Company no. 06269047 Charity no. 1120934
## **Birth Companions**
# **Report and Unaudited Financial Statements**
**31 March 2022**
## **Birth Companions**
## **Reference and administrative details**
|**For the year ended 31**|**March 2022**||
|---|---|---|
|**Company number**|06269047||
|**Charity number**|1120934||
|**Registered office**|Dalton House||
||60 Windsor Avenue||
||South Wimbledon||
||London||
||SW19 2RR||
|**Trustees**|Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during||
||the year and up to the date|of this report were as follows:|
||Lucy Ball||
||Jenny Beardsley|Treasurer|
||Oluwakemi Eze|(resigned 5 July 2022)|
||Vivienne Gray||
||Elizabeth Hogarth, O.B.E.||
||Julie Juliff||
||Jennifer Kerr-Davis||
||Sally Anne Matthews|Chair|
||Klare Meyer|(appointed 15 June 2022)|
||Tuesdae Moncrieffe||
||Diana Parkinson||
||Anne Stephens||
||Avan Wadia|(resigned 9 March 2022)|
|**Company secretary**|Naomi Delap||
|**Bankers**|CAF Bank Ltd||
||25 Kings Hill Avenue||
||Kings Hill, West Malling||
||Kent||
||ME19 4JQ||
|**Independent**|Godfrey Wilson Limited||
|**examiners**|Chartered accountants and|statutory auditors|
||5th Floor Mariner House||
||62 Prince Street||
||Bristol||
||BS1 4QD||
1
## **Birth Companions**
## **Report of the trustees**
**For the year ended 31 March 2022**
The trustees present their report along with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2022.
Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities (effective from January 2019).
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Objectives and aims**
In our Memorandum of Association, our objects are listed as:
- To preserve and protect the mental and physical welfare of pregnant women and new mothers who experience severe and multiple health and social inequalities by the provision of physical, emotional and practical support during pregnancy, labour, childbirth and the post-natal period. In these objects “pregnant women and new mothers who experience severe and multiple health and social inequalities” shall be defined as pregnant women and new mothers in need by reason of their health, disability, financial hardship or social or economic circumstances.
- To advance and educate the public, in particular the beneficial class in maternity, childbirth and parenting.
Birth Companions aims to improve the lives of mothers and babies facing severe disadvantage. We seek to achieve this by:
- ▪Improving the physical and emotional well being of pregnant women and new mothers;
- ▪Enabling new mothers to give their babies the best possible start in life;
- ▪Empowering women through engagement; and
- ▪Shaping the local and national policy and practice which impacts on mothers and their babies.
Birth Companions is built on three interlocking areas of work: frontline services; policy and campaigning; and engagement, with the women we support at the heart of everything we do.
## **Service delivery**
Through the work of our staff team and specialist volunteers, we offer practical and emotional support to women before, during and after their baby’s birth. We support women in three prisons (HMP Bronzefield, HMP Peterborough, HMP Foston Hall) and in the community in London and the South East. We work in a variety of ways that include:
- ▪Offering one-to-one and group-based pregnancy support and guidance;
- ▪Birth support;
- ▪Practical essential items;
- ▪Trauma-informed antenatal classes;
- ▪Mother and baby groups;
- Support for women experiencing bereavement and loss through miscarriage, stillbirth and separation from their children;
- ▪Support for women accessing abortions; and
- ▪A peer support programme.
2
## **Birth Companions**
## **Report of the trustees**
**For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **Policy and campaigning**
The unique insight we gain from delivering services in prisons and the community and working alongside women with lived experience shapes our research, policy and campaigning. We commission academic and peer-led research and direct the attention of local and national policymakers, commissioners and service providers to what really matters, what needs to change, and how. We work with journalists to uncover injustice and practice that breaches women’s human rights, and we campaign to address these inequalities.
## **Engagement**
Women with lived experience of multiple disadvantage during pregnancy and early motherhood play many key roles at Birth Companions, including serving as trustees and working as peer supporters to help others through similar experiences.
Our Lived Experience Team (LET) is a group of over forty women with lived experience who work to make change. LET members and the engagement staff supporting them to:
- increase understanding and awareness by contributing to research, inquiries and serving on expert reference groups;
- ▪work with journalists and documentary makers in a range of media;
- ▪inform and shaping policy through consultations, meetings and conferences;
- improve practice by meeting providers and commissioners; facilitating training; conducting service evaluations; and
- ▪support other organisations to develop their engagement work effectively.
