is the online presence they maintain. We continue to support and develop the Support at Home section of the database, connecting people to Home visiting providers of a range of services such as opticians, nail cutting, gardening and hairdressers. We are actively in discussion with funders and potential partners to develop and expand this offering next year.

In addition to telephone booking for our Shopmobility service, we offer online booking and payment as an alternative to ensure the service is as accessible to all as possible. During this year, the service has transitioned to a fully contactless service.

Our PA Noticeboard is a valuable resource for Direct Payment users in Brighton, Hove and East Sussex looking to employ their care and support staff. It allows potential PAs and potential employers to post adverts and communicate with each other safely and effectively, removing many of the barriers to PA recruitment disabled people have experienced in the past.

This platform provides a valuable tool in workforce development and has been purchased by Portsmouth and Isle of Wight Local authorities and interest is being shown from other authorities.

  1. To make our services available in other locations and across communities

Possability People explores and expands services beyond our historic base of Brighton & Hove. This year we began our Community Employment Service in Eastbourne, introducing our innovative Get Set Get Connected alongside Hastings & Bexhill in the latter part of the year.

We completed our delivery of Get Set Surrey this year and are actively seeking further funding to continue this work. We delivered Get Set Opening Doors in Brighton & Hove and Hastings. We will be launching Get Set Opening Doors in Eastbourne next year.

As well as clients in Brighton and Hove, At Home has provided care and support to East and West Sussex beneficiaries. A major PR campaign to launch and develop the service across East Sussex is underway.

Possability People supported local disabled peoples’ groups in towns within the region, particularly in Eastbourne, where we support Eastbourne Access Group and Disability Involvement Group to improve accessibility and inclusivity in the town. We have a regular monthly column in Eastbourne Voice, allowing us to showcase various issues important to disabled people to their readership of over 10,000.

Our engagement and inclusion work expanded into West Sussex with a Covid-19 response project called Safe At Home. This project supports isolated disabled people to remain safe, connected and improve their wellbeing during the pandemic.

Our Advice Centre works in partnership with the MS Society, supporting people in Brighton & Hove and surrounding towns in East and West Sussex. It runs the East Sussex Information & Advice line, offering general advice about day to day life as a disabled person and signposting on to specialist support in East Sussex for in depth queries. Discussions are taking place with partners to launch a full Information & Advice service in East Sussex next year.

Right Track in Brighton & Hove and Mid Sussex successfully delivers Sussex MSK (Musculoskeletal) Partnership’s new social prescribing service, allowing us to offer self-management support in the same geography. Working closely with partners in MSK clinics, the new service launched at the end of this year.

  1. To train and consult with other providers, improving their offer to disabled people

We delivered training to Stanmer Park activity staff and discussed providing training with several other partners once face to face delivery becomes possible again. The nature of our training is better suited to in-person delivery because it makes it easier to have broad, in depth conversations.

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We have delivered four training sessions across East Sussex for Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) staff this year. The training will help staff start conversations which better support the mental health of their customers.

Our Get Involved Group has delivered several Access Audits for developments in Brighton and Hove this year; further details and reports are on our website.

5. To give strength to the voice of our beneficiaries in their communities

Possability People regularly seeks feedback so our services can develop and improve. Where we find gaps in our provision, we act on them.

The Get Involved Group engaged in access audits and supported the development of the Disabled Car User Advisory Group, enabling blue badge holders and other disabled drivers to regularly talk to staff at Brighton & Hove City Council. This communication channel has been successful and will continue into the new financial year. We facilitated focus groups for Public Health about the pandemic and for the Transport Planning team on the second stage of the active travel measures. Disabled residents were listened to and influenced local planning sessions.

The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) commissioned us to find out the views of disabled people on two specific topics: their experiences of accessing health care for non-Covid-19 related matters during the pandemic, and the experience of people who have long Covid. The findings of this activity are being explored in partnership with the CCG to influence future commissioning.

As well as specific engagement and inclusion work, Possability People represent the voice of disabled people on a range of local, regional and national panels and forums.

This includes, but is not limited to:

DWP Disability Confident Reference Group; Food Partnership Expert Panel Group; Active Travel and Health Partnership; City Skills & Employment group; SEND Young People’s Employability Network; Self-funding Knowledge Exchange; Arts; Health and Wellbeing Working Group; Work and Learning Working Group; Equality and Inclusion Partnership; Health Overview Scrutiny Committee; East Sussex VS Alliance; ESCC Communication and Engagement Group; East Sussex Inclusion Advisory Group and South East Network of Disabled People’s organisations.

We have secured a place on the DWP Regional Stakeholder Network to represent the views and experiences of disabled people to the Office of Disability Issues, and we look forward to seeing how this work develops over the next year. We were involved in several key stakeholder groups regarding the pandemic throughout the year, including the CCG Communications & Engagement Stakeholder group and several local hubs.

DWP policymakers and officials recognise Possability People as experts in our field citing our track record in delivering personalised, holistic support to disabled people looking to return to or remain at work. We regularly consult on approaches to influence change and improve opportunities for disabled people.

We have developed good working relationships with local DWP teams which give us the opportunity to provide feedback directly to staff working with disabled people in local job centres. We deliver training where appropriate to improve disabled people’s experiences. We share best practice and understanding which has put us in the position of being able to quickly resolve potential issues so disabled people do not experience unnecessary distress or delays when making their claims.

The GIG actively engage with disabled people and their representatives on matters of concern or interest. Staff and volunteers use their own lived experience to foster trust and have meaningful, open and honest conversations with statutory service providers and business. Disabled People are encouraged to take a solution focussed approach to issues and their views are reported back constructively and effectively.

Disabled people who face challenges in getting out and about have told us the Shopmobility service is essential for their ongoing independence. It is the leading service for many people who do not own or cannot store their own equipment. It provides safe and effective temporary equipment when scooters or wheelchairs require maintenance or servicing or are otherwise unavailable. As Brighton and Hove is a tourist destination Shopmobility also provides a valuable service to disabled people visiting the city.

With our user led focus, Possability People ensures disabled people are represented in discussions at a local, regional or national level. Disability is a crosscutting theme. Acting without prejudice and should be an essential consideration for anybody working with people in the community.

Strategic Aim: To ensure people have good quality accessible information

1. To communicate and offer realistic options

Possability People enables and supports people to understand their situation and take control. Offering realistic and solution focussed options are an essential element of this; we take care to communicate the reality of any given situation and do all we can to support people to move forward and achieve their goals.

The Advice Centre team’s skills and expertise are crucial for disabled people, enabling them to understand their options and how best to access the support they are entitled to. It would be unrealistic, unethical and inappropriate for the team to raise false expectations, so exploring each situation in depth, giving timely, accurate information is essential. The success rate of the benefit applications they support and decisions they help people to challenge speaks to the effectiveness of this approach, with an 85% success rate for form filling and appeals.

Our Community Employment Service is unique because it doesn’t offer time limited support. The support given is needs led and tailored to each beneficiary. Beneficiary’s needs are explored in depth, and their dreams and aspirations, goals for the short-medium and long term understood. Building action plans is a thorough, considered and detailed process, giving people space and time to consider all opportunities available to them, including the pros and cons. The team takes time to talk through all options with people and plot each step of the journey. We explore what needs to be done and find tools and techniques required to pursue these options. Setting goals, breaking them down into manageable steps and gradually overcoming barriers step by step is fundamental to our bespoke service.

The Link Back service begins with an in-depth conversation to understand someone’s needs when returning home from hospital. It explores connections to friends, family and community, which may have been lost and looks at additional support an individual would need to remain independent and thrive.

Action plans are created to offer people activities and services which meet their needs, and they are supported to access them as required.

Link Back will not just sign post, it may make referrals on a beneficiary’s behalf to overcome initial barriers to engagement, or they may choose to act entirely independently, knowing they have the correct information for their choice.

Right Track supports people with MSK conditions who have been directed to the service. It provides advice, support and information on lifestyle changes to give people another option to surgery. The Right Track team listens carefully to people’s needs, aspirations and the changes they want to make in their lives. They then gather and share information and provide packs of information for their beneficiaries. The team ensure appropriate options are available to the individual and conversations supporting their choice happen as and when needed. We have found this approach provides the best possible outcomes.

Possability People carefully manage the expectations of potential volunteers, including the availability of particular volunteering opportunities. For example, our Payroll and Supported Bank Accounts service offers a clear pathway to employment; it is so popular we often have to operate a volunteer waiting list. We have developed this approach so staff can provide meaningful support and progression to volunteers. If the role the volunteer applies for is not vacant, the Volunteer Manager will endeavour to match potential volunteers appropriately to different roles in the interim. Volunteers who temporarily joined our reception, Shopmobility, GIG and Community Employment Service often chose to stay with the new project although initially it wasn’t their first choice.

It is important for the integrity of the charity that all its social enterprise activities support this objective. At Home ensures the beneficiary is at the heart of their own care and support planning, making choices about the care and support they want to receive.

They can thoroughly discuss their needs with the team who will then create a bespoke and personalised service for each person, rather than expecting individuals to fit into a one size fits all service. We ensure people feel they have been involved and are in full agreement of any decisions about their care, and that they have been afforded every opportunity to have the support they need to live life independently.

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2. To provide user friendly and accessible materials

Possability People strives to ensure everything we produce to communicate about our projects and services meets the needs of the communities we want to reach. From website and social media, to print and email communications, we try to share engaging information tailored to the needs and interests of our audiences.

Information sent or shared to beneficiaries considers their access needs and communication preferences. Reminder systems are in place across projects for appointments, meetings, calls or sessions, used in line with beneficiary choices. An appointment letter will be enough for some people, while for others, texts or calls nearer the time ensure people can access a service appropriately and with confidence. If a Community Employment Service beneficiary is feeling apprehensive about attending a group session for the first time, we will make a series of calls and texts to them in the lead up to the day and a named person will meet them outside the venue, so they feel comfortable and settled to come inside.

Action plans, session handouts and resources are shared, explained and co-designed to meet the beneficiary’s needs. Their style and content are continually reviewed. Materials are produced in various formats on demand, including large print, specific coloured paper, or to meet other access needs. For example, the Get Involved Group make a large print version of their monthly round up each month and a yellow paper copy for people who have requested it.

  1. To provide innovative platforms to share the information disabled people need

Providing clear, concise, accessible information has been critical this year. We shared an unprecedented amount of information with different audiences. Our role in filtering, simplifying and disseminating the correct information at the right time has been crucial. At the start of the pandemic, we created a new section on our website for information and links pertinent to disabled people. We have shared information with people appropriately throughout the year. Our services transitioned swiftly and effectively to remote delivery, with telephone, postal, and online support combinations. Steady and Strong, our gentle exercise programme, moved to remote delivery and filmed a range of exercise tutorials so people could safely build strength and balance in their own homes via our new YouTube channel.

Our flagship database, Its Local Actually, enabled people across Brighton & Hove and West Sussex to search for over 1500 free or low-cost community activities. Home visiting services are listed on Support at Home, helping older and disabled people stay independent, safe and well. Its Twitter account, OutAndAboutOne, has 1000 followers. We are discussing development opportunities for it, including expanding to East Sussex, and considering additional functionality suggested by regular site users. This year has seen the start of a development project on the site that will continue next year, providing a more straightforward designation of online activities.

