**Company No. 06024396 (England & Wales) Charity No. 1125746**
## **MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK**
(a company limited by guarantee)
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
**ALISON WARD ACCOUNTANTS CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS**
**28 HILLS ROAD BUCKHURST HILL ESSEX IG9 5RS**
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **CONTENTS**
|Pages|1|Trustees' Report|
|---|---|---|
||12|Independent Examiner's Report|
||13|Statement of Financial Activities|
||14|Balance Sheet|
||15|Notes to the Financial Statements|
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT - STATUTORY INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
The directors of the charitable company are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees.
## **TRUSTEES**
Michael Ahanchian Leticia Ishibashi Dagmar Myslinska Michael Raff Rakhi Rashmi Nick Sigler (Chair) Sainga Tony (Vice-Chair)
## **SECRETARY**
Dorian Leatham (to August 2021) Fizza Qureshi (October 2021 onwards)
## **REGISTERED OFFICE**
The People's Place 80-92 Stratford High St London E15 2NE
## **COMPANY NUMBER**
06024396
## **CHARITY NUMBER**
1125746
## **BANKERS**
Unity Trust Bank Four Brindleyplace Birmingham B1 2JB
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER**
Alison Ward FCCA Alison Ward Accountants 28 Hills Road Buckhurst Hill Essex IG9 5RS
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
The trustees present their report and the independently examined financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 March 2022. The statutory information is shown on Page 1.
## **STATUS**
The company, number 06024396, is limited by guarantee and has charitable status. The charity registration number is 1125746. It has a Memorandum and Articles of Association as its governing document.
## **PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES**
MRN builds alliances with individuals and organisations so that migrants are properly represented at all levels of society. It works with and for migrant communities to influence stakeholders and effect structural change to achieve justice and equality for migrants. MRN recognises that achieving justice for all migrants strengthens society as a whole.
As an organisation that is challenging in our approach, we tackle strategically important but unpopular issues that particularly impact on groups most harmed by anti-immigrant policies and narratives.
We have a dynamic approach that uses a plurality of methods for change. These methods include; strengthening and supporting migrant leadership and the capacity of the organisations that work with migrants, policy and advocacy, collective action and legal approaches
## **Vision**
MRN strives to create a situation in the UK in which:
- People are free to move because migration is and has always been an integral part of the human experience.
- Everyone, including all migrants, live in a society which is free from all forms of oppression and discrimination.
- Nobody's access to safety, rights and security should be determined by their immigration status.
## **Values**
- Migrant-centred - MRN places at the heart of its work the experiences and perspectives of migrants to ensure it is accountable to those impacted by immigration and wider policies and practices.
- Justice for all migrants - MRN works for the rights of ALL migrants.
- Intersectional - MRN approaches its work with the understanding that people will experience multiple forms of oppression, where immigration status/migration experience is but one factor.
- Leadership - MRN strives to be daring and determined and speak 'truth to power' to obtain justice and equality for migrants. MRN also recognise that where it holds power, it must be held to account by those affected by the immigration systems.
- Solidarity - MRN builds the power of those affected by the immigration system and works in alliances to strengthen efforts to further the rights of all migrants.
- We team up with activists, lawyers and academics to oppose hostile and unfair policies, tackle negative media narratives and campaign for real, meaningful change.
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **The network**
MRN is seen by migrants, grassroots and migrants' rights organisations as a support and solidarity network, as opposed to a formal membership network and this is the added, unique value that we bring.
We work as a collective of like-minded people and organisations working to amplify and centre the voices, issues and demands of migrants and grassroots groups. It is a network that is accessible, inclusive, broad and intersectional.
The purpose of the 'network' is to redistribute access (including, to knowledge, learning, information and space) to those most impacted by immigration policy and practice. It is a network that is accessible, inclusive, broad and intersectional. Our network can and will change depending on what the context and need is.
## **Our core activities**
Our work is based on the following core activities:
- Galvanising and growing an agile network of individuals and organisations across the country with a commitment to rights and justice for migrants to collectivise campaigns and action.
- Bringing together individuals and organisations within and beyond the migrants' rights sector to share learning, access and resources. We do this in a number of ways, including; face-to-face meetings, using online facilities to widen access, brokering introductions, sharing access to influential platforms that we have
- Working with affected individuals and communities to develop Know Your Rights guides and other practical self-help solutions
- Producing a monthly London newsletter highlighting the work and support needs of migrant-led and other migrants' rights organisations
- Coordinating quarterly meetings and providing ongoing support for collaboration to a London-wide network of migrants' rights and other intersectional organisations.