## **Statement on public benefit**
The trustees confirm that they have compiled with the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit, and that the purpose and aims of Birth Companions are for the greater public good. All our charitable activities focus on improving the experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood for women in prison and the community so that they are better able to care for their baby after the birth. We believe that, in the longer term, our work contributes to women being less likely to reoffend post-release as they have been given both the emotional and practical help to turn their lives around as well as to better long-term outcomes for families as women have been able to build stronger bonds with their babies and learnt better parenting skills.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
## **Significant activities**
During 2021 we marked our 25[th] anniversary which provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the development of our services in that time, our response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of our work to shape and improve policy and practice.
We continued to deliver frontline support to women in our prison and community-based services. We also led a major public campaign to end the imprisonment of pregnant women; helped shape new guidelines on state intervention at birth through new-born care proceedings; hosted a major national conference on the intersection of the criminal and family justice systems; and supported many members of our Lived Experience Team as they took part in a range of projects to improve the care of pregnant women and mothers of infants facing disadvantage and inequality.
3
## **Birth Companions**
## **Report of the trustees**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
As services in both the prisons and the community adapted to the end of pandemic-related restrictions, we were able to restart our antenatal classes and mother and baby groups in London, see women one-to-one, attend births, and start visiting prisons again. We have also been able to maintain a greater level of remote support, in line with the preferences of some women and appropriate to their circumstances. This has allowed us to sustain high levels of engagement across a high caseload.
_“Birth Companions has supported me in all ways mentally, physically and I am so glad to have all the support I needed during labour and after giving birth. I can't thank them enough, their support and kindness, I'll always appreciate and never forget.”_
## **The support we offered**
From 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 we supported 247 women and birthing people:
- **123** women and **2** birthing people in prisons in England.
- **31** women through our Peer Support services in prisons.
- **122** women in the community in London and the South East.
- **22** women through our new Probation service.
- **44** women through our community Antenatal services.
- **48** women through our community Birth service.
- **29** women through our community Postnatal services.
- We supported **33** women during separation from their baby; more than twice the number supported last year.
## **Practical support**
- This year we provided practical support to 177 women and birthing people. This included taxis for travelling to or from hospital, phone credit, nursing bras and wellbeing packs, and supplying 44 baby boxes, containing everything a woman needs for her baby in the first two weeks after birth, through charity PramDepot.
_“This helped me so much, I am on a low income and would not have been able to purchase the items given to me by PramDepot & Birth Companions.”_
## **The impact of our work**
Evaluation data collected from 30 women showed that:
- ▪87% felt our support had helped improve their mental health and well-being.
- ▪96% felt we had helped them to feel less isolated.
- ▪88% of women felt our support had helped them to give their babies a better start in life.
- 97% were very satisfied with the support they had been given. Women said they particularly valued the way our services made them feel.
_“I think Birth Companions is amazing, I can’t fault a thing.”_
We are immensely grateful to our funders for their generosity and flexibility; and to our incredible staff and volunteers who have enabled Birth Companions to continue and flourish during these difficult times.
4
## **Birth Companions**
## **Report of the trustees**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **Financial review**
The Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2022 shows total income of £591,589. This is a small decrease in income compared with the previous year of £19k (3%). There was a £15k increase in personal donations and associated gift aid. The prior year included £183k of Covid emergency funding compared to £45k in the current year.
Our principal source of income is grants, which total £475,357 (2021: £525,029) which comprise 80% of our total income (2021: 86%)
Expenses in year have increased by £49k compared with the previous year. This was driven by a strengthened staff management structure and some limited return to prison visits by staff.
The Statement of Financial Activities indicates net income for 2021/22 of £121,492 (2020/21 £190,139).
We received funding this year from Advance Advocacy and Non-Violence Community Education, Brown Dog, BK Adrian Squire, Bromley Trust, Bronzefield Prison, Central and North West CCIG, City & Hackney CCG, Department of Education, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Goldsmiths Company Charity, Henry Smith Charity, London Catalyst, Ministry of Justice, NHS England, North Central London LMS, Northwick Family Trust, Pears Foundation, PramDepot, Rayne Foundation, Samaritans, Segelman Trust, Social Care Institute for Excellence, The A B Charitable Trust, The EQ Foundation, and many individual donors.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, our previous funders and new funders have recognised the importance of the work we are undertaking. We were successful in securing funding to support us throughout this period and ensure services can continue into 2022/23 providing stability to the women we support.