Our website is one of the key routes into the organisation for many beneficiaries. It is often the first place people find out about our projects and services and the support we offer. Over the year, nearly 100,000 people visited the website.

We published 691 Facebook posts to 1,200 page fans. We tweeted 1400 times to nearly 4000 followers.

Our fledgling Instagram account made 364 posts to 437 followers.

Our brand has developed a new popular graphic style to share complicated messages or information in an easy to understand way, and over the year we ran many campaigns to share health and wellbeing information.

With appropriate consent, our Payroll Service shares information and updates via the regular communications they have with direct payment users.

They use: email signatures, payroll messages or mailouts. Our service users trust us so this is an effective way to disseminate information from other services that can support their ongoing independence, wellbeing and dignity.

Payroll received unprecedented levels of phone calls this year from direct payment users perplexed about changing regulations and access to care and support throughout the pandemic.

Although this is not the traditional role of this service, they are trusted advisors and have gone above and beyond. Providing essential communication channels has been vital to the ongoing wellbeing of many people who have felt isolated while directing their own care during the pandemic.

4. To give people expert advice to solve the problems they face

Possability People ensures all volunteers and staff receive appropriate training and are well informed in their subject areas to provide the best possible advice to our beneficiaries. We are recognised locally, regionally and nationally as experts in our field and are committed to giving effective and accurate advice to others. This is borne out through input into policy decisions and service designs that affect disabled people in all aspects of their lives.

Many of the Advice Centre’s beneficiaries would experience great difficultly navigating the complex benefits system without our support. People often tell us they are completely overwhelmed with what is expected of them; they don’t know where to start, have tight deadlines and feel so distressed they can’t even face opening the letters they are receiving. As a trusted provider of many years standing in the community, we have the confidence of our community.

We provide personalised support. Many of our staff and volunteers have experienced the difficulties of navigating the system and can offer understanding and empathy. As there are fewer and fewer life time benefit awards, people know when the benefit form lands again there is someone there to provide a helping hand at what can be a distressing and overwhelming time.

Link Back and Right Track’s expertise and understanding of the local market is essential to ensure people accessing their services are supported to navigate the full range of options available to them. Knowing what’s out there, including capacity and potential waiting lists, means the best possible options are presented. It is important for a good outcome that people are connected to appropriate support in a timely fashion. The services ensures it provides the support services needed to prevent people experiencing unnecessary readmission to hospital. It provides the tools people need to improve their chances of successfully self-managing a long term health condition.

The Shopmobility team make skilled and valuable recommendations about equipment based on each individual’s situation and the built environment. They liaise and form relationships with local hotels and transport providers to ensure people are not disadvantaged and are able to enjoy the many facilities the city has to offer in the same way as nondisabled people.

The Community Employment Service shares

expertise in condition management, coping strategies, employability skills and digital skills with beneficiaries. It shares recruitment, retention and workplace wellbeing expertise with employers to create accessible, inclusive workplaces where people can thrive. It advises disabled people on their rights in the workplace to reasonable adjustments. It gives people the confidence to talk to employers about any support or flexible workplace solutions they may need. It advises employers on innovative ways to support their employees’ health, wellbeing, and resilience, ultimately boosting their own business and staff retention.

Our Payroll and Supported Bank Accounts services explain complex financial information to disabled people who have a wide range of access needs. They articulate how problems can be resolved, provide advice to resolve conflicts and handle conversations that, by their very nature, can be very challenging.

Strategic Aim: To enable people to live more independently

1. To help join up services across all sectors

Possability People work works with all sectors – health and social care, local authority, community and voluntary, private and independent - in a ‘whole person’ way, enabling our beneficiaries to access all the support they need to live independently. Joint working has made our services more successful during the pandemic. Ensuring services wrap around vulnerable people is at the heart of our approach.

At Home brings together staff from the NHS, Clinical Commissioning Group, Sussex NHS Partnership Trust, GPs, pharmacies, Adult Social Care and organisations from within the community and voluntary sector for the benefit of its clients.

Shopmobility makes it easier for disabled people to use private sector hotels and tourist attractions. It also builds relationships between sheltered housing schemes and the voluntary sector. We have supported disabled people to safely store their mobility equipment and scooters. Our dedicated team of volunteers have built productive relationships across the city which make it more accessible for residents and visitors.

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Right Track developed relationships across sectors. It signposts and refers to a broad range of groups and services, from health advice and advocacy to local groups in church halls, from counselling and employment workshops to peer support groups, from large programmes of council-led activity to sessions aimed at specific groups such as older people, women, BME and LGBTQ communities.

Right Track and Link Back are members of the Social Prescribing Network. They keep up to date with the local picture, share best practice, and build relationships with other referral organisations. As part of a Sussex and Surrey wide group focusing on disability and health, Right Track taps into a large pool of knowledge and experience, making referrals to services faster and with minimal waiting times for beneficiaries. They have also built relationships with Sussex MSK Partnership clinicians across Brighton & Hove and West Sussex.

Link Back works with providers from health, social care, the voluntary and community sector, social enterprises and the private sector. Effective communication and partnership work promotes better understanding and trust between organisations for future collaboration. We have improved our service by working in partnership with hospital departments, so that effective, appropriate referrals from across the hospital are made for anyone who needs our support.

New and effective relationships with a broad range of local trades people is important to how effectively our Early Response project can facilitate a timely discharge from hospital. We have strengthened links with various Brighton & Hove City Council teams, including social workers and housing adaptations. Effective working relationships with hospital Responsive Service colleagues in both the Health and Social Care sectors have been made.

The Get Involved Group has built and sustained effective partnerships with Brighton & Hove City Council’s parking and transport teams. It has overcome difficult relationships to develop genuine partnership working, ensuring disabled voices are heard, understood and included in service design and delivery.

Because Get Set participants identify their own employment goals and aspirations, the team builds positive relationships with professionals in all sectors to broker suitable, sustainable employment opportunities where needed. With many beneficiaries facing crisis this year, our long term support and holistic approach was essential to their ability to cope.

Established trust, enhanced by regular weekly calls, meant participants talked honestly about their situations. We found out if they had reliable food supplies, medication, money, and shopping, and whether or not their mental health was affected. Connections to local support services, knowledge, and up to date resources (including capacity and waiting times for services), meant we connected people to the best support at the right time.

We stayed in touch with employers so we knew who was recruiting despite lockdown. The numbers of disabled people successfully employed despite national lockdown or local restrictions shows our approach worked.

2. To help and encourage people to take part in community life and work

Possability People enables people to develop the tools, skills and confidence they need to implement their own solutions instead of trying to fix things for them.

This could be working together to remove practical barriers (incorrect benefit entitlements, unsafe housing situations, or how to start exercising safely), to long term coaching to make lifestyle changes or to move towards employment. It is our aim not to create dependence on our services but to build on the assets and resources of our beneficiaries, enabling them to achieve more, feel part of their communities and live independently, with dignity and without prejudice.

Financial hardship or insecure housing are examples of significant crisis many of our beneficiary’s face. Without support people can spiral and experience poorer mental health, social isolation, financial insecurity and so on. This can also affect their physical health, through the escalation of existing conditions or self-neglect. We support people through current crisis then consider what else they may need to be able to move on.

Only then do people feel able to plan next steps, whether that’s volunteering, community activity or work.

This approach leads to jobs being sustainable with people better equipped to deal with life’s challenges and find additional support, if and when needed. Our knowledge of someone’s personal life and health and its effect on daily activities helps us understand the impact at work and deal with potential barriers to employment.

Community Employment participants create Wellness Action Plans which consider the impact of their health on their whole life. Considering support and activities to remain well to enjoy time with family and friend is as important as remaining well for work. It enables them to live life their way and engage with their community as much as they choose.

The Link Back and Right Track teams explore an individual’s needs and aspirations when planning support. Many are socially isolated but with achievable goals, reconnection to communities is possible. This might be through befriending services, lunch activity groups around their interests, such as choirs or art sessions. Right Track usually focuses on exercise or physical activity but it also considers people’s need for social interaction and a recognised place in society, so support for volunteering or employment may be recommended.

Overcoming mobility barriers is essential for many people to get out and carry on their day to day lives. Shopmobility does this daily. Providing a satellite service across the City with flexible delivery and collection ensures mobility barriers are removed.

Volunteering with Possability People is rewarding and increases skills, confidence and knowledge of other services. Volunteering can be a stepping stone to employment. Volunteers learn new skills or refresh old ones, test out condition management techniques and have up to date experience for CVs and job applications. A professional reference can be provided after six months.

At Home provides personalised care and support giving people more freedom and flexibility. PAs can accompany clients to community activities they would otherwise be unable to attend. Support with health or medical needs at the right time of day means clients can work or go out in a way that might not otherwise be possible.

At Home clients determine the support that best suits their lifestyle. Having care provided consistently with PAs they know, and for the right length of time means people can attend work and other appointments without waiting for a call from a traditional care agency.

3. To offer and champion a range of accessible volunteering opportunities

Possability People renewed the Investing in Volunteers quality mark after evaluating our evolving volunteering programme. Areas of good practice highlighted were:

As a respected local organisation, our training and consultancy programme shares best practice in volunteering for disabled people. We ensure organisations understand the difference between supported volunteering and accessible volunteering and we work with them to remove many barriers to participation disabled people have told us they have faced.

This year has been challenging for many of our volunteers. Some felt unable or willing to support to their projects remotely. However, 18 did and we equipped them with laptops, mobile phones and mobile internet.

This year, we received about 2604, volunteer hours, an equivalent contribution to 1.4 FTE staff members, and valued at 24,738 if paid the Brighton Living Wage. In addition to this, our eight trustees provided approximately 1472 hours of support.

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Project teams kept in touch with their volunteers so they continued to feel part of the organisation. Many attended remote team meetings and informal get togethers. We made contact with all, sent thank you cards in the summer as part of Volunteer’s Week, and delivered of thank you gifts to every volunteer at Christmas.

4. To provide modern, bespoke care and support to disabled people.

Our Care Quality Commission registered At Home service was created because disabled people told us traditional care agencies didn’t meet their needs. People experienced many different, unhappy situations, including not knowing who would be arriving to give care, short 15 minutes visits and little choice in activities they could do.

At Home is different because it matches beneficiaries with their own PAs, often recruited directly in partnership with the disabled person. Clients build meaningful, professional, trusting relationships with their care staff, who understand the subtle preferences and nuances needed to provide bespoke care and support. The flexible service means people can move their hours of support they receive to suit their needs, such as receiving care early enough to get to work or late enough not to have to go to bed too early. People have the flexibility to increase or decrease support, so they can consider travelling further afield, taking day trips out and getting on with life in a way many of us take for granted.

  1. To give people the tools and support to tackle injustice and discrimination.

Our person-centred, enabling approach, means people have are informed, understand their rights and entitlements and have skills and confidence to challenge injustice or discrimination.

We are members of Brighton & Hove Upstanders Network, which brings together organisations supporting people who may experience hate incidents. It supports a city-wide approach to inclusion and reducing hate crime.

We are members of Sussex Police Disability External Reference Group which ensures statutory services understand the needs of disabled people and how they may be affected by police and other’s actions.