- Facilitating Know Your Rights workshops to help increase migrants' understanding of their rights and how to access them
- Linking grassroots, migrant-led organisations with access and resources, for example, access to power-holders and decision-makers, media and avenues of support.
- Coordinating a pro bono network of lawyers and grassroots activists to work together on challenging aspects of the hostile environment for migrants.
- Strengthening and growing migrant leadership through the development of bespoke migrant leadership programmes across the country.
- Using a radical and visionary approach to policy and campaigning issues brought to us by migrants and grassroots group's
- Using legal approaches such as supporting, training and resourcing frontline workers to gather data for a legal challenge, facilitating legal opinions, and making strategic legal interventions where appropriate.
- Participating in forums and advisory panels where we can offer our insight and expertise
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE DURING THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW**
## **SUMMARY OF THE YEAR**
The year began as the last ended, in lockdown, and in the grip of a pandemic that we were all trying to comprehend. However, the pandemic is being superseded by the trajectory of this government’s anti-migrant and refugee efforts.
If there are any positives from the pandemic, it is that local supporting communities and networks emerged, with new friendships and relationships blossoming. However, many migrants and their communities continued to bear the suffering of not being able to work. They faced the impact of having no alternatives to financial support. Then there were others who were being pushed into frontline work without adequate protection, and being placed at further risk. The repercussions of the pandemic were widespread, and its legacy will resonate for years to come.
As with uncertain times, this was also a period of tentativeness for many including MRN. Funders focused, quite rightly, on emergency funding, and service providers. But, we owe a debt of gratitude to those funders who were also considering organisations like MRN and the role we had to play in the spate of this pandemic. We received a substantial amount of unrestricted funding at the beginning of the year enabling us to weigh up roles and functions in the organisation we would otherwise not have been able to consider. This funding has supported us to find new staffing directions, which will inspire our future strategy.
There were staffing personnel changes during the year. Fizza Qureshi, Chief Executive Officer returned from maternity leave in September taking over from Dorian Leatham (Interim CEO). MRN also sadly lost staff due to projects ending, the restrictive conditions attached to student visas and because staff wanted to try new sectors. These changes offered MRN a moment to reflect, and we opted to hire an apprentice to support our digital communications activities.
With the departure from the Board of Nira Segaran, we welcomed new trustees, Dagmar Myslinska, Michael Ahanchian and Michael Raff in late 2021, to grow the board to nine board members. It was a conscious decision to bring people with skills in digital communications, immigration law, and to offer a space to those without experience of being a trustee.
Despite the changes in staffing, our strengthened governance structure combined with MRN’s resilience and steadfastness to its strategic objectives and vision, we still made a significant and successful impact during a politically turbulent time. We remained steadfast in building relationships with politicians and peers, affected migrant communities, engaging new audiences, all on a minimal budget.
## **The landscape we faced**
In the midst of the pandemic, the government launched its ‘New Plan for Immigration’, throwing the migrant and refugee sector into turmoil, as it coped with the impact of Covid-19 on migrant/refugee communities.
Despite this, the fightback by the migrant and refugee sector began as soon as the legislation was announced, and it will be continuing now it has passed into law (Nationality & Borders Act (NABA).
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
Naturally, this government has been labelled ‘anti-migrant/refugee’ but its response to the Ukrainian/Russian war demonstrated that it can respond differently and favourably to refugees it wants to protect.
For the Ukraine/Russian conflict, the UK government and the rest of Europe responded in the manner we would want any state to respond to those fleeing conflict. Borders were opened and safe havens were created for Ukrainian citizens. A route, and welcome they have not afforded Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban rule, or Syrians still caught up in the conflict. We highlighted our concerns through social media commentary on the differential treatment of Ukrainians to other refugee communities. We also described the difficulties for Russians residing in the UK caught up in this conflict, as targets of hate crimes, and the fear for their families, if they openly condemned Russia’s actions.
## **Our activities**
## **1. Influencing policy to challenge the hostile environment**
## **What did we set out to do and what did we achieve?:**
- Work in partnership with organisations that share MRN’s values to challenge the government’s hostile environment policies against migrants in the UK.
- Challenge government policies that criminalise or marginalise migrants such as those affected by labels of ‘poor character’, destitution, poverty and no recourse to public funds.
- Challenge discrimination and exploitation of migrants in all spheres, including in the workplace, and provide information about rights and where to turn for support in accessible language.
- Take action to reverse the criminalisation of migration.
- Advocate that service providers not be used as a means of immigration control.
## **How did we do?:**
- We used every relevant government consultation available to describe how harmful existing, and future plans were for migrants and refugees. This included responding to the ‘New Plan for Immigration’ which laid the groundwork for the Nationality and Borders Bill (NABB), changes to data rights, and the proposal to intertwine the ‘hostile environment’ in fraud initiatives.