The future fundraising landscape remains uncertain as we move away from funders offering emergency Covid funds, and we will continue to work with current funders and new trusts and donors to ensure the finances of the charity remain robust. Our ringfenced reserves remain at a higher level than pre-Covid as a response to this uncertainty.
## **Reserves**
Free reserves are part of unrestricted funds that are freely available to spend on any of the charity’s purposes.
In considering the reserves policy, the trustees have taken into account the following issues:
- Sources of income e.g. a grant not being renewed. Funds might be needed to give trustees time to take action if income falls below expectations.
- ▪Planned commitments that cannot be met by future income alone e.g. new projects.
- The risks of an unforeseen emergency or other unexpected need for funds e.g. pump-priming an urgent project.
- Covering unforeseen day-to-day operational costs e.g. employing temporary staff to cover a long term sickness absence.
- The need to fund short-term shortfalls in the cash budget e.g. if funding is required to be spent before a funding grant is received.
- The current funding landscape is uncertain as Trusts and Foundations are reassessing their aims following the Covid pandemic.
5
## **Birth Companions**
## **Report of the trustees**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
Bearing in mind the issues above, trustees have agreed that our free reserves target should reflect sufficient funding to cover the on-going running of the charity for a period of at least 9 months if no other income source was available. In addition, funding should be set aside for closure costs (such as redundancy and other commitments) to ensure a worst case scenario was covered.
Further designated funds could also be set aside for specific projects that trustees agree to be a priority but do not have a separate restricted funding source. This would be established as a specific reserve and not form part of the general reserves.
At present, we have calculated that ongoing running of the charity's core services for 9 months costs around £489,000, and that closure costs, based largely on staffing commitments, would be in the region of £43,000. This gives a total reserves target of £532,000. At 31 March 2022, Birth Companions unrestricted free reserves were £541,331 (2021: £356,752), including £532,000 specifically ring-fenced as contingency funds (2020/21 £309,000). Therefore 101% (2020/21 97%) of the revised reserves target has currently been met.
## **Going concern statement**
The trustees have reviewed the budgets for the 2022/23 financial year, including reserves and secured income and consider there to be sufficient funding secured to prepare these accounts on a going concern basis.
## **Key risks and uncertainties**
The trustees regularly review the principal risks and major uncertainties to which the charity may be exposed and systems and procedures have been established to manage those risks.
The trustees consider a full risk assessment at least annually, though during the last year with the additional uncertainty arising from COVID-19 they have been assessed quarterly. The operational team review it at least every six months, when new services start and where there are significant changes to existing services. The register lists the key risks identified together with the potential level of harm caused and the likelihood of occurrence. Actions being taken to manage the identified risks are listed on the register.
Key areas of risks identified and mitigating actions are:
- **Safeguarding issues and the risk of women being harmed during the course of our support, which have increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.** Birth Companions has a robust safeguarding policy and practice framework; the safeguarding subgroup meet monthly to discuss all incidents and report quarterly to the board; training and refresher training is compulsory for staff and volunteers; all members have enhanced DBS checks; we practice safer recruitment; volunteers go through a robust training course; we follow a detailed code of conduct; we have a robust Health and Safety Policy and Infection Policy.
- **High staff turnover and cost of living increase.** We ensure our salaries and cost of living increases are benchmarked regularly to ensure they are competitive within our sector; we offer additional financial support as appropriate (such as home-working allowance); and to ensure our organisation is an attractive one to work in we offer additional wellbeing support and job flexibility.
6
## **Birth Companions**
## **Report of the trustees**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
- **Changes in the female prison population affecting need for our services.** We are managing this risk through maintaining and developing community based services; and focussing policy work on the social services, immigration and maternity systems as well as the criminal justice systems.
- **Financial instability.** We have a rolling fundraising programme, and aim for a diverse funding mix from charitable trusts and foundations; statutory sources; and individual giving. In 2022 we increased the amount we hold in reserves in recognition of the increased size of the organisation and the additional instability arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
## **Contribution of volunteers**
We are incredible grateful to all of our volunteers. The time of general volunteers has not been included in these accounts but we estimate that 360 hours (2021: 240 hours) of support has been provided by volunteers during the year and without them we would not be able to deliver many of our services, particularly the birth support, which is such a core part of our work. The reduction of hours in the prior year was predominantly driven by the reduced ability to meet face to face due to COVID19.