Our Community Employment Service is expert in the Equality Act 2010 and its relation to disabled people at work. It trains disabled people and employers about what may or may not be discrimination so people feel more empowered to talk openly, honestly and professionally about their health condition or impairment so know where to go for more support should they encounter any difficulties.

Strategic Aim: To increase the range of options people have

1. To expand and develop services

Constantly finding and developing new ways for disabled people to achieve their potential and improve their lives helps Possability People make our existing services successful and sustainable.

During the pandemic, Possability People identified a need in West Sussex to provide information and support for disabled people.

We worked with isolated disabled people, connecting them to a range of support which they could choose from. This included telephone befriending for regular check-ins, signposting people in crisis to services which could help them immediately, regular online socials, a social media group and a monthly newsletter.

This year, our Community Employment Service has expanded and delivered different programmes across seven sites in Surrey, as well as in Brighton & Hove, Hastings, Bexhill and Eastbourne. We are planning new services for people with learning difficulties.

Volunteers add invaluable capacity to Possability People. This year, we have a volunteer in Surrey while the Advice Centre has provided peer support and buddying activities. Steady and Strong uses a volunteer ‘spotter’ and GIG volunteers user-test and review accessibility.

Link Back’s Early Response Service has developed creative and practical solutions to barriers people face being discharged from hospital.

We have organised deep cleaning and decluttering, building work, new appliances, and pet support.

This service will develop with access to the Handy Person Grant alongside the Hospital Discharge Grant to provide greater flexibility in our support.

2. To raise awareness of what’s out there.

We connect disabled people to services, activities and resources in their local communities, which has been vital this year to help people facing Covid-19 related crises.

Our Community Employment Service staff and volunteers have a wide range of up to date local information to meet the needs of beneficiaries. From knowing about digital support through job clubs; 1:1 discussions; support with making phone enquiries or buddying people to appointments. At the start of the year, the team focused on connecting people to crisis services that could support them during the pandemic.

The GIG cascades information through its networks. A monthly newsletter, regular email updates, meetings, and informal social events are shared with disabled people. This was replicated in West Sussex with the Safe At Home project.

Link Back and Right Track research new or use existing knowledge to plan support for their beneficiaries. Information is made accessible so beneficiaries (and their friends, family and other support networks) understand the resources available in their communities. When they become more confident they are more likely to look for opportunities to increase their resilience and connection to the community.

3. To facilitate partnership working.

Possability People are keen to work with and, where appropriate, lead positive partnerships to achieve more for our beneficiaries.

The Advice Centre works closely with other local advice agencies to pool expertise and resources and maximise reach. We provide a fast track support service for the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society and members of Money Works partnership. We are members of the Advice Services Network and Advice Partnership. Most recently and in response the pandemic, the Advice Centre has joined the East Sussex VCSE Alliance to work in partnership to provide more support for East Sussex residents.

Link Back has built trusted partnerships with hospital staff supporting the Home First Pathway. The Early Response Service has strengthened these relationships and built relationships with Brighton & Hove City Council teams, including the Hospital Discharge Grant service and Adult Social Care services.

The Community Employment Service works with Job Centre Plus in Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings, Bexhill and Surrey. It also works in partnership with a range of colleges, training and other support providers to provide effective referrals which meet beneficiary’s needs without duplication. It understands employers and businesses recruitment and retention needs and involves them in service delivery wherever possible.

At Home works with social work teams within Local authorities to promote the benefits of personalised care and with CCGs to promote the use of personal health budgets.

The Payroll and SBA work in partnership with BHCC Children’s Direct Payment Teams to ensure direct payments are delivered in a way that provides Direct Payment users with choice and control when directing their own care.

4. To identify gaps in the market and bring the right people together to fill them.

Possability People works hard to improve local service provision so that it delivers what our beneficiaries need to promote their independence. We do this by monitoring local services and activities and look for ways of filling the gaps identified by our beneficiaries. Our Covid response project, Safe At Home, is an example of this.

Disabled people we support told us that while they required personalised care, they didn’t want the responsibility of becoming an employer, but there were no other options that suited or understood their needs. At Home was developed fill this gap in the market.

Right Track identified a gap in the market for exercise classes for people living with long term pain or restricted mobility that allowed for progression and development. Through careful research, an opportunity to train staff in a specific technique became available, and our first pilot programme ran successfully towards the end of the year.

We developed participant’s digital skills so they could take part in an online class.

We also produced a series of films for our YouTube channel.

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Strategic Aim: To have well trained and knowledgeable staff and volunteer teams

1. To work to Possability People’s vision and mission

Because our projects and services use an enabling approach, focused on our aims and objectives, we do not drift from our mission and our vision and mission are at the heart of all we do.

Possability People relies less on statutory funding and now fundraises through trusts, foundations, individual and corporate donors. We use individual funder performance indicators (KPIs) to illustrate how our aims and objectives are. This is the responsibility of our Senior Leadership Team, with support from project leads. Performance is fed back through team meetings, staff supervision and appraisal, planning days and volunteer support sessions.

2. To listen and respond to our beneficiaries’ voice and their experiences in all we do

Possability People are proud to be a user-led disabled people’s organisation. We embrace lived experience at every level, from our trustees, senior management, the entire staff team and our volunteers.

Coupled with beneficiary engagement, we have a unique insight into the experiences of disabled people in our communities and the things that enable them to thrive.

All our projects and services work hard to ensure disabled peoples’ experiences are reflected in service design and development. From volunteer input to improve Shopmobility, to a Right Track participant updating us on a new group or activity, every voice is heard. All have the opportunity to contribute.

Our engagement and inclusion work keeps up to date with the needs of disabled people, understanding their experiences in a range of settings.

Teams actively seek evidence of beneficiary experience and ensure the broadest cross section of voices are represented from the GIG membership and shared with the organisation.

3. To commit to learning and developing in their own work.

Possability People ensure its staff and volunteer teams are recognised as experts in their field. All staff and volunteers can and are encouraged to access specialist training related to their roles.

We provide regular in-house training and briefings for our teams so they have up to date and accurate knowledge. We use external trainers to enhance our skills. All At Home PAs receive full training to meet the requirements of the Care Certificate.

This year, staff and volunteers have accessed training in a range of fields including, but not limited to:

4. To be self-aware and regularly reflect on own work

Six weekly supervisions for staff and three monthly supervisions for volunteers, as well as probationary review and appraisal processes, ensure staff have the opportunity to reflect on their working practices. This provides an opportunity for goal and target setting, and to review any training and development needs.

Staff and their managers have the opportunity to discuss how projects and services are meeting the needs of our beneficiaries and what, if anything, can be developed and improved.

5. To achieve and maintain appropriate quality marks for our work

We have renewed our Investing in Volunteers quality mark. Investing in Volunteers (IiV) is the UK quality standard for good practice in volunteer management.

We have achieved the Advice Quality in: debt; employment; health and community care; housing, welfare benefits and disability.

We are a Disability Confident Leader (level 3). We are a champion within our local and business community, our supply chain, and networks. This shows disabled people we are serious about leading the way and helping other businesses become Disability Confident. We have been externally verified by SPECTRUM.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we carefully monitor our employment practices to ensure we are genuinely supporting disabled people. 50% of our staff identified as disabled people, either during their recruitment process or in our staff survey. Disabled people are represented in every level of our staff structure, including the senior management team. Additionally, around 62% of our volunteers and 75% of our trustees identify as disabled people.

We are a Mindful Employer. Possability People has signed the Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health. Mindful Employer provides employers with easier access to information to supporting staff who experience stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. This year we have invested in training two staff members to qualify as Mental Health First Aiders and subscribed to the Mindful Employer Plus helpline to provide 24/7 telephone support for all staff and volunteers.

Steps to Environmental Management (STEM) is a step-by-step guide to putting an environmental management system in place. Possability People has achieved Blue status: a business with top management support for their environmental programme and has carried out a baseline assessment of their current situation.

Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme. CHAS assesses applicants on their health and safety policy statement, their organisation and how it deals with health and safety and their specific health and safety arrangements. This means everyone will work to an acceptable standard. All members of the CHAS scheme are stored on a database which is accessible by members only.

We are CQC registered. The CQC are the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. They make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care, and we encourage care services to improve.

We have been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

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Our year in numbers and stories

The Advice Centre

Still, for the 76 people who reported an increase in income as a result of our support, this amounts to £481,959 per annum (£9,268 per week).

The team quickly implemented a telephone rota to cover the main phone number, redirecting incoming calls to their mobiles. This meant they could work remotely during the pandemic.

We rely upon clients reporting this information to us. However, it is worth noting that the DWP still has a considerable backlog, meaning we may not know the outcome until many months after we supported someone.

Appointments shifted to phone, email or Zoom depending upon the people’s need. Three volunteers supported the team remotely. The team kept in touch with all their volunteers during the year.

100% of people completing a questionnaire after receiving Advice Centre support report that they feel:

The Advice Centre dealt with 4,545 enquiries during the year, around 3,000 by phone. We have about two referrals a week through the Money Works partnership, while referrals through our MS (Multiple Sclerosis) project vary monthly.

The peer support service trialled through a Henry Smith grant proved unsuitable for most people’s needs. Therefore, this year, with agreement from the funder, the team offered support for medical assessments, another beneficiary-identified need.

Advice Centre Story

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) questions were the most common enquiries, followed by questions on appeals, then benefit entitlement checks. Universal Credit enquiries have increased steadily throughout the year. We anticipate a further increase as furlough comes to an end and more people find themselves unemployed and reliant upon welfare benefits.

L has uncontrolled seizures throughout the day which last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. He is a young man living with his parents. During a seizure, L will become very disorientated and may lose bladder control. He can’t travel unaccompanied outside of the house, prepare or cook food, or even bathe without supervision.

Support for Mandatory Reconsideration of benefit decisions has increased steadily since December 2020 and the team has re-prioritised time to meet anticipated rises now the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is processing them again.

Not only is this a physically stressful situation, it also harms L’s mental wellbeing. He relies upon his family for encouragement and support to take medication and manage day-to-day tasks such as washing, dressing, and eating.

The team coordinated and led a response to the Sussex & Kent Tribunal Users Group ensuring the voice of disabled people is heard effectively within the tribunal process.

L’s mum made an application for Personal Independence Payment, and submitted medical evidence dating back to childhood. This included reports stating the uncontrollable nature of the seizures, the very low likelihood of the condition changing, and evidence to support the impact on his mental health.

Peer support ‘buddies’ supported clients remotely, 16 clients on the pre-tribunal process and 9 with advice and preparation for medical assessments.

L was required to attend a medical assessment. An award was made of 8 points for mobility and 0 points for daily living. L’s mother contacted us at this point to support her to challenge the decision.

Of the 89 cases we know the outcome of, there were 41 successful applications, 27 successful appeals and eight successful tribunals. Only 13 were unsuccessful. We can only report on beneficiaries who have provided this data.

We produced the official documents for appeal, and gathered supporting information describing the grounds on which it was being made.

100%

More confident to deal with their benefits situation

We also contacted L’s GP for further medical evidence. Once L and his mother agreed with the case we had produced, we submitted it to the Tribunals Service.

Happy with the information we gave them

Satisfied we met their access requirements

Within two weeks, the DWP contacted L. He was awarded 17 points for daily living and further points for mobility.