- We worked with MP’s and peers in the House of Lords to influence the NABA, specifically **Clause 9 (deprivation of citizenship without notice)** . We briefed peers on amendments, and succeeded in gaining concessions by the government to restrict the use of this power, offering those affected some avenues to protect their citizenship rights.
- We continued our work with the **Highly Skilled Migrants** (HSM), and used opportunities to share our findings to demonstrate a racialised and discriminatory nature to who was affected by indefinite leave to remain refusals based on tax discrepancy issues. Our work on this has led to many positive outcomes to HSM’s applications enabling them to rebuild their lives. It also enabled us to explain to our audiences how immigration policies intersects with race and racism because all those affected were non-white HSM’s.
- We worked with **digital rights** specialists to better understand and inform migrant communities of the risks with the proposed data-rights changes pending, so they could engage with government consultations.
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
- We discovered the extent of **data-sharing** in relation to HSM’s, and liaised with lawyers, and data experts to consider legal avenues to challenge this. The issue was covered in the media by various outlets.
- We learnt of migrant communities ( **ECAA visa holders** ) affected by Home Office delays, and with similar issues to the HSM’s. We built the confidence of this community to move towards collective campaigning and evidence-gathering activities to document the issues they face.
## **2. Amplifying migrant voices & supporting their causes**
## **What did we set out to do and what did we achieve?:**
## **We set out to:**
- Make connections: bring together and deepen connections, understanding and solidarity within and across sectors to share learning, facilitate access and bring about visionary and practical solutions.
- Amplify the voice of migrants and grass-roots migrant-centred organisations throughout the UK on specific issues, such as the hostile environment and workplace rights.
- Enable and support migrants and migrant groups and those working with them to take action and advocate for change themselves through the redistribution of access to influence, information, knowledge and space.
## **How did we do?:**
- We expanded the **Know Your Rights guide** (KYR) to cover issues migrant communities were keen for us to cover, such as hate crime. We made sure it was translated into Ukrainian and Russian for newly arriving refugees, and at the request of those in the Russian community. Through this guide, we empowered newly arrived communities on the key issues that could affect them as they settle into life in the UK.
- We listened to migrant communities, who gave positive feedback on the content of the guide but felt it was too text heavy. So, we have commissioned images to make the KYR more visually appealing.
- We hosted four workshops with partner organisations for increased reach and engagement with the KYR. These were attended by over 100 people with positive feedback, and suggestions for future areas to cover.
- We held our bespoke **‘Telling Our Own Stories’** (TOOS) programme with 20 migrants. The intensive leadership programme covered areas from campaigning to exploring stories of self. Feedback from the participants included all enjoying the programme; 91% found it useful; and all felt comfortable during the programme. A couple of participants shared that the programme was ‘.... _keeping my spirit of advocacy alive’_ and ‘... _made them feel less alone in this struggle_ ’.
- We listened to the participants of the TOOS, and have created a new online leadership programme called **Migrant Aspiration Programme.** It will be another co-created programme, which will include mentoring, and a space to discuss actions and implement their learning. So far, we have 60 people signed up and many more on the waiting list.
- We ensured migrants had a **platform to share their own stories** , and enabled them to speak directly to the media. We worked with BBC Newsnight on an 11-minute film that interviewed three Highly Skilled Migrants (HSM). This gave them access to new audiences to explain and
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
understand their issues. Immediately after the show was aired, two of the three HSMs received positive outcomes on their applications.
## **3. Changing the narrative to develop a positive profile**
## **What did we set out to do and what did we achieve?:**
We set out to:
- Challenge government narratives, and policies and practices that divide communities.
- Contest negative media narratives and scapegoating of migrants and refugees, and work to advocate for the positive impact that migration and migrant communities have on society in the UK.
## **How did we do?:**
- We kept our audiences engaged and reached new ones through media quotes and interviews via BBC 2, ITN News, The New Arab and OpenDemocracy. This gave us, as well as those we campaign alongside, alternative platforms to share our findings and opinions.
- We empowered our audiences and attracted new ones by creating a **#wordsmatter** series to debunk certain terms and language used commonly, and the ramifications of those words. This resulted in producing four posts contesting the term ‘illegal immigration’, rejecting the narrative of a refugee crisis; the idea of deservingness; and pushing back on the notions of ‘civilised’ and ‘uncivilised’ places that generate refugees. These were all highly received and received substantial shares and likes across our social media platforms.
- We used more visually creative posts and **social media engagement** to grow our audiences, which resulted in an increase of followers by 250% (667 to 1678) on instagram. On twitter our followers increased by 2K. We received an average of 3.1K impressions per day with 1.14 million impressions over the year.