## **Key management personnel**
The SORP considers the key management personnel of the charity to be those persons having authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the charity, directly or indirectly. The trustees consider that the board of trustees, the Director, the Head of Services and the Operations Manager are key management personnel of the charity.
## **THANKS**
As ever, we are immensely grateful to our staff and volunteers for their commitment and dedication. We would also like to thank our funders for their ongoing support of our work.
## **Statement of responsibilities of the trustees**
The trustees (who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:
- ▪select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- ▪observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- ▪make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
7
## **Birth Companions**
## **Report of the trustees**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.
## **Independent examiners**
Godfrey Wilson Limited were appointed as independent examiners to the charitable company during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.
Approved by the trustees on 19 October 2022 and signed on their behalf by
## Sally Matthews
Sally Anne Matthews - Chair
8
## **Independent examiner's report**
## **To the trustees of**
## **Birth Companions**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Birth Companions (the charitable company) for the year ended 31 March 2022, which are set out on pages 10 to 26.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charitable company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charitable company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charitable company's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
Since the charitable company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
- (1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the charitable company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
- (2) the accounts do not accord with those records; or
- (3) the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
- (4) the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## Laura May Richards
Date: 20 October 2022 **Laura Richards ACA Member of the ICAEW** For and on behalf of: **Godfrey Wilson Limited**
Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD
9
## **Birth Companions**
**Statement of financial activities** _(incorporating an income and expenditure account)_
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
|Restricted
Unrestricted
Note
£
£
**Income from:**
Donations
3
346,113
228,854
Charitable activities
4
-
16,514
Investments
5
-
108
**Total income**
346,113
245,476
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
7
409,200
49,080
Raising funds
10
-
11,817
**Total expenditure**
409,200
60,897
10
(63,087)
184,579
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
193,453
356,752
**Total funds carried forward**
130,366
541,331
**Net income / (expenditure) and net**
**movement in funds**|**2022**
**Total**
**£**
**574,967**
**16,514**
**108**
**591,589**
**458,280**
**11,817**
**470,097**
**121,492**
**550,205**
**671,697**|Restated
2021
Total
£
609,886
-
940|
|---|---|---|
|||610,826|
|||411,253
9,434|
|||420,687|
|||190,139
360,066|
|||550,205|
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 20 to the accounts.
The prior year comparatives have been restated to reclassify expenditure between raising funds and charitable activities. There has been no change to total expenditure or funds.
10
## **Birth Companions**
## **Balance sheet**
## **As at 31 March 2022**
|Note
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
15
**Current assets**
Debtors
16
Cash at bank and in hand
**Liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year
17
**Net current assets**
**Net assets**
19
**Funds**
20
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
General funds
**Total charity funds**|**£**
**117,395**
**621,730**
**739,125**
**(72,133)**|**2022**
**£**
**4,705**
**666,992**
**671,697**
**130,366**
**532,000**
**9,331**
**671,697**|2021
£
2,097
38,603
558,517|
|---|---|---|---|
||||597,120
(49,012)|
||||548,108|
||||550,205|
||||193,453
309,000
47,752|
||||550,205|
The directors are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) relating to the audit of the financial statements for the year by virtue of section 477(2), and that no member or members have requested an audit pursuant to section 476 of the Act.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for:
- (i) ensuring that the Company keeps proper accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act; and
- (ii) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company as at the end of the financial year and of its profit or loss for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Act relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.
Approved by the trustees on 19 October 2022 and signed on their behalf by
## Sally Matthews
Sally Anne Matthews - Chair
11
## **Birth Companions**
## **Statement of cash flows**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
|**Cash used in operating activities:**
Net movement in funds
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Fixed asset disposal
Decrease / (increase) in debtors
Increase / (decrease) in creditors
**Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities**
**Cash flows from investing activities:**
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
**Net cash provided by / (used in) investing activities**
**Increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year**
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year**|**2022**
**£**
**121,492**
**956**
**-**
**(78,792)**
**23,121**
**66,777**
**(3,564)**
**(3,564)**
**63,213**
**558,517**
**621,730**|2021
£
190,139
981
612
(5,093)
29,527|
|---|---|---|
|||216,166|
|||(499)|
|||(499)|
|||215,667
342,850|
|||558,517|
The charity has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long term financing arrangements.