Felt understood and supported by the team

L now receives the enhanced PIP rate for his daily living and mobility needs and it has been awarded for five years.

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Photo courtesy of adam-birkett-z_MlmEelJpE from Unsplash

Community Employment Service

The Community Employment Service supported 318 people this year, providing long-term, personalised support to move towards work.

We delivered 12,675 contact sessions, 175 workshops and 58 courses through the year. 49 people started work, 31 people started volunteering, and 18 began further education.

Finding and securing work has been significantly more challenging this year, as the impact of Covid-19 on the labour market has been substantial and competition for every job is fierce. The effects of the pandemic and measures to control its spread have impacted our beneficiaries, increasing or exacerbating feelings of isolation and requiring support to stay well and resilient. The team connected people to external support for crisis prevention, provided workshops, tools and one to one support to navigate peoples’ challenges and ultimately support them to move towards work.

Projects delivered this year were Get Set Surrey, Get Set Opening Doors in Brighton & Hastings, and our new youth project, Get Set Get Connected in Bexhill, Hastings and Eastbourne.

Get Set (Surrey)

We completed the successful delivery of the Get Set programme in Surrey. A grant from the Surrey Community Foundation enabled us to continue working with beneficiaries until December. As a result, 40 people were supported through the project.

We continue to change people’s lives as they move towards employment. Participants create strong CVs and cover letters which showcase their skills and experience in a way they understand and can talk confidently about.

Participants create Wellness Action Plans to learn how to manage their health when they return to work including any reasonable adjustments or in-work support that would help and acknowledgement of what they need to do for themselves to remain well, resilient and thrive. Participants build communication skills, create strong support networks and gain confidence in setting and achieving goals. Our approach wraps support around people, fully recognising their situation so we understand the barriers they face and can enable them to identify and take necessary steps to overcome them.

Holistic support is essential for building trust and enabling people to make long-term lasting change. We regularly provide signposting - crucial this year, particularly in the early stages of the pandemic. People were supported to access emergency food provision, financial support and mental health support amongst other things.

Get Set Opening Doors

Get Set Opening Doors (funded through the National Lottery) continued throughout the year in Hastings & Brighton & Hove. 183 people were supported across the two sites, and we offered the full range of Get Set support. Long term, personalised and holistic support enabled people to build skills in managing their health, employability skills, communication and confidence.

Hastings Hastings Brighton
& Hove
Number of Participants 101 82
Contact Sessions delivered 4,728 3,693
Workshops run 52 52
Courses run 18 18
Course Completers 56 65
Outcomes
Work 18 16
Volunteering 10 14
Further Education 6 8

Get Set Get Connected

Our new youth project in was delivered in Bexhill, Hastings & Eastbourne. The project works with young people with a health condition or impairment, primarily mental health and neurodiversity, aged 18-24. Funded through the DWP, it launched in all three Job Centre Plus (JCP) sites in October and is already delivering significant outcomes for its beneficiaries.

This programme builds on the success of Get Set. It adds an opportunity for participants to design and deliver a community project of their choosing. It overcomes the health barriers faced by young people who also have no sense of belonging. In addition, it aims to reconnect them with their communities, so they feel less alienated.

(October – April) Get Set Get Connected East Sussex

Number of Participants 95 Contact Sessions delivered 1,940 Workshops run 26 Courses run 10 Course Completers 42 Outcomes Work 11 Volunteering 5 Further Education 2

We monitor and track beneficiary progress in various ways and report the following achievements related to our beneficiaries this year.

100% of beneficiaries reported an increase in all outcomes measures during their time with the programme, with the exception of our aim to reduce social isolation. While 92.5% of beneficiaries did report an overall significant reduction in isolation, our success in this area was not as high this year as it has been previously. From talking to our participants this is because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We will continue to monitor this alongside all other outcome areas.

“They’ve helped a lot – I’ve a lot to be worried about but I’m not hiding and not withdrawing, and for me that’s a very big change. I truly believe I have Possability People to thank for this, and honestly, it’s a gift. Because I can recover”

“I’m grateful to you for keeping in touch with me, as the current national need to stay at home reminds me of feeling isolated and pressured as a child. It gives rise to some painful emotions and, ironically, even isolating myself further”

“Possability People have been great in getting me to feel more comfortable entering a group situation, sitting in that environment and eventually to speak up and use my voice, which has allowed me to learn some great things such as coping mechanisms. And to also realise that I have more skills than I thought for example transferrable skills which will be so helpful as looking for work to add to my CV and to try and help boost confidence. It helps having regular safe place that you know you can attend and talk if you want to and just feel OK for the time you are there”

Our referral partners also fedback. RC from Together Co Social Prescribing says

“I have found it very easy to make a referral to your service and I have found that referrals are picked up and responded to very quickly. It has also been very useful to have regular updates for you on referrals I have made, thank you. Most of the clients I have referred to you need a lot more support than a standalone CV course or interview skills workshop, and I am confident they will get this support from your service because it’s clear you work in a holistic way and tailor the support to each individual client’s needs, I think it’s a brilliant service and regularly tell clients and colleagues about it.”

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12,675
contact sessions
175 workshops
58 courses
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Photo courtesy of allgo-an-app-for-plus-size-people-39qdb4V84YIfrom Unsplash

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Get Set Get Connected Percentage of Average start Average end Uplift percentage
Outcome Measure participants score from score from
recording 1 - 10 1 - 10
positive
change
How confident do you feel about
100% 2.97 7.02 136%
finding & starting work?
Do you feel you are ready and
have the skills you need to start 100% 3.16 7.02 122%
and sustain work?
How high or low is your self-
100% 2.77 6.64 139%
confidence and self-belief?
Do you feel connected to your
100% 2.23 5.53 148%
community?
-50%
How Isolated do you feel? 92.5% 6.69 3.36 (decrease in
feeling isolated)
How confident do you feel about
100% 2.38 6 152%
managing your health in work?
Do you feel you have the right skills
100% 2.30 5.92 157%
to manage your health in work?
Do you know the differ-ence
between mental health and mental 100% 2.46 7.07 188%
wellbe-ing?
Do you feel that you have good
100% 2.23 6.61 197%
mental wellbeing?
How confident do you feel about
100% 3.5 7.375 111%
applying for and getting a job?
How confident are you that you
have the right employability skills to 100% 3.75 7.875 110%
get a job?
How confident are you that your
CV and cover letter are strong
100% 3.5 8 129
and re-flect you, your skills and
qualities?
How confident do you feel that you
100% 3.875 8.125 110
know what to do in an interview?
How confident do you feel about
100% 4 8.4 110
your digital employ-ability skills?
Do you have the right digi-tal and
100% 3.222 7.15 122
IT skills to find em-ployment?
Do you feel you have the right
100% 3.933 8.566 118
documents to find employment?
How confident you feel about your
100% 4 8.4 110
digital and IT skills?
How confident do you feel
managing your Universal Credit 100% 4.444 9.4 112
account online?
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As lockdown lifted, we supported K with application forms, tailoring his CV and cover letter for available roles. The goal was to move into commercial cleaning, so we supported him to complete a COSHH course at college.

Get Set Opening Doors story

K was referred to us by Southdown Supported Employment Team who had provided as much support as they could. When we met K we learnt about his situation, including his health and the severe mental health impairments he’d experienced, but which were now well medicated. But, they had left a lasting impact on his self confidence and self-esteem, as well as some anxiety.

K successfully applied for a job at a college. After the interview, K called us to say thank you because the interview prep we had done was “spot on.

He was offered the job the next morning, and because he was confident in disclosing his health impairment during the interview, his new employer supported from the start.

K also told us of a mild learning disability requiring support with forms, paperwork, communication and comprehension.

K started work with a Wellness Action Plan able to start work with all the right support in place, leaving him well placed to sustain. His employer also received a Wellness Action Plan template for other employees.

K felt hopeless and wanted to give up work searching. He also had some misconceptions about the way he was perceived and possibly discriminated against by employers.

K says “I had been a Get Set client for 8 months when I found work, after 3 years of being on other services, waiting and no hope. They helped me to make a great CV and cover letter, which I’d never had, and interview skills. When I was low, they picked me up not only with their kindness and understanding, but also the tips on staying well and healthy which they sent through the post (extremely helpful). I almost gave up looking but they would not let me and now I work part time, ten hours a week. Fantastic.

As we got to know him, it became clear his expectations needed to be managed. Difficult conversations were carefully handled to encourage him to see how others might view him. He was open to this and found our tools and resources helpful. We worked on building confidence, self-esteem communications skills and interviews preparation. He joined our employability skills course and wrote a strong CV, as well as prepare for job applications. He began to understand why his applications hadn’t worked in the past.

My message to people who are serious about finding work? Go to Possability People’s Get Set Opening Doors and you can achieve what I have.... Possability People are absolutely fantastic”.

We supported K to stay motivated through lockdown. The work he was interested in was not available during this time but we kept him positive and he continued his self-development to be ready once things opened up again.

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Photo courtesy of gil-ribeiro-3hO8igCybds from Unsplash

Get Set Get Connected Story

A was anxious. He had been in a relationship which had recently ended and felt they had lost touch with friends.

He’d completed a Level 3 Sports course at college, but had lost interest in sport and was looking for a role where he could work nights or away from the public.

We encouraged A to contact his GP and referred to him to Health in Mind to access talking therapies.

We worked on building A’s coping strategies to a point where he could choose whether or not to interact with people.

A got a work trial at Tesco for 7 hours a week. He was hoping the shifts would start early in the morning so he had less time to get anxious, and there would be fewer people about. We supported A to prepare for the interview, and he got the job. The role was a mix of back-of-house and shop floor, dealing with the public, and some team working. We encouraged A to use the coping strategies, tools and resources we’d developed.

A didn’t know how to talk to his manager about his condition so he joined our Working Well course, where a symptom tracker was developed and coping mechanisms explored.

He completed a Wellness Action Plan which he discussed with his manager. He explained what needed and how he supported himself. There was an instant change in his manager, who started to take more time to explain things in detail. A felt more confident and accepted more shifts. He is now working full time.

He is also considering his future career and takes more time and care with his appearance. He has reengaged with sport and wants to join a local football club.

Together, we have looked at university courses on sports psychology and supporting roles, and training that might require. A has been in touch with his college tutor to discuss career plans and ask for a reference for university.

He considers the job at Tesco as a helpful stepping stone towards building a career.

The Get Involved Group (GIG)

The Get Involved Group (GIG) is our user involvement group. It provides a platform for people with a lived experience of being disabled to have their voice heard on things that directly affect them.

Our members identify issues and help plan solutions to improve services and accessibility for everyone in Brighton & Hove. Stopping face-to-face group meetings and moving online was a significant change this year. At the start of the pandemic, the GIG checked its members had support for their day to day needs. It offered ongoing phone support for people most at risk of isolation, making weekly or fortnightly calls to isolated disabled people across the city.

The monthly newsletter became a source of accessible 400 information for telephone calls to disabled people. isolated people Posting hard copies for members not 12 newsletters online was vital. Many digitally Lots of excluded disabled people Zooms reported they couldn’t get the information they needed because “everything is online now”.