## **Solidarity & Collaborations**
In line with our networking and collaborative approach and values, we supported other campaigns and organisations, where the issues intersected with migrant and racial justice. This resulted in us publicly supporting campaigns in relation to:
- a. **Palantir-** A collaboration with Foxglove on a data-rights campaign against tech company Palantir. The campaign with over 50 organisations was active from the end of May and we spoke at its launch event.
- b. **Sewell Report-** We joined the Runnymede Trust and others to ask the Prime Minister to scrap The Sewell Report. The report invoked a tremendous reaction from numerous activists and campaigners talking about how this report does nothing except gaslight Black & Brown communities and justify the claims of racists that racism doesn’t exist in the way our communities think it does, because the Government says so.
- c. **Human Rights Act-** Alongside nineteen signatories, we wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice raising serious concerns about its ‘Human Rights Act Reform: A Modern Bill of Rights’ consultation.
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **Thank you’s**
We would like to express our gratitude to the funders and supporters of our causes throughout the past year. We hope our donors and funders will see how far their support enriches our work and staff. In particular, we want to thank all those migrant communities that entrust us to work alongside them. We hope they feel more enabled, supported and heard in these anti-migrant times.
## **PLANS FOR THE FUTURE**
Over the next couple of years, we will embark on a new strategy till 2025. The strategy will concentrate on MRN’s fundamentals, such as policy and campaigning, and centring migrants in our work. We are committed to the issues and causes we have previously engaged on, and these will remain central to our new strategy. Other policy priorities may emerge in relation to the NABA, and the implementation of the New Plan for Immigration.
Our future activities will also be influenced by the cost of living crisis, government attacks on the Human Rights Act, and the rapid digitisation of our systems and processes. Where we can, we will support coalitions and partners in their campaigns which intersect with immigration policy issues.
Our activities will include:
1. **Systemic-change** - We will create coalitions with organisations to utilise our expertise to provide cohesive and collaborative campaigns. Migrant-led organisations will be proactively sought for these campaigns to offer a platform for their activities, and to enable them to have a stronger voice on the issue. We will continue our work to support migrant workers, and advocate on their behalf. We will also highlight the consequences of the ‘hostile environment’ policies on migrant communities with the aim of reversing these policies.
2. **Migrant-centred campaigns** - At our core is the work we do with migrant communities. We will continue to work with the communities with which we have established relationships such as the Highly Skilled Migrants, and the ECAA visa holders. We will co-create campaigns so they have ownership and control over the outcomes of the campaign and its associated activities.
3. **Enabling and empowering migrants and refugees** - This will remain a key objective in our future strategy and activities. Our existing work with the Know Your Rights (KYR) guide, and the engagement it has accomplished means this work is essential to new and settled migrant communities, and migrant organisations. We want to grow the KYR so migrant communities have more ownership on its distribution and how it evolves.
The Migrant Aspiration Programme (MAP) will be underway with the online programme running from April till July 2022. We will also be recruiting mentors to support MAP fellows, and provide them with spaces to network, and discuss their future campaigns and actions.
4. **An intersectional approach** - We will focus on our intersectional values, and will create a series of events to explore the intersection of immigration and other issues or identities. We are planning an event to discuss ‘Race, Racism + Refugee Policy’ in the wake of the response
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
to Ukrainian refugees in comparison to Afghan and Syrian refugees. This will be the first of many under the ‘Who is welcome?’ banner.
5. **Providing alternative narratives** - Our #wordsmatter series will expand to debunk other dehumanising words, terms, and language, and provide those more sympathetic to migrants causes, moments to reflect and consider their own language, whilst offering alternative narratives.
6. **Income generation-** The organisation will embark on an income generation strategy to find a range of methods to generate income, and all the opportunities we can maximise. We will focus our efforts on increasing unrestricted funding so we have more autonomy on the activities we want to engage in. This approach will allow us to continue to retain healthy reserves, and financial stability.
## **PUBLIC BENEFIT**
The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing their aims and objectives and in planning future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives of the charity. MRN works to ensure that its programmes are inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of its beneficiaries.
## **RISK ASSESSMENT**
The Board of Trustees and Chief Executive Officer have reviewed MRN's activities and identified the risks to which it is exposed, in particular those related to its operations and finances. This process involved identifying the risks, prioritising the potential impact and the likelihood of occurrence, e.g.lockdown measures. Through the risk register which is reviewed annually, controls to prevent or minimise the risks have been identified, together with deadlines for their implementation. The process has been more critical with the impact of the pandemic on businesses and funding streams.