12
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
**1. Accounting policies**
## **a) Basis of preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities in 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.
Birth Companions meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.
## **b) Going concern basis of accounting**
The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves. There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
Services have mainly returned to face to face but where more appropriate services can be delivered remotely. Our current funders, and new funders, have recognised the importance of our work at this crucial time as the NHS deals with large backlogs post COVID 19, and the charity has secured vital grant and donation funding towards its work over the next 12 months. The charity's target of holding 9 months' core running costs in reserve, to cover any period of funding uncertainty, has been 101% achieved at the year end, and the adequacy of reserves is reviewed regularly by the Trustees. As such, these accounts are prepared on the going concern basis.
## **c) Income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from the government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
Income received in advance of provision of services is deferred until criteria for income recognition are met.
13
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
**1. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **d) Donated services and facilities**
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and the economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised.
On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
Goods donated for distribution by the charity are recognised as incoming resources when received and as outgoing resources when distributed.
## **e) Interest receivable**
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity: this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
## **f) Funds accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.
## **g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
## **h) Support and governance costs**
_Support costs_
Support costs include expenditures which are not directly related to project areas.
## _Fundraising costs_
Fundraising costs are allocated based on time spent on fundraising activities.
## _Governance costs_
Governance costs include costs relating to governance, including independent examination fees, trustee expenses, compliance fees and legal and professional fees.
Support and governance costs have been allocated in full to charitable activities.
14
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **1. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **i) Tangible fixed assets**
Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:
Computer equipment
5 years
Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £70.
## **j) Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **k) Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
## **l) Creditors**
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. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
## **m) Financial instruments**
The charitable company 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 with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## **n) Pension costs**
The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. There are no further liabilities other than that already recognised in the SOFA.
## **o) Accounting estimates and key judgements**
In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.
Aside from going concern set out above, there have been no other key estimates or judgements required in determining the carrying value of assets and liabilities.
15
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
**2. Prior period comparatives: statement of financial activities (restated)**
|**Income from:**
Donations
Investments
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
Raising funds
**Total expenditure**
**Net income**
**3.**
**Income from donations**
Donations
Grants
Gift aid
**Total income from donations**
**Prior period comparative:**
Donations
Grants
Gift aid
**Total income from donations**|Restricted
£
458,029
-
458,029
396,982
-
396,982
61,047
Restricted
£
-
346,113
-
346,113
Restricted
£
-
458,029
-
458,029|£
151,857
940
152,797
14,271
9,434
23,705
129,092
£
85,195
129,244
14,415
228,854
£
77,634
67,000
7,223
151,857
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Unrestricted|**2021**
**Total**
**£**
**609,886**
**940**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**610,826**|
||||**411,253**
**9,434**|
||||**420,687**|
||||**190,139**|
||||**2022**
**Total**
**£**
**85,195**
**475,357**
**14,415**|
||||**574,967**|
||||2021
Total
£
77,634
525,029
7,223|
||||609,886|
16
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
**3. Income from donations (continued)**
## **Analysis of grants received:**
|A B Charitable Trust
Adrian Swire Charitable Trust
Advance Charity
Bromley Trust
Brown Dog
Bronzefield Prison
CAF Coronovirus Emergency Fund
Central and North West London CCG
City & Hackney CCG
Clinks
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Evan Cornish Foundation
Goldsmiths Company Charity
Henry Smith Charity
HMRC Furlough Grant
London Catalyst
London Community Response Fund
Ministry of Justice
National Lottery Community Fund
NHS England
North Central London Local Maternity Service
Northwick Family Trust
P and G Trust
Pears Foundation
Peoples Health Trust Active Communities
Pilgrim Trust
Pramdepot
Rayne Foundation
Samaritans
Segelman Trust
Smallwood Trust
Social Care Institute for Excellence
The A B Charitable Trust
The Sylvia Adams Charitable Trust
Other small grants|**2022**
**£**
**15,000**
**10,000**
**19,250**
**25,000**
**5,000**
**14,190**
**-**
**2,471**
**7,695**
**-**
**40,000**
**-**
**60,000**
**35,000**
**-**
**1,750**
**-**
**45,000**
**-**
**119,556**
**-**
**5,000**
**-**
**10,000**
**-**
**-**
**4,100**
**20,000**
**-**
**30,000**
**-**
**6,201**
**-**
**-**
**144**
**475,357**|2021
£
-
-
-
25,000
-
8,514
4,000
-
7,691
9,619
60,000
10,000
-
35,000
7,247
5,000
30,242
35,000
82,100
121,341
5,296
5,000
3,000
-
6,379
20,000
-
5,000
1,500
-
23,100
-
10,000
5,000
-|
|---|---|---|
|||525,029|
17
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
|**4.**
**Income from charitable activities**
**Unrestricted funds**
Consultancy fees
**5.**
**Income from investments**
**Unrestricted funds**
Bank interest receivable|**2022**
**£**
**16,514**
**2022**
**£**
**108**|2021
£
-|
|---|---|---|
|||2021
£
940|
## **6. Government grants**
The charitable company receives government grants, defined as funding from City & Hackney CCG, HMRC Furlough Grant, Ministry of Justice, NHS England and North Central London Maternity Service to fund charitable activities. The total value of such grants in the period ending 31 March 2022 was £174,722 (2021: £176,575). There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attached to these grants.