We ran regular social events via Zoom. While this didn’t replace face-to-face engagement, it was a safe alternative and allowed disabled people to come together and talk about issues they were facing. It also provided an opportunity for professionals to share information or seek views and led to the establishment of a focus group of disabled people, Public Health staff and Brighton & Hove City Council staff, giving disabled people the chance to hear from question to them.

Emergency Covid-19 funding enabled us to offer support to isolated disabled people in West Sussex. Safe At Home launched in direct response to the pandemic and connected with isolated, vulnerable disabled people. It offered a range of support options, including regular or ad-hoc calls, signposting and referral support to other services, regular newsletters, social media groups and online socials.

The project supports 45 people, many with very complex needs, and prevented crisis escalation for several members, especially those with deteriorating mental health. The project provided 400 contact calls, usually lasting around an hour, and engaged with people via email or post.

Towards the end of the year, the GIG began to focus on partnership work, developing relationships with Brighton & Hove City Council’s transport and parking departments. As a result, an effective network and trusted working relationships have developed across a range of departments. Queries from disabled people are now investigated and resolved more quickly because of increased trust between partners.

We have developed meaningful consultation with disabled people, as individuals and as groups and people can see the difference their voice has made to a wide range of stakeholders.

The Disabled Car User Advisory Group is a new partnership with the council’s parking department, allowing blue badge holders and other disabled people regular opportunities for discussion and recommendations to be made about parking in the city. Disabled people are now consulted at the design stage of developments rather than fighting against something already completed. For example, tranche 2 of the Active Travel bid involved disabled people far earlier.

We conducted a full accessibility audit of the Phase 3 plans for the Valley Gardens Development where key findings included identification of danger or obstructions for immediate remedy, some temporary mitigations for work in progress and suggestions or improvements for the final scheme. The report was extremely well received by the council, with actions already taken forward and other accessibility audits have already been commissioned.

Safe At Home story

H, a lady in her 50s from Mid-Sussex, had been involved in other Possability People projects. With several complex health issues - PTSD, MSK conditions, neurological impairment, speech and language challenges and other mental health conditions, she shielded during the pandemic. She found leaving the house very challenging before it started. Many of her family members and close friends also have health concerns, adding to her stress and she was grieving the recent loss of her mum.

Safe at Home sent her the monthly newsletter and an experienced volunteer rang her every week. She has a range of professional, medical and peer support, but each of these tended to focus on one area.

Having a named, regular caller made a big difference and gave her space to talk about whatever had bubbled up that week or was on her mind.

Over time, she has built up trust and rapport with the volunteer. The calls can alternate between being friendly, light-hearted conversation to more serious matters without concern.

When appropriate, the volunteer provided information on other useful support services.

She has told us this service has been “invaluable in getting me through this time, I’m really grateful.”

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Photo courtesy of christina-wocintechchat-com-J7EDyqUwXJI at Unsplash

Link Back

Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the way people have lived over the past year, particularly for people required to shield and unable to access their usual support services and networks.

The changes needed in hospitals to respond to the national crisis free up beds to cope with increased demand and prevent cross-contamination exacerbated the problem. Link Back saw patients discharged home much earlier than usual, without support in place for their ongoing recovery.

In line with government guidelines, we stopped home assessments, instead providing support by phone. Not assessing support needs in someone’s home made it harder to see what was going on and plan support. So the Link Back team spent more time working closely with social workers, therapists, and care agencies to gain additional information.

Link Back combines access to hospital discharge funding so vulnerable patients can be safely discharged from hospital, with ongoing, person centred support (through link work), so they become more independent and can recover.

Working closely with community health and voluntary sector services supports vulnerable people leaving hospital and reduce the likelihood of readmission.

The Link Back’s Early Response Service, coordinates Brighton & Hove City Council’s Hospital Discharge Grant. Having a suitable home is essential for good health and wellbeing; when people are unable to leave home this is more important. Where many beneficiaries were shielding at home, their poor housing conditions became more apparent.

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440
referrals
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288 hospital bed days saved for the NHS (estimated)

With support from other team members at the start of the pandemic, Link Back contacted 200 former clients considered at risk of isolation, to make sure they had appropriate support. Information packs were sent out if required.

Other Covid-19 challenges included unsafe discharge, self-discharge or admission refusal. People concerned about the risk of getting Covid-19 in hopspital discharged themselves before they were ready. Hospital staff under pressure to free up beds also sent people home earlier than ideal. As a result, the Early Response Service had to commission contractors at very short notice.

The rapid closure of many one to one and mobile services required the team to collaborate with community and voluntary sector organisations and Covid-19 hubs to find alternatives. Increased pressure on hospitals often resulted in limited referral information given adding to the difficulties in making assessments.

Despite the challenges, both services provided effective and appropriate support throughout the year. A highly responsive and flexible service has been provided, in partnership with a broad range of organisations. We ensured appropriate information was available, including a leaflet translated into 20 common languages to explain the services for non-English speakers. The Early Response Service also supported more younger disabled people with complex health and support needs so they could return home from hospital safely.

We made supported referrals so people could access to a range of services, including home help and PA support, befriending or ongoing one to one support, and disability or benefits advice.

Other critical interventions included referrals to Adult Social Care and Access Point, emergency shopping, medical, GP or pharmacy, Hospital Discharge funding, housing support and mobility technical equipment.

Gaps in current services have reported them to the CCG and we hope this will provide opportunities for expanding the service.

We developed new partnerships with HealthWatch, Hospital Discharge Service (HOPS), Sussex Interpreting Service, BHCC housing adaptations, the social prescribing network, the Falls Prevention Steering Group and the Early Intervention Steering Group.

Cidem Ford, from the Medical and Surgical Occupational Therapy Team at Brighton & Sussex University Hospital, describes the service as:

“…an excellent service that provides a much needed link between the hospital and the community and helps smooth transition for patients from the acute sector back to their homes.

“I have worked with the Link Back team during my time in Responsive Services and at Craven Vale Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, and they are kind, caring and very efficient with a vast amount of knowledge which we health care professionals can tap into.

It is one of the best services I have come across and much needed to keep our vulnerable patients supported in the community, promoting their independence and wellbeing and preventing social isolation and deterioration of health.”

Link Back story

M, 64, was referred to the service for help with shopping and cleaning. She had turned down a care package because she didn’t want many people coming in and out of her home.

She was recovering from spinal surgery and had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Her flat was at the top of three flights of stairs, and she could only get to it slowly with lots of help. She was overwhelmed, exhausted and in increasing debt.

We referred her to the Early Response Service for an emergency food shop, paid for through the Hospital Discharge Grant.

We made a referral to Macmillan for benefits advice and support with fuel poverty and helped her set up a shopping service to pay by debit card on the phone or on delivery.

We referred her to a volunteer organisation called On Hand for regular support to take her rubbish down to the communal bins and provide ad-hoc shopping or prescription collections if she needed them.

M became less anxious, particularly around shopping. The emergency food parcel took care of one of her basic needs, allowing her to focus on recovery and the other matters she needed to tackle.

Her risk of falls and fly infestation were significantly reduced with her rubbish being regularly taken downstairs for her.

M could also have additional shopping support if she needed it; she felt much more independent.

M was assessed as eligible for Personal Independence Payment, which she was supported to apply for, further improving her financial situation.

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K is slowly regaining his confidence, and with support from family, relearning how to manage household chores. Work pressures and money worries, exacerbated by Covid-19, brought things to a head. Then he had a stroke leading to his admission to hospital.

Early Response Story

K was referred to the Early Response Service by the Royal Sussex County Hospital’s Hospital Responsive Services Team. His next of kin had raised concerns about his home which didn’t have a functional kitchen, toilet or bathroom. And they were worried about the safety of the electrics, plumbing, a possible rat infestation and a lot of clutter.

K isn’t embarrassed about his home now and motivated to find support for other areas of his life.

He is trying to improve his work life balance and focus on being well.

Our Early Response Service worker contacted K while he was in hospital and discussed what support we could be offer, and we got his consent to go and have a look at his home.

Ashley Harper, Social Worker at the Hospital Responses Services Discharge Team says

“Many patients that come into the hospital are at crisis point but their social situation or home environment evidence a decline in being able to manage for several months if not more. Possability People both support with immediate practical tasks to get these individuals home – and follow up with support to help find services or provide advice to promote patients to stay at home as independently as they can. I have also called as a professional for advice and they’ve been incredibly helpful in terms of problem solving, signposting, or gathering information to support patients home.”

We took an electrician with us who was worried about the wiring and out of date equipment. Damp also made it dangerous.

The Hospital Discharge Grant funded clearance work and a deep clean, declutter, and extensive rubbish removal. A condemned washing machine and cooker were removed, along with the bed frame, mattress and furniture which wasn’t usable. The kitchen and bathroom sinks were repaired, and floorboards replaced in the bathroom. A new immersion heater was installed.

A referral to the Mears Home Improvement Agency Handyperson Grant was made for a full rewire. A new double mattress was also purchased.

MSK Social Prescribing

We provide social prescribing to support clinicians at Sussex MSK partnership. We signpost MSK patients to services who can facilitate behaviour change to improve their health.

The service was designed to be co-located at three clinics in Brighton & Hove and West Sussex. Technical issues at Sussex MSK Partnership meant the team were unable to access the clinical systems they needed so they were unable to work remotely. They were redeployed to support Covid-19 efforts across the organisation.

In May, when some Covid-19 restrictions were lifted and a reduced capacity service opened, a member of the team attended the clinic. Eventually, in July 2020 the team was provided with remote access and the full clinical support service resumed.

The majority of referrals were for people wanting to become more active, but the service saw a significant rise in the number of people presenting with mental health concerns, either worsened or resulting from the ongoing pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures.

To meet the needs of this changing cohort, the team took mental health training to refresh their skills and knowledge.

The team attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to promote the service and talk to practitioners about how and when to make referrals. This also provides opportunities for feedback on cases and updates on outcomes.

Providing remote phone service support worked well. It reduced beneficiary’s need to travel and enabled them to talk about sensitive subjects in the privacy of their own home.

Many commented on the convenience of telephone contact; many on the financial and physical challenges of getting to a clinic, particularly in rural areas.

We are in discussion with Sussex MSK about the benefits of a future mixed model of delivery and other more flexible opportunities and additional follow up.

MSK Social Prescribing Story

S had been dealing with a stressful period at work, describing it as horrendous. She had been working nine-hour days hunched over a computer, exacerbated the restricted mobility and neck pain. She had been planning to change career, wanting to work with horses but was feeling stuck, unmotivated and finding it hard to focus on the online module she was studying.

We explored different approaches to learning to help her re-engage with the course.

She agreed to practice her daily exercises and find a more appealing course module.

When we followed up with S, she was still working on exercises to improve her mobility and range of movement, which was getting better.

She was already two thirds of the way through a new study module and more motivated.

An Advanced Physio Practitioner reports:

“I’ve been singing the praises of the social prescribers since they started.

We [physiotherapists] only have so much time with a patient so cannot spend enough time around signposting and support… the [social prescribing] service has been responsive and always helpful.”

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Photo “January 2, 2014” courtesy of osseous licensed under CC BY 2.0

Steady and Strong

Originally called Steady On and run as an in-person strength and balance class before the pandemic, Steady and Strong is now a virtual weekly class, run in 10 sessions.