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW AND RESERVES POLICY**
The level of reserves during the year to 31 March 2022 were sustained due to a significant unrestricted grant received by Esmee Fairbairn in 2019-2020, which has maintained the organisation's core costs.
As ever, fundraising efforts continued to be the priority for 2021-22 including reaching out to new funders to grow the fundamentals of our work: ensuring migrants are informed of their rights via our Know Your Rights guide, and we build on their talents to be their own leaders. Our work with the Highly Skilled Migrants and emerging groups of migrants affected will continue until they receive justice. MRN reviewed its charitable purpose and will be renewing its strategy, as well as developing an income generation strategy for more effective and sustainable fundraising outcomes.
Unrestricted reserves provide some protection to MRN and its activities by allowing time to adjust to changing financial circumstances. The Board reviews on an annual basis, the level of unrestricted reserves by considering the risks associated with various income streams, expenditure plans and Balance Sheet item.
At 31 March 2022, MRN had unrestricted funds of £103,291. The Board agreed that the prudent level of reserves should not be less than 3 months of unrestricted expenditure, which at 31 March 2022 equates to reserves of £40k. MRN has achieved this aim and now holds above this amount as free reserves. The Trustees are confident these reserves are sufficient to cover urgent contingencies should they arise. The trustees are willing to use the reserves for any funding shortfalls so they are brought inline with our target and reserves policy.
## **GOVERNANCE**
## **Trustees**
Trustees are appointed in line with regulations set out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association. They are nominated by current Board members and elected at the AGM based on their knowledge and involvement in work connected to the objectives and activities of the charity.
The trustees who served during the year are shown below:
Michael Ahanchian (appointed December 2021) Alan Anstead (resigned July 2022) Leticia Ishibashi Dagmar Myslinska (appointed December 2021) Michael Raff (appointed December 2021) Rakhi Rashmi Nira Segaran (resigned August 2021) Nick Sigler (Chair) Aurora Todisco (Treasurer) (resigned June 2022) Sainga Tony (Vice-Chair)
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
A majority of trustees as members of the network are already familiar with the work of the charity. All new trustees are however given information on:
- the obligations of trustees under the Charity Commission's document CC3:
- 'Essential Trustees: what you need to know';
- Memorandum and Articles of Association;
- resource strategy and the current financial position of the charity as set out in the latest published accounts;
- future plans and objectives.
- meetings with key staff and board members
The MRN board meets on a bi-monthly basis remotely, in-person and in hybrid formats. The Chief Executive Officer and invited key members of staff attend trustee meetings. The Chief Executive Officer is accountable directly to the management committee for all aspects of the operations of the charity. An annual budget is agreed at the beginning of each new financial year, setting out the policy and objectives for that year, the financial implications and the general modus operandi for achieving the objectives.
Management accounts are prepared and reported to trustees at each board meeting.
## **Trustees' Responsibilities**
Company and charity 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 charitable company and of the surplus or deficit of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:-
1) select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
2) make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
3) prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER**
Alison Ward FCCA of Alison Ward Accountants offers herself for reappointment as Independent Examiner to the charity at the forthcoming AGM.
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **SMALL COMPANY EXEMPTIONS**
This report has been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.
This report was approved by the board on 30 November 2022 and signed on their behalf.
Nick Sigler (Chair)
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**INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2022.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the 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.
Alison Ward FCCA
November 2022
Alison Ward Accountants 28 Hills Road Buckhurst Hill Essex IG9 5RS
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## **MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (including the Income and Expenditure Account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Restricted_**|**_Restricted_**||**_Total_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Note**|**Funds**||**Funds**||**2022**||**_Funds_**||**_Funds_**||**_2021_**|
|||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**|
|**Income from:**|||||||||||||
|Donations and legacies|3|43,388||78,495||121,883||_109,169_||_157,323_||_266,492_|
|Charitable activities|4|10,250||-||10,250||_2,208_||_-_||_2,208_|
|Investments||23||-||23||_-_||_-_||_-_|
|**Total**||53,661||78,495||132,156||_111,377_||_157,323_||_268,700_|
|**Expenditure on:**|||||||||||||
|Raising funds|5|266||-||266||_416_||_285_||_701_|
|Charitable activities|6|77,707||80,385||158,092||_39,999_||_88,489_||_128,488_|
|Grants repaid||-||5,050||5,050||_-_||_-_||_-_|
|**Total**||77,973||85,435||163,408||_40,415_||_88,774_||_129,189_|
|**Net income\(expenditure)**||(24,312)||(6,940)||(31,252)||_70,962_||_68,549_||_139,511_|
|Transfer between funds|8|14,432||(14,432)||-||_13,711_||_(13,711)_||_-_|
|**Net movement in funds**||(9,880)||(21,372)||(31,252)||_84,673_||_54,838_||_139,511_|
|**Reconciliation of Funds**|||||||||||||
|Total funds brought forward||113,171||64,151||177,322||_28,498_||_9,313_||_37,811_|
|**Total funds carried**|||||||||||||
|**forward**|£|103,291|£|42,779|£|146,070|_£_|_113,171_|_£_|_64,151_|_£_|_177,322_|
The company made no recognised gains and losses other than those reported in the income and expenditure account.