## **7. Costs of charitable activities by activity type**
|Prison and community support
Service user involvement
**Total expenditure**
**Prior period comparative:**
Prison and community support
Service user involvement
**Total expenditure**|Activities
undertaken
directly
£
£
187,299
166,514
74,444
30,023
261,743
196,537
Activities
undertaken
directly
£
£
169,306
163,013
64,583
14,351
233,889
177,364
Support costs
(note 7)
Support costs
(note 7)|**2022 Total**
**£**
**353,813**
**104,467**|
|---|---|---|
|||**458,280**|
|||2021 Total
£
332,319
78,934|
|||411,253|
18
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **8. Analysis of support costs**
|**Analysis of support costs**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Staff costs
Staff volunteer training and support
Travel costs
Finance costs
Insurance
Venue hire and meeting costs
Phone, website and IT costs
Administration and marketing costs
Sundry costs
Governance costs (note 8)|Prison and
community
support
£
122,440
5,445
693
5,380
1,272
1,287
3,655
5,961
5,296
15,085
166,514|Service user
involvement
£
16,727
1,809
275
5,098
506
512
1,246
1,493
450
1,907
30,023|**2022 Total**
**£**
**139,167**
**7,254**
**968**
**10,478**
**1,778**
**1,799**
**4,901**
**7,454**
**5,746**
**16,992**|
||||**196,537**|
Support costs are allocated to service user involvement when they are directly incurred or at a project agreed percentage rate.
|**Prior period comparative:**
Staff costs
Staff volunteer training and support
Travel costs
Finance costs
Insurance
Phone, website and IT costs
Administration and marketing costs
Sundry costs
Governance costs (note 8)|Prison and
community
support
£
113,331
2,951
62
9,269
1,677
9,635
5,819
18,276
1,993
163,013|Service user
involvement
£
11,684
12
1
1,186
72
255
96
954
91
14,351|2021 Total
£
125,015
2,963
63
10,455
1,749
9,890
5,915
19,230
2,084|
|---|---|---|---|
||||177,364|
19
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
**9. Governance costs**
Governance costs are included within support costs
|Staff costs
Finance costs
Compliance
Payroll service costs
Independent examiner’s fees (incl VAT)
Trustee expenses
Legal and professional fees
**10. Fundraising costs**
Staff costs
Finance costs
Other costs
**11. Net movement in funds**
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation
Trustees' remuneration
Trustees' reimbursed expenses
Independent examiner's remuneration:
▪Independent examination (including VAT)
Fundraising costs comprise:|**2022**
**£**
**9,486**
**2,082**
**80**
**1,206**
**1,440**
**100**
**2,598**
**16,992**
**2022**
**£**
**8,898**
**1,397**
**1,522**
**11,817**
**2022**
**£**
**956**
**1,425**
**100**
**1,440**|2021
£
-
-
53
1,061
950
20
-|
|---|---|---|
|||2,084|
|||2021
£
8,272
1,162
-|
|||9,434|
|||2021
£
981
150
20
950|
20
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **12. Staff costs and numbers**
Staff costs were as follows:
|**Staff costs and numbers**
Staff costs were as follows:|||
|---|---|---|
|Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension costs
Freelance staff|**2022**
**£**
**345,202**
**27,976**
**9,621**
**17,559**
**400,358**|2021
£
307,198
25,130
9,512
11,185|
|||353,025|
No employee earned more than £60,000 during the year (2021: none).