Currently on its third run, it has 35 participants. A volunteer supports the class, making sure the instructor knows about any technical difficulties and starting conversations at the end.

Many participants needed support using Zoom at the start, so the team provided support for everyone who needed it. The acquisition of new digital skills is an unexpected and several participants have now used Zoom to speak with their friends and family, something they were unlikely to have otherwise done.

Moving the class online also removes geographic limitations. And people who experience social anxiety about in-person groups can join with their camera off, something lots of participants from across Sussex have welcomed.

The team has created a series of Steady and Strong YouTube films so those who cannot take part in the class can still participate in the exercises. The social prescribing team have made use of these by signposting people to them. The feedback on these videos has been positive. “It felt like I was doing them [the exercises] along with you, you were almost there in my living room with me!

“You were so clear and explained them [the exercises] so well. I really enjoyed them. I’m going to make my husband do the video with me next time!”

Social Enterprise

Possability People: At Home

Possability People: At Home enables disabled people to stay independent and safe at home. It is registered with the Care Quality Commission.

It provides a bespoke service that gets to know its clients’ needs, preferences, and aspirations, and designs care packages to meet them. Its skilled staff provide a wide range of support including domestic duties, personal care, medical care, medication management and community support. It operates across Brighton & Hove, East and West Sussex.

The service is particularly helpful for people who receive Personal Budgets or Direct Payments who don’t want the burden of being an employer, but who do want the flexibility traditional home care agencies can’t always provide.

At Home can support people with age related impairments, complex mental health, learning disabilities and physical & sensory impairments and can provide 24 hour support for people with very complex care needs.

The team continued to work during the pandemic. Some clients chose to receive their care and support as usual while closely following guidelines around PPE and other safety measures. For others, the team adapted their support with PAs providing doorstep delivery of food, medication and a socially distanced conversation instead of going into the home. The critical factors in each case were the needs and preferences of the beneficiary.

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100%
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of our clients feel our care is personalised to meet thier needs.

As the pandemic guidelines changed throughout the year, the team implemented effective systems to provide and monitor Covid-19 testing, PPE delivery and distribution and, more recently, vaccinations.

Weekly PPE supplies are monitored and

appropriately stored. Orders are placed via the NHS portal. The team complies with the Department for Health and Social Care daily Capacity Tracker questionnaires, updating cases, capacity, testing, and vaccines.

The team has continued expanding and offering new care packages and increasing the number of beneficiaries they support despite the inevitable curtailment of service due to the pandemic.

We have surveyed our beneficiaries to determine the effectiveness of the service. All who responded to the survey confirmed it is flexible enough to meet their needs and are dealt with by staff courteously and professionally.

100% of beneficiaries agreed that their care was personalised to meet their individual needs and interests and improve their quality of life. They all agreed that staff listen to what they say, treat them with dignity and respect and are caring and responsive.

Everyone stated the service gave them space to talk things over safely and confidentially, that care and support were consistent and that they feel safe when using the service.

We conducted a mock CQC audit of the service this year, which shows where the service is performing well and where we could make improvements. As a result, a development plan has been written and the team are now implementing its recommendations.

Billed hours have steadily increased each month, with February 2021 being the best month since the service began. While assessments have fallen because of the pandemic, we are confident the service will grow as Covid-19 vaccines are administered.

This year the service registered with East Sussex County Council’s Support with Confidence scheme, necessary for our service development in the county next year. We have been approved by East Sussex County Council’s Approved List to provide an accommodation based “Supported Living” scheme. This will allow collaboration with partner organisation, Zetetick housing.

At Home Story

P was referred to At Home by their social worker during the first lockdown. P was very lonely and had not left their flat for over two years; there were concerns around her mental health, including depression and anxiety and recovery from alcoholism. In addition, the social worker had concerns P wasn’t eating or drinking properly and reported them contacting the GP and mental health team almost every day, to tell them how depressed they were.

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Without a consistent source of accessible, reliable information for disabled people, our Payroll and SBA customers turned to us. Each time guidance changed, or the government or NHS rolled out new information, we received enquiries from confused and uncertain disabled people not knowing where to turn.

Due to P’s mental health, it was not possible to assess via Zoom or phone, so after a full Covid-19 risk assessment, a team member went to their home. The social worker also attended the assessment. An in-depth conversation was had about her anxieties, the best ways the team could provide support and how quickly the service could begin.

For example, at the start of the pandemic, disabled people needed to know if it was safe for their PAs to come into their home to provide care. It was unclear if they were expected to provide PPE for their PAs or how they should pay for it.

During the set-up phase, we called P regularly to update her and kept her social work updated and informed. This helped to ease some of P’s concerns.

Many needed support to provide their PAs with letters justifying their role as key workers, or support to access PPE and vaccines. The team worked tirelessly to source and share appropriate information throughout the year and put many minds to rest when all other information sources could not respond.

However, in the first few weeks, P found getting to know the PAs quite challenging. Still, she persevered and was able to call the office for reassurance and support whenever she needed it. Now that P has a routine with three PAs, she is thriving.

Possability Place

She has a different relationship with each PA, who all support her with various tasks. P now has support with cooking, goes out to the local shops, goes for walks and has pampering sessions at home.

Both P and their social worker have reflected on how positively life has changed in a short time since using the service.

Payroll and Supported Bank Accounts

Our Payroll and Supported Bank Account (SBA) service alleviate the administrative burden of

managing the responsibilities of managing staff when receiving a Direct Payment. This service is relied upon by many disabled people. This year, the team supported a total of 733 people.

Our accessible venue, Possability Place, is usually used for training, meetings and events.

This year, all the regular groups and people who hire the space to deliver activities have not been operating.

The Payroll & SBA team have had a particularly challenging year as a result of the pandemic.

We have reached out to the community to explore Covid-19 secure opportunities to enable people to use this asset, resulting in some hires during October, November, and December.

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The staff team moved to home working, but their volunteers were unable to provide remote support. Additionally, the team found themselves at the frontline of a deluge of enquiries from disabled people trying to understand new Covid-19 rules.

people have benefited from using our Payroll and Supported Bank Account service.

This allowed two groups to meet socially distanced and safely, enabling services to be delivered to our local community.

During lockdown, we were able to offer some hires, particularly to people whose own equipment had broken down and we encouraged people to contact us if throughout the year if they needed a scooter in case we could safely support them

We also used the site as a collection and delivery base for our PPE provision to disabled people. Using a grant from Barclay’s Bank, we purchased and distributed PPE to disabled people who use our Payroll and Supported Bank Accounts service. Possability Place provided a safe and accessible point for disabled people to collect from.

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During months
where restrictions
were relaxed, and the full
service could operate,
there were
59 hires.
44 people accessed this
service.
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Shopmobility

Our traditional Shopmobility Service was unable to run for most of the year, closing in line with “non-essential retail” at the start of lockdown. As restrictions eased during the summer months, the service was able to open again and switched to a completely contactless service, with new cleaning and collection regimes.

One volunteer single-handedly kept the service going even when we could not offer hires.

They attended the site weekly to clean and charge the scooters and prevent deterioration.

Shopmobility Story

S contacted us when his powered wheelchair broke down. He used it mainly at home, but sometimes when he needed to get out and about.

Even though S lived outside our traditional area, and the Shopmobility service was closed, we didn’t want to leave him without equipment. Therefore Covid-19 safe delivery of a powerchair was made to S’s home, which enabled him to stay independent.

Given the situation, we relaxed the rules of our delivery area and relaxed our usual hire length, enabling S to keep the hired chair until they were able to use their own again.

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Reserves policy

The Future

  1. Provide stability across our services and develop our footprint.

  2. Continue to demonstrate impact in every area in which we work with disabled people

  3. Continue to build strategic relationships across the region

  4. Work with commissioners and communities to understand additional needs and how they can be met

  5. Work to increase our offer in each locality within our footprint, ensuring equity of support throughout.

  6. To effectively respond to, and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

  7. Ensure projects and services continually adapt in order to deliver within guidelines for controlling the virus

  8. Ensure staff and volunteers are able to work remotely safely and effectively, and are supported to return to offices when possible

  9. Identify emerging needs from our beneficiaries and develop services to meet them

  10. Help prevent crises in communities both as a result of the pandemic and the measures put in place to control the spread of the virus.

  11. Explore opportunities to develop new projects and services that fall within our mission and charitable objectives to meet emerging and unmet needs of our users.

  12. Continue to work with our beneficiaries to identify areas of unmet need

  13. Continue to explore different delivery models to find news to enable disabled people to live independently, with dignity and without prejudice

  14. Continue to build strategic relationships across the region to identify opportunities for collaboration to better meet the needs of disabled people

  15. Continue to strengthen the voice of disabled people in strategic conversations and ensure their voices are heard in any discussion about meeting their needs.

  16. We will continue to work with our users to understand areas of unmet need, and explore opportunities to address these to ensure we are developing services that are sustainable and meet the needs of our beneficiaries.

  17. Further raise the profile of the organisation to build the business.

  18. Continue to raise our profile and develop relationships and opportunities across the region

  19. Develop targeted outreach programmes through each of our projects to promote our charity with partners across the region.

  20. Continue to support our community fundraisers and encourage more to support us

  21. Enhance our social enterprise activity through targeted relationships and the development of partnerships.

Financial review

The most significant event during the reporting period was the COVID-19 health emergency. The charity withstood the financial pressures arising from the Coronavirus pandemic, successfully applying for a range of COVID emergency support funding from various sources. There was benefit too from a significant reduction in non-payroll expenses, in particular venue hires and travel costs. In addition, the company has been available to recover nearly £30,000 through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for staff on furlough. The additional funding and reduced expenditure have offset any income lost as a direct result of the pandemic.

The other major and ongoing uncertainty arises from the decade long squeeze on budgets in the public sector. This has the potential to reduce or cease funding for some of our core projects. We continue to provide funds for these through surpluses generated by social enterprise activities; our Payroll and Accounts Service and At Home care agency. Also, we have established a successful fundraising function primarily through bids to Trusts and Foundations.

The principal sources of our income are shown in notes 3 to 5 to the financial statements. Incoming resources during the year increased to £1,493,625 (2020 - £1,228,493).

Our results for the year show an overall surplus of £102,645; £75,331 from restricted funds and £27,314 from unrestricted funds; (2020 - total deficit of £(75,669), of which £(53,651) from restricted funds and £(22,018) from unrestricted funds).

A transfer to some restricted funds of £7,018 (2020 - £22,319) was required. The final result was an overall surplus of £20,296 (2020 – deficit of £(44,337) to unrestricted funds.

Going Concern

At the time of publication, there is no reason to conclude that our current funds flow will fail to cover the cost of our activities over the 18-24 months from the balance sheet date of 31st March 2021. Consequently, we have no Going Concern issues to report.

Unrestricted funds held at the year-end were £169,549 (2020 - £149,253). Tangible fixed assets have been written down to £nil, (2020 - £2,603). Therefore, the free reserves as defined by the Charity Commission were £169,549, (2020 - £146,650). The Management Committee has examined the charity’s requirements for reserves considering the main risks to the organisation. It has established a target for unrestricted funds held by the charity to be 3 months of expected expenditure. Monthly budgeted expenditure for 2021/22 is £100,000 approximately and therefore the target is £300,000 in general funds. The present level of free reserves available to the charity therefore falls short of this target level. Although the strategy is to continue to build reserves through planned operating surpluses, the Management Committee understands the target range may not be reached for at least five years. In the short term the Management Committee has also considered the extent to which existing activities and expenditure could be curtailed, should such circumstances arise.