The notes on pages 16 to 24 form part of these financial statements
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**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK**
**Company registered number: 06024396**
## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2022**
|**Note**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
9
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
**CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one**
**year**
11
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**NET ASSETS**
**RESERVES**
Unrestricted funds
13
Restricted funds
13|**2022**
**_2021_**
**£**
**£**
**_£_**
**1,322**
_1,983_
**6,604**
_16,453_
**148,104**
_172,742_
**154,708**
_189,195_
**(9,960)**
_(13,856)_
**144,748**
_175,339_
**146,070**
**£**
_177,322_
_£_
**103,291**
_113,171_
**42,779**
_64,151_
**146,070**
**£**
_177,322_
_£_|
|---|---|
In approving these financial statements as trustees/directors of the charitable company we hereby confirm that:
For the year ending 31 March 2022 the charitable company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.
## **The accounts were approved by the board of trustees/directors on 30 November 2022**
Nick Sigler (Chair)
The notes on pages 16 to 24 form part of these financial statements
page 15
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
## **1a. 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), (Charities SORP FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Migrants' Rights Network meets the definition of a public benefit entitiy under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
## **1b. Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
Migrants' Rights Network has reported a deficit of £31,252 for the year. However, this was in the context of holding significant unrestricted reserves. This made it difficult to fundraise via trusts and foundations, as funders prefer organisations to hold smaller reserves. In light of the high unrestricted reserves, the board actively decided to reduce the reserves, invest in additional core staff roles, and the organisation's strategic activities.
The trustees are of the view that with the current rate of expenditure of the unrestricted reserves that we will be eligible and in a better position to apply to trusts and foundations.
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern. The trustees are aware that the next financial year will require multiple year funding to provide more financial stability but also that the organisation needs to focus on a diversification of income. Therefore, it will commission the development of an income generation strategy to support the organisation on this journey. The trustees will continue to view any uncertainty and risks at each board meeting through the management accounts. Where risks are identified, mitigation plans, and additional board meetings will be scheduled.
page 16
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)**
## **1c. Tangible fixed assets**
Capital items costing in excess of £500 are capitalised. Fixed assets are shown at historical cost.
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life by the straight line method.
% Computer equipment 25
## **1d. Taxation**
The charitable company is exempt from taxation under sections 466 to 493 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010.
## **1e. Income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from 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.
For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor's intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material (see note 22).
Income received in advance of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met (see note 23).
page 17
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)**
## **1f. 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.
## **1g. Funds**
The Restricted Funds are restricted income funds given to the charity for specific purposes. They are expendable by the trustees in furtherance of particular projects within the charity objects.
The Unrestricted Funds are funds expendable at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity.
## **1h. Pensions**
The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the company to the fund in the year.
## **2. OPERATING (DEFICIT)/SURPLUS**
|**OPERATING (DEFICIT)/SURPLUS**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2022**|**_2021_**|
||**£**|**_£_**|
|(Deficit)/Surplus is stated after charging:|||
|Independent examiner's fees|1,890|_1,740_|
|Depreciation and amortisation|||
|Tangible assets: owned|661|_729_|
|Staff costs (note 14)|118,456|_102,952_|
page 18
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **3. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**
||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Restricted_**|**_Restricted_**||**_Total_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Funds**||**Funds**||**2022**||**_Funds_**||**_Funds_**||**_2021_**|
|||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**|
|Barrow Cadbury Trust||-||120||120||_-_||_36,800_||_36,800_|
|Joseph Rowntree Charitable|||||||||||||
|Trust||-||39,630||39,630||_-_||_-_||_-_|
|Trust for London||-||30,000||30,000||_-_||_30,000_||_30,000_|
|Paul Hamlyn Foundation||-||-||-||_-_||_20,000_||_20,000_|
|The Tudor Trust||-||-||-||_-_||_27,000_||_27,000_|
|Garden Court Chambers||-||4,000||4,000||_-_||_4,000_||_4,000_|
|Esmee Fairbairn||40,000||-||40,000||_94,000_||_-_||_94,000_|