The key management personnel of the charitable company comprise the Trustees, Director, Head of Services and Operations Manager. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £147,689 (2021: £91,703).
The pension scheme is defined contribution. The outstanding balance at year end was £2,639 (2021: £1,704).
As ever we are extremely thankful to our volunteers for their commitment to the charity. We estimate that 360 hours of volunteer time was dedicated to the charity (2021: 240 hours).
|Average head count
Full time equivalent|**2022**
**No.**
**13**
**10**|2021
No.
11|
|---|---|---|
|||8|
## **13. Trustee remuneration and related party transactions**
During the year no trustee earned or received remuneration. Two trustees received reimbursement of expenses of £100 for travel to meetings (2021: One trustee received reimbursement of £20 mobile data to facilitate attendance at online meetings). Additionally, two trustees were paid £1,425 for their time when contributing to the lived experience team. This is paid at the standard rate for the service, as paid to all members of the team. (2021: £150).
During the current year there were unrestricted donations from relatives of key personnel and trustees totalling £6,700 (2021: £4,145).
Donations from six trustees in the year totalled £3,900 (2021: £3,300).
21
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **14. Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.
|**15. Tangible fixed assets**
**Cost**
At 1 April 2021
Additions in year
At 31 March 2022
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2021
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2022
**Net book value**
**At 31 March 2022**
At 31 March 2021
**16. Debtors**
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income|**2022**
**£**
**113,833**
**3,562**
**117,395**|**£**
2,846
3,564
**Computer**
**equipment**|
|---|---|---|
|||**6,410**|
|||749
956|
|||**1,705**|
|||**4,705**|
|||2,097|
|||2021
£
35,186
3,417|
|||38,603|
22
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **17. Creditors : amounts due within 1 year**
|**Creditors : amounts due within 1 year**|||
|---|---|---|
|Trade creditors
Accruals
Other taxation and social security
Deferred income (see note 18)|**2022**
**£**
**3,119**
**9,536**
**25,314**
**34,164**
**72,133**|2021
£
3,813
16,675
7,323
21,201|
|||49,012|
## **18. Deferred income**
|Balance at the start of the year
Released in year
Deferred in year
Balance at the end of the year|**2022**
**£**
**21,201**
**(21,201)**
**34,164**
**34,164**|2021
£
5,296
(5,296)
21,201|
|---|---|---|
|||21,201|
Deferred income relates to funds received in advance of delivery of services.
## **19. Analysis of net assets between funds**
|Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
**Net assets at 31 March 2022**
**Prior period comparative**
Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Net assets at 31 March 2021|£
-
130,366
-
**130,366**
£
-
193,453
-
193,453
Restricted
funds
Restricted
funds|£
-
532,000
-
**532,000**
£
-
309,000
-
309,000
Designated
funds
Designated
funds|£
4,705
76,759
(72,133)
**9,331**
£
2,097
94,667
(49,012)
47,752
General
funds
General
funds|**Total**
**funds**
**£**
**4,705**
**739,125**
**(72,133)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**671,697**|
|||||Total
funds
£
2,097
597,120
(49,012)|
|||||550,205|
23
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **20. Movements in funds**
|**Movements in funds**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Restricted funds**
Bromley Trust
Bronzefield Prison
City & Hackney CCG
Clinks
London Catalyst
NHS England
Rayne Foundation
Samaritans
**Total restricted funds**
Designated contingency funds
General funds
**Total unrestricted funds**
**Total funds**
Advance Advocacy and Non
Violence Community
Education
Charles Hayward Foundation
**Unrestricted funds**
London Community Response
Fund
Social Care Institute for
Excellence
Core funds, time restricted|At 1 April
2021
£
-
9,311
6,750
1,265
2,345
821
821
3,110
11,511
5,000
-
-
152,519
193,453
309,000
47,752
356,752
550,205|Income
£
19,250
-
14,190
-
7,695
-
-
-
122,027
20,000
1,750
6,201
155,000
346,113
-
245,476
245,476
591,589|£
(18,155)
(9,311)
(14,935)
(1,265)
(10,040)
(821)
(821)
(3,110)
(120,610)
(20,013)
(1,750)
(3,336)
(205,033)
(409,200)
-
(60,897)
(60,897)
(470,097)
Expenditure|£
**£**
-
**1,095**
-
**-**
-
**6,005**
-
**-**
-
**-**
-
**-**
-
**-**
-
**-**
-
**12,928**
-
**4,987**
-
**-**
-
**2,865**
-
**102,486**
-
**130,366**
223,000
**532,000**
(223,000)
**9,331**
-
**541,331**
-
**671,697**
Transfers
between
funds
**At 31 March**
**2022**||
||||||**130,366**|
||||||**532,000**|
||||||**9,331**|
||||||**541,331**|
||||||**671,697**|
24
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **20. Movements in funds (continued)**
## **Purposes of restricted funds**
Advance Advocacy and Non-Violence Community Education: Services to support women within the probation service.