Restricted funds held at the year-end were £114,991 (2020 - £32,642). These funds can only be used for specific purposes as defined by the funders.

The Advice Centre was funded by The Henry Smith Charity, Edward Kleinwort Trust & Brighton & Hove City Council, to provide an advice service for disabled people. At the year-end a reserve of £20,330 (2020 - £22,598) was carried forward.

Get Involved Group was funded by Brighton & Hove City Council and Brighton & Hove CCG. The Group provides a platform for people with a lived experience of disability, long-term health condition, impairment or mental health condition, and their carers, to have their voices heard on issues that directly affect them. Emergency Covid-19 funding from the National Lottery Community Fund enabled us to offer support to isolated disabled people in West Sussex. Safe At Home launched in direct response to the pandemic and connected with isolated, vulnerable disabled people. Overall, a deficit of £(2,556) (2020 - £(15,810) was incurred on this activity requiring a transfer from unrestricted funds.

COVID-19 Community Relief was funded by Barclays Charities Trust to cover PPE distribution to our client groups. This fund will be ongoing as the world experiences further waves of infection from this virus. A reserve of £77,408 was carried forward, (2020 - £nil).

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Disclosure of information to auditors

Reserves policy

(continued)

The Get Set Opening Doors service is funded by a successful bid to the National Lottery Community Fund. This will see the charity receive almost £400,000 for a four-year programme to support disabled people into work, volunteering or training in Brighton, Hove and across East Sussex. In the current year a deficit of £(4,462) (2020 - £(647)) was incurred on this activity requiring a transfer from unrestricted funds.

Sport England provided additional funding for our MSK Social Prescribing service as part of the Right Track project. At the year-end a reserve of £1,344 (2020 - £1,261) was carried forward.

Link Back is funded by NHS Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group to provide a service that links people to the community, voluntary and private sector services that can enhance their independence and day to day lives on their return home from hospital admissions. At the year-end a reserve of £3,147 (2020 - £nil) was carried forward.

Shopmobility is funded by Brighton & Hove City Council to provide hire of mobility scooters, powered and manual wheelchairs to visitors and residents of Brighton & Hove. At the year-end a reserve of £12,762 (2020 - £8,783) was carried forward.

Responsibilities of Board of Trustees

The trustees, who are also the directors of Possability People Limited for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard for the UK and Republic of Ireland’.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these accounts, the trustees are required to:

The Directors who held office at the date of approval of this Directors report confirm that, so far as they are each aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s auditors are unaware; and each Director has taken all the steps that he ought to have taken as a Director to make himself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Company’s auditors are aware of that information.

Mark Green

On behalf of the Board of Trustees

Dated: 27 July 2021

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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Independent auditors’ report to the members of Possability People limited

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Possability People Limited (the ‘parent charity’) and its subsidiary (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2021 set out on pages 48 to 63. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

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 group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the Financial Reporting Council’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 group’s and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon.

Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In light of our knowledge and understanding of the Group and parent charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 43w, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charity 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 Group’s and the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the Group or parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with the Act .

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 Auditors’ Report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities, including fraud

Based on our understanding of the group, parent charitable company and sector, and through discussion with the Trustees and management (as required by auditing standards), we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to health and safety, anti-bribery, care quality and employment law. 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, Charities Statement of Recommended Practice and taxation legislation. We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout our team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit.

We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls) and determined that the principal risks were related to posting inappropriate journal entries to increase income or reduce expenditure.

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Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s trustees, 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 charitable company’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditors’ report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Alison Jones FCA

For and on behalf of Kreston Reeves LLP Chartered Accountants

Statutory Auditors

Brighton

Date: 5 August 2021

Kreston Reeves LLP are eligible to act as auditors in terms of section 1212 of Companies Act 2006.

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Income from: Notes
Donations 3 30,749 780 31,529 13,171
Activities for raising funds 4 4,864 - 4,864 28,556
Charitable activities – trading subsidiary 11 293,360 - 293,360 291,983
Charitable activities – parent charity
5		 650,367 513,505 1,163,872 894,783
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
Total income 979,340 514,285 1,493,625 1,228,493
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
Expenditure on:
Costs of raising funds
Marketing and advertising 6 2,728 - 2,728 4,300
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
2,728 - 2,728 4,300
Charitable activities
Trading subsidiary 11 223,255 - 223,255 216,474
Parent charity 6 726,043 438,954 1,164,997 1,083,388
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
949,298 438,954 1,388,252 1,299,862
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
Total expenditure 952,026 438,954 1,390,980 1,304,162
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
Net income/(expenditure) for the year 27,314 75,331 102,645 (75,669)
Gross transfers between funds 19 (7,018) 7,018 - -
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
Net movement in funds 20,296 82,349 102,645 (75,669)
Fund balances at 1 April 2020 149,253 32,642 181,895 257,564
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
Fund balances at 31 March 2021 169,549 114,991 284,540 181,895
──────── ─────── ────── ──────
2021 2020
£ £
Surplus/(Deficit) attributable to Possability People Limited 32,540 (151,178)
────── ──────

All activities are classed as continuing. There are no recognised gains or losses other than those reported on the Statement of Financial Activities.

The notes on pages 52 - 63 form part of these financial statements.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2021

2021 2020
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 13 - 2,603
─────── ────────
- 2,603
Current assets
Debtors 15 120,739 166,829
Cash at bank and in hand 287,800 135,187
─────── ────────
408,539 302,016
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year		 16 (123,999) (122,724)
─────── ────────
Net current assets 284,540 179,292
─────── ────────
Total assets less current liabilities 284,540 181,895
─────── ────────
Income funds
Restricted funds 19 114,991 32,642
Unrestricted funds 19 169,549 149,253
─────── ────────
284,540 181,895
─────── ────────

The Charity's financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

The Trustees consider that the Charity is entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provisions of section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act") and members have not required the Charity to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. However, an audit is required in accordance with section 151 of the Charities Act 2011.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on ......................... and signed on their behalf, by: 27 July 2021

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..............................
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Mark Green

Company Registration No. 05706441

The notes on pages 52 - 63 form part of these financial statements.

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CHARITY BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2021

2021 2020
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 13 - 2,603
Investments 14 2 2
─────── ────────
2 2,605
Current assets
Debtors 15 113,094 133,620
Cash at bank and in hand 201,312 69,001
──────── ────────
314,406 202,621
Creditors: amounts falling due within one 16 (99,975) (98,840)
year
──────── ────────
Net current assets 214,431 103,781
─────── ────────
Total assets less current liabilities 214,433 106,386
─────── ────────
Income funds
Restricted funds 19 114,991 32,642
Unrestricted funds 19 99,442 73,744
─────── ────────
214,433 106,386
─────── ────────

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT

AS AT 31 MARCH 2021

2021 2020
Notes £ £
Net cash provided by / (used by) operating activities 22 152,613 (27,089)
────── ─────
Increase / (Decrease) in cash 152,613 (27,089)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 135,187 162,276
────── ─────
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 287,800 135,187
────── ─────

The Charity's financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

The Trustees consider that the Charity is entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provisions of section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act") and members have not required the Charity to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. However, an audit is required in accordance with section 151 of the Charities Act 2011.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on ......................... and signed on their behalf, by: 27 July 2021

----- Start of picture text -----
..............................
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Mark Green
----- End of picture text -----

Company Registration No. 05706441

The notes on pages 52 - 63 form part of these financial statements.

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POSSABILITY PEOPLE LIMITED NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

[FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021]

Possability People Limited is a charitable private company, limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. The

2.1 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)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Possability People Limited meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy. Accounting policies have been consistently applied.

The Statement of Financial activities (SOFA) and Balance sheet consolidate the financial statements of the Charity and its subsidiary undertaking. The results of the subsidiary are consolidated on a line by line basis.

No separate SOFA has been presented for the Charity alone as permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

2.2 Group financial statements

These financial statements consolidate the results of the charity and its wholly owned subsidiary Possability People Trading Limited.

The financial statements consolidate the account of Possability People Limited and its subsidiary undertaking (‘subsidiary’).

The charity has taken advantage of the exemption contained within section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to present it own Income and expenditure account.

2 Accounting policies (continued) 2.5 Income

All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income, the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy and receipt is probable. The subsidiary is VAT registered.

Grant income is recognised over the period for which it is granted.

Donations and gifts are recognised when receivable.

Investment income is recognised when receivable.

Other incoming resources are recognised when receivable.

2.6 Government Grants

Grants of a revenue nature are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities in the same period as the related expenditure. During the year the company received assistance from the coronavirus job retention scheme.

2.7 Expenditure

Expenditure is analysed as follows:

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support the activities of the charity.

Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity. They are included within the support costs of the charity.

All costs are allocated between expenditure categories of the Statement of Financial Activities on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned based on estimated usage as a proportion of directly attributable expenditure. Expenditure is provided for when a legal or constructive obligation exists and includes irrecoverable value added tax within the item of expense to which it relates.

2.4 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. This statement is made with full recognition of the actual and potential continued future financial impact arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements and have not material uncertainty.

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2 Accounting policies (continued)

2.8 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

It is the policy of the charity to capitalise items exceeding £2,500 in cost. Expenditure below this level is taken to the Statement of Financial Activities as incurred.

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:

Computer equipment 3 years straight line Fixtures, fittings & equipment 6 years straight line Specialist equipment 4 years straight line

2.9 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

2.10 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments.

2.11 Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.

2.12 Investments

Fixed asset investments are not stated at market value, due to the lack of market information. The trustees have elected to value the investment at cost.

2.13 Financial instruments

The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

2.14 Pensions

The charity operates a defined contributions pension scheme. Contributions are charged in the accounts as they become payable in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

2.15 Accumulated funds

Unrestricted general funds comprise those amounts received for use at the discretion of the trustees in the furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

3 Donations
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds 2021
£ £ £
Donations 3,169 780 3,949
Government Grant 27,580 - 27,580
──────── ─────── ──────
30,749 780 31,529
──────── ─────── ──────
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds 2020
£ £ £
Donations 13,171 - 13,171
Government Grant - - -
──────── ─────── ──────
13,171 - 13,171
──────── ─────── ──────
4 Income from activities for raising funds
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds 2021
£ £ £
Shopmobility 975 - 975
Fund Generation 3,889 - 3,889
──────── ─────── ──────
4,864 - 4,864
──────── ─────── ──────
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds 2020
£ £ £
Shopmobility 6,057 - 6,057
Fund Generation 22,499 - 22,499
──────── ─────── ──────
28,556 - 28,556
──────── ─────── ──────

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions imposed by donors and includes monies raised for specific projects.