|Voice4Change England|||||||||||||
|(V4CE)||-||-||-||_10,000_||_-_||_10,000_|
|Baring Foundation||-||-||-||_-_||_29,536_||_29,536_|
|SEGRO Centenary Fund via|||||||||||||
|Refugee and Migrant Forum|||||||||||||
|of East London||-||-||-||_-_||_9,987_||_9,987_|
|Immigration Law|||||||||||||
|Practitioners' Association||-||4,745||4,745||_-_||_-_||_-_|
|Donations||3,388||-||3,388||_5,169_||_-_||_5,169_|
||£|43,388|£|78,495|£|121,883|_£_|_109,169_|_£_|_157,323_|_£_|_266,492_|
## **4 INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**||**_Total_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Funds**|**Funds**|||**2022**||**_2021_**|
|||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**|
|Fee income||250||-||250||_2,208_|
|The University of Manchester||10,000||-||10,000||_-_|
||£|10,250|£|-|£|10,250|_£_|_2,208_|
|All the 2021 income was unrestricted.|||||||||
## **5. COST OF GENERATING FUNDS**
||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Restricted_**|**_Restricted_**||**_Total_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Funds**||**Funds**|||**2022**|**_Funds_**||**_Funds_**|||**_2021_**|
|||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**|
|Fundraiser's fees||-||-||-||_416_||_-_||_416_|
|Fundraising costs||266||-||266||_-_||_285_||_285_|
||£|266|£|-|£|266|_£_|_416_|_£_|_285_|_£_|_701_|
page 19
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **6. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
|**CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**|||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**||**_Restricted_**|||**_Total_**|
|||**Funds**||**Funds**||**2022**||**_Funds_**||**_Funds_**||**_2021_**|
|||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**|
|Staff, volunteers, travel||61,635||68,322||129,957||_28,677_||_74,876_||_103,553_|
|Office running costs||12,583||295||12,878||_6,166_||_-_||_6,166_|
|Professional fees||568||5,311||5,879||_558_||_-_||_558_|
|Project events, workshops|||||||||||||
|etc||-||632||632||_2,100_||_13,613_||_15,713_|
|Website costs||357||5,825||357||_-_||_-_||_-_|
|Depreciation of equipment||661||-||661||_729_||_-_||_729_|
|Governance costs||1,903||-||1,903||_1,769_||_-_||_1,769_|
||£|77,707|£|80,385|£|152,267|_£_|_39,999_|_£_|_88,489_|_£_|_128,488_|
## **7. GOVERNANCE COSTS**
|**GOVERNANCE COSTS**|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**|||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**||**_Restricted_**|||**_Total_**|
|||**Funds**|**Funds**|||**2022**||**_Funds_**|**_Funds_**|||**_2021_**|
|||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**|
|Trustee meeting costs||-||-||-||_-_||_16_||_16_|
|Independent examiner's fees||1,890||-||1,890||_1,740_||_-_||_1,740_|
|Companies House filing fee||13||-||13||_-_||_13_||_13_|
||£|1,903|£|-|£|1,903|_£_|_1,740_|_£_|_29_|_£_|_1,769_|
## **8. TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS**
The transfer between funds represents the contribution to overheads from the various projects.
page 20
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
|**Computer**
**Equipment**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**Cost**
At 1 April 2021
8,990
8,990
At 31 March 2022
8,990
8,990
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2021
7,007
7,007
For the year
661
661
At 31 March 2022
7,668
7,668
**Net Book Amounts**
At 31 March 2022
1,322
£
1,322
£
At 31 March 2021
1,983
£
1,983
£
**10. DEBTORS**
**2022**
**_2021_**
**£**
**_£_**
Trade debtors
250
_-_
Other debtors
1,757
_16,383_
Prepayments
4,597
_70_
6,604
£
_16,453_
_£_
**11.**
**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
**£**
**£**
Trade creditors
3,628
1,596
Other creditors including taxation and social security
1,530
2,101
Accruals and deferred income
4,802
10,159
9,960
£
13,856
£|**Total**
**£**
8,990
8,990
7,007
661
7,668
1,322
£
1,983
£
**_2021_**
**_£_**
_-_
_16,383_
_70_|**Total**
**£**
8,990|
|---|---|---|
|||8,990|
|||7,007
661|
|||7,668|
|||**_2021_**
**_£_**
_-_
_16,383_
_70_|
|||_16,453_|
|||**£**
1,596
2,101
10,159|
|||13,856|
page 21
## **MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
|**12.**|**FUNDS**||||||||**Transfer**|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**Opening**||||||**between**||**Closing**|
||||**Balances**||**Income**|**Expenditure**|||**funds**||**Balances**|
||||**£**||**£**||**£**||**£**||**£**|
||**Restricted funds**|||||||||||
||Baring Foundation||15,621||-||(9,652)||(1,883)||4,086|
||Barrow Cadbury Trust||20,504||120||(17,811)||(2,813)||-|
||Joseph Rowntree Charitable|||||||||||
||Trust||-||39,630||(6,603)||(5,938)||27,089|
||City Bridge Trust||5,050||-||(5,050)||-||-|
||Garden Court Chambers||355||4,000||(4,355)||-||-|
||OSF (Istreetwatch Project)||2,706||-||(2,706)||-||-|
||Paul Hamlyn Foundation||4,346||-||(4,346)||-||-|
||Refugee and Migrant Forum|||||||||||
||of East London||5,055||-||(5,055)||-||-|
||Trust for London||8,514||30,000||(27,077)||(3,350)||8,087|
||The Tudor Trust||2,000||-||(248)||-||1,752|
||Immigration Law|||||||||||
||Practitioners' Association||-||4,745||(2,532)||(448)||1,765|
||||64,151||78,495||(85,435)||(14,432)||42,779|
||**Unrestricted funds**||113,171||53,661||(77,973)||14,432||103,291|
|||£|177,322|£|132,156|£|(163,408)|£|-|£|146,070|
Baring Foundation provided funding to support our work to highlight the disadvantage and impact indefinite leave to remain refusals have on highly skilled migrants, their families, and those with protected characteristics.