Bromley Trust: Towards salaries and running costs for policy and communications work.
Bronzefield Prison: Towards salaries and running costs related to services delivered at Bronzefield prison.
Charles Hayward Foundation: Towards salaries and running costs delivering services at Foston Hall.
City & Hackney CCG: Towards salaries and running costs for the community group held in Hackney.
Clinks: Costs of LET workshops.
London Catalyst: Contribution towards Whittington service.
London Community Response Fund: Towards salaries and running costs for Community Birth Services.
NHS England: Towards salaries and running costs at Foston Hall, Drake Hall and Peterborough prisons.
Rayne Foundation: Community work in Hackney and Islington.
Samaritans: To assist people in need through the provision of emergency hardship payments.
Social Care Institute for Excellence: Policy and engagement work.
Core funds, time restricted: Time restricted funds to support overall activities of the charity.
## **Purposes of unrestricted funds**
General unrestricted: The charity maintains a general unrestricted fund which represents funds which are expendable at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. Such funds may be held in order to finance both working capital and capital investment.
Designated - contingency reserve: Designated funds comprise of unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The contingency reserve is in place to ensure there are sufficient funds for the ongoing running of the charity’s core services for 9 months.
## **Transfers**
The designated contingency has been increased to retain 9 months reserves and closure costs, based upon projected costs in 2022 / 23.
25
## **Birth Companions**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **20. Movements in funds (continued)**
|**Prior period comparative**
**Restricted funds**
Bromley Trust
Bronzefield Prison
City & Hackney CCG
Clinks
London Catalyst
Ministry of Justice
Rayne Foundation
Samaritans
Smallwood Trust
**Total restricted funds**
Designated contingency funds
General funds
**Total unrestricted funds**
**Total funds**
**Unrestricted funds**
The A B Charitable Trust
Core funds, time restricted
NHS England and NHS
Improvement
North Central London
Maternity Service
Peoples Health Trust Active
Communities
NHS England Health and
Justice (Midlands and East)
NHS England (COVID)
Big Lottery Fund Grant
(Women & Girls)
Charles Hayward Foundation
HMRC Furlough Grant
London Community Response
Fund
National Lottery Covid
Emergency Fund|At 1 April
2020
£
32,545
6,372
-
7,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3,822
-
-
-
-
6,371
76,296
132,406
120,000
107,660
227,660
360,066|Income
£
-
10,000
8,514
-
7,691
9,619
7,247
5,000
30,242
35,000
82,100
90,000
16,401
14,940
5,296
6,379
5,000
1,500
23,100
-
100,000
458,029
-
152,797
152,797
610,826|£
(32,545)
(7,061)
(1,764)
(5,735)
(5,346)
(8,798)
(7,247)
(4,179)
(27,132)
(35,000)
(82,100)
(90,000)
(10,049)
(9,781)
(9,118)
(6,379)
-
(1,500)
(23,100)
(6,371)
(23,777)
(396,982)
-
(23,705)
(23,705)
(420,687)
Expenditure|£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
189,000
(189,000)
-
-
Transfers
between
funds|£
-
9,311
6,750
1,265
2,345
821
-
821
3,110
-
-
-
6,352
5,159
-
-
5,000
-
-
-
152,519
At 31 March
2021|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||193,453|
||||||309,000|
||||||47,752|
||||||356,752|
||||||550,205|
26