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5 Income from charitable activities

6 Expenditure

Income from charitable activities
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds 2021
£ £ £
Income received 650,367 513,505 1,163,872
──────── ─────── ──────
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds 2020
£ £ £
Income received 429,275 465,508 894,783
──────── ─────── ──────
Included within income received are the following:
2021 2020
£ £
Unrestricted funds
At Home 425,097 251,750
Here 75,000 106,200
DWP 58,623 61,681
Sussex Community Foundation 8,964 -
Edward Gostling Foundation 9,997 -
Zetetick Housing 5,000 -
CAF Resilience Fund 12,153 -
Garfield Weston 25,000 -
Surrey Community Foundation 5,000 -
BHCC 10,000 -
National Emergencies Trust 15,533 -
Advocacy - 9,644
─────── ──────
650,367 429,275
─────── ──────
Restricted funds
Brighton & Hove City Council 25,561 47,190
Brighton & Hove CCG 10,000 4,000
Brighton & Hove City Council - Shopmobility 26,100 31,100
Edward Kleinwort Trust 2,500 -
The Henry Smith Charity 40,000 40,000
Trust For Developing Communities 23,000
Garfield Weston Foundation - 20,000
Moneyworks 9,573 9,800
Link Back project 137,088 126,017
National Lottery Community Fund 135,313 52,129
Work & Health Unit Challenge Fund - 135,272
Barclays Charities Trust 100,000 -
East Sussex County Council 1,500 -
Sport England 2,870 -
─────── ──────
513,505 465,508
─────── ──────
Expenditure
Staff Depre- Other Total
costs ciation costs 2021
£ £ £ £
Costs of generating funds
Marketing and advertising - - 2,728 2,728
────── ────── ─────── ──────
Charitable activities
Parent charity activities undertaken directly 902,756 2,603 61,548 832,929
Parent charity support costs 128,149 - 72,838 250,459
Trading subsidiary activities undertaken directly 135,138 - 22,308 151,307
Trading subsidiary support costs 19,183 - 43,729 65,167
────── ────── ─────── ──────
1,185,226 2,603 200,423 1,388,252
────── ────── ─────── ──────
Total expenditure 1,185,226 2,603 203,151 1,390,980
────── ────── ─────── ──────
Staff Depre- Other Total
costs ciation costs 2020
£ £ £ £
Costs of generating funds
Marketing and advertising - - 4,300 4,300
────── ────── ─────── ──────
Charitable activities
Parent charity activities undertaken directly 730.633 2,970 99,326 832,929
Parent charity support costs 149,159 - 101,300 250,459
Trading subsidiary activities undertaken directly 125.631 - 25,676 151,307
Trading subsidiary support costs 25,647 - 39,520 65,167
────── ────── ─────── ──────
1,031,070 2,970 265,822 1,299,862
────── ────── ─────── ──────
Total expenditure 1,031,070 2,970 270,122 1,304,162
────── ────── ─────── ──────
Analysis of support costs (including Governance costs) 2021
£
Wages and salaries 147,332
Legal and professional 20,918
General office and administration 87,419
Vehicle and travel 1,620
Governance costs:
Audit and accountancy fees 6,360
Other services provided by auditors 250
──────
263,899
──────
2020
£
Wages and salaries 174,805
Legal and professional 27,138
General office and administration 98,940
Vehicle and travel 8,373
Governance costs:
Audit and accountancy fees 6,120
Other services provided by auditors 250
──────
315,626
──────

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7 Trustees

12 Net income/(expenditure)

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year. The charity paid no travel and training costs on behalf of any (2020 – two) trustees totalling £0 (2020: £82).

The trustees have the power to amend the financial statements after issue.

8 Employees

Employment costs 2021 2020
£ £
Wages and salaries 1,075,425 939,999
Social security costs 82,423 68,023
Other pension costs 27,378 23,048
─────── ───────
1,185,226 1,031,070
─────── ───────

The average number of persons employed by the charity during the year was 62 (2020: 58). No individual's emoluments were greater than £60,000.

The key management personnel of the charity consists of the Chief Officer, with the total employee benefits being £58,140 (2020: £59,463). This figure includes employers’ national insurance and also employer’s pension contribution.

The Charity is a registered charity and is exempt from taxation on income applied for charitable purposes under section 505(1) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

10 Auditors’ remuneration

Net income/(expenditure)
2021 2020
£ £
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets owned by the charity 2,603 2,970
─────── ───────
2,603 2,970
─────── ───────
Tangible fixed assets - Charity and Group
Computer Specialist Fixtures, fittings Total
equipment equipment & equipment
£ £ £ £
Cost
At 1 April 2020 26,028 30,463 25,543 82,034
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
At 31 March 2021 26,028 30,463 25,543 82,034
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
Depreciation
At 1 April 2020 26,028 30,463 22,940 79,431
Charge for the year - - 2,603 2,603
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
At 31 March 2021 26,028 30,463 25,543 82,034
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
Net book value
At 31 March 2021 - - - -
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
At 31 March 2020 - - 2,603 2,603
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────

The auditors’ remuneration amounts to an audit fee of £6,360 (2020: £6,120).

14 Fixed asset investments - Charity

Trading activities
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Subsidiary trading income 293,360 - 293,360 291,983
Subsidiary trading expenses 223,255 - 223,255 216,475
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
70,105 - 70,105 75,508
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────

In 2020, of the net income from trading activities £75,508 was to unrestricted funds and £nil was to restricted funds.

Shares in group undertaking

Cost at 31 March 2020 and 31 March 2021 ─────── Historical cost: At 31 March 2020 ─────── At 31 March 2021 2 ───────

Subsidiary undertaking

The principal activity of the subsidiary company is that of providing support services to disabled people.

Name Class of shares Holdings Possability People Trading Limited (07961915) £1 Ordinary 100%

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15 Debtors

Debtors
Group Charity
2021 2020 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Trade debtors 88,784 134,081 67,373 89,224
Other debtors 19,410 26,200 13,610 20,899
Amounts owed by group undertakings - - 21,692 19,075
Prepayments 12,545 6,548 10,419 4,422
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
120,739 166,829 113,094 133,620
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────

16 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Group Charity Charity
2021 2020 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Trade creditors 4,090 23,762 2,030 21,709
Taxes and social security costs 45,094 38,904 26,058 19,908
Other creditors 11,553 9,485 11,530 9,481
Accruals 63,262 50,573 60,357 47,741
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
123,999 122,724 99,975 98,839
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.

Defined contribution

the charity in an independently administered fund.
Defined contribution
2021 2020
£ £
Contributions payable by the company for the year 27,378 23,048
─────── ───────

19 Statement of funds

Statement of funds – current year

Balance Movement in funds Balance at
at 1 April 31 March
2020 Income Expenditure Transfers 2021
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General funds 73,743 685,980 (728,771) 68,490 99,442
PPTL Reserves 75,510 293,360 (223,255) (75,508) 70,107
────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────
149,253 979,340 (952,026) (7,018) 169,549
────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:

Balance Balance at
at 1 April Movement in funds 31 March
2020 Income Expenditure Transfers 2021
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds – current year
Advice Centre 22,598 73,414 (75,682) - 20,330
Get Involved - 53,326 (55,882) 2,556 -
COVID-19 Community Relief - 101,500 (24,092) - 77,408
Get Set Opening Doors - 119,987 (124,449) 4,462 -
Right Track 1,261 2,870 (2,787) - 1,344
Link Back - 137,088 (133,941) - 3,147
Shopmobility 8,783 26,100 (22,121) - 12,762
────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────
32,642 412,785 (438,954) 7,018 114,991
────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────

Details of each fund's activities:

Pension contribution commitments at the year-end amounted to £4,640 (2020: £4,056).

Advice Centre provides an advice service for disabled people.

18 Share capital

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and therefore without a share capital. No one member has overall control of the charity.

Liability is limited to £1 per member.

Get Involved Group provides a platform for people with a lived experience of disability, long-term health condition, impairment or mental health condition, and their carers, to have their voices heard on issues that directly affect them.

Get Set Opening Doors (Continuing Employment Service) supports disabled people and people with long term health conditions or impairments (including mental health conditions) to overcome the barriers they might face in getting a job.

COVID-19 Community Relief represents grants received to cover PPE distribution to any of our client groups requiring it.

Right Track supports people to find and engage in suitable exercise classes and health related activities, Right Track also refers to a variety of other areas, including, but not limited to: disability advice; carer support; money and debt management; housing and adaptations; nutrition; travel; mental health; social and peer support groups; hobbies and interests; advocacy; employment advice and support; volunteering; and specialist services such as domestic abuse or family mediation.

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19 Statement of funds (continued)

Link Back is a service that links people to the community, voluntary and private sector services that can enhance their independence and day to day lives on their return home from hospital admissions. s a service that links people to the community, voluntary and private sector services that can enhance their independence and day to day lives on their return home from hospital admissions.

Shopmobility is funded by Brighton & Hove City Council to provide hire of mobility scooters, powered and manual wheelchairs to visitors and residents of Brighton & Hove.

Statement of funds – prior year

Balance Balance at
at 1 April Movement in funds 31 March
2019 Income Expenditure Transfers 2020
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General funds 121,152 464,386 (561,192) 50,117 73,743
PPTL Reserves 72,438 291,983 (216,475) (72,436) 75,510
────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────
193,590 756,369 (778,387) (22,319) 149,253

────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:

grants held on trust for specific purposes:
Balance Balance at
at 1 April Movement in funds 31 March
2019 Income Expenditure Transfers 2020
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds
Advice Centre 18,956 85,978 (82,336) - 22,598
Get Involved 1,582 41,628 (59,020) 15,810 -
Work and Health Unit Challenge Fund 29,605 135,272 (166,210) 1,333 -
Get Set Opening Doors - 42,129 (42,776) 647 -
Right Track - 10,000 (8,739) - 1,261
Link Back - 126,017 (130,546) 4,529 -
Shopmobility 13,831 31,100 (36,148) - 8,783
────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────
63,974 472,124 (525,755) 22,319 32,642
────── ────── ─────── ────── ───────

20 Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds
£ £ £
Fund balances at 31 March 2021 are represented by:
Tangible fixed assets - - -
Current assets 293,548 114,991 408,539
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (123,999) - (123,999)
─────── ─────── ───────
169,549 114,991 284,540
─────── ─────── ───────
Fund balances at 31 March 2020 are represented by:
Tangible fixed assets 2,603 - 2,603
Current assets 269,374 169,549 302,016
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (122,724) - (122,724)
─────── ─────── ───────
149,253 169,549 181,895
─────── ─────── ───────

21 Commitments under operating leases

At 31 March 2021 the company had total commitments under non-cancellable operating leases payable as follows:

Land and buildings Other Other
2021 2020 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Within one year 3,572 3,572 5,830 5,830
Between two and five years - - 4,372 10,202
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
3,572 3,572 10,202 16,031
─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities
2021 2020
£ £
Net income/(expenditure) 102,645 (75,669)
Depreciation charge 2,603 2,970
Increase in creditors 1,275 16,210
Decrease in debtors 46,090 29,400
─────── ───────
152,613 (27,089)
─────── ───────
Analysis of changes in net debt
At 1 April Cash At 31 March
2020 flows 2021
£ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 135,187 152,613 287,800
─────── ─────── ───────

22 Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities

23 Analysis of changes in net debt

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Thank you to everyone involved with the organisation. Together, we can keep going above and beyond.

www.possabilitypeople.org.uk

If you would like to make a donation to Possability People, you can do so via our website at www.possabilitypeople.org.uk/donate.

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