Barrow Cadbury Trust gave a grant to support migrants, in particular those with NRPF to access goods and services through adapting a 'Know Your Rights' guide to an on-line tool.
City Bridge Trust provided funding for staff costs to scope out a proposed project and to secure legal opinion on safeguarding voices
Garden Court Chambers has provided funding for the charity's work on regulations and policies under Immigration Acts 2014 and 2016 that formulate the ‘hostile environment’ context.
Open Society Foundation agreed a grant to work and empower migrant communities in leave voting areas of England. They also funded a project to support the iStreetwatch platform.
Paul Hamlyn provided an emergency grant so we could undertake our research in response to the Covid crisis.
Refugee and Migrant Forum of East London provided funding to assist migrants into training and/or employment.
Trust for London made a grant towards salary and overheads to promote the rights of migrants vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination, and work with MRCOs and individual migrants to build their skills to lobby for change at local and London-wide levels.
Tudor Trust provided £50,000 over two years towards the cost of the core salaries. They also gave a grant of £2,000 towards staff well being.
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association provided funding for MRN/counsel for pre-litigation research to identify potential Highly Skilled Migrant (HSM) claimants to build a legal strategy for potential further strategic litigation. Numerous cases post-Balajigari have raised various common legal themes which may require litigation to ensure fairness and transparency in how these cases are determined.
page 22
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **13. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS**
||**Unrestricted **|**Unrestricted **|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Funds**||**Funds**||**2022**|
|||**£**||**£**||**£**|
|**Fund Balances at 31 March 2022 are**|||||||
|**represented by**|||||||
|Tangible fixed assets||1,322||-||1,322|
|Current assets||111,929||42,779||154,708|
|Current liabilities||(9,960)||-||(9,960)|
|**Total Net Assets**|£|103,291|£|42,779|£|146,070|
|**_Fund Balances at 31 March 2021 were_**|**_Unrestricted _**||**_Restricted_**|||**_Total_**|
|**_represented by_**||**_Funds_**||**_Funds_**||**_2021_**|
|_Tangible fixed assets_||_1,983_||_-_||_1,983_|
|_Current assets_||_125,044_||_64,151_||_189,195_|
|_Current liabilities_||_(13,856)_||_-_||_(13,856)_|
|**_Total Net Assets_**|_£_|_113,171_|_£_|_64,151_|_£_|_177,322_|
## **14. Staff costs and remuneration of key management personnel**
The charity considers its Key Management Personnel to be the trustees and the chief executive officer.
|Staff costs during the year amounted to:||**2022**||**_2021_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**||**_£_**|
|Wages and salaries||107,317||_93,512_|
|Social security costs||5,268||_4,158_|
|Other pension costs||5,871||_5,282_|
||£|118,456|_£_|_102,952_|
The average number of employees during the year was 5 (2021 - 5).
No employee earned more than £60,000 during the year.
page 23
**MIGRANTS' RIGHTS NETWORK NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**
## **15. TRUSTEES EXPENSES**
The trustees neither received nor waived any emoluments during the year (2021 - £Nil) Trustees were reimbursed for travelling expenses. These amounted to £ - (2021 - £16)
## **16. RELATED PARTIES**
The trustee Alan Anstead is an employee of the charity UK Race and Europe Network. There is a balance of £1,383 due from UK Race and Europe Network at 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2021.
page 24