**Company Registration Number: 06820227**
**USER VOICE**
**A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE (CHARITY NO. 1136047)**
**REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
**USER VOICE**
## **A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE (CHARITY NO. 1136047)**
## **ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Index**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Report of the Board|1 – 18|
|Independent auditors’ report|19 - 22|
|Statement of financial activities|23|
|Balance sheet|24|
|Cash Flow statement|25|
|Notes to the financial statements|26 – 36|
## **USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The Board is pleased to present its report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Reference and administrative information**
|**Directors**|Donna Murray-Turner||
|---|---|---|
||Gareth Miller|(Resigned 29/02/2024)|
||Guy Robinson|Chair (resigned as Chair 18/04/2023)|
||Julie Weston||
||Mark Johnson|(Resigned 31/05/2023)|
||Matthew Watt||
||Michael Barnett|Chair (Appointed 18/04/2023) and|
|||Treasurer (Resigned as Treasurer|
|||31/03/2024)|
||Professor Shadd Maruna|(Resigned 31/05/2023)|
||Dr Andreas Aresti|(Appointed 27/02/2024)|
||Micheal Legesse|(Appointed 27/02/2024) Treasurer|
|||(Appointed 01/04/2024)|
|**Company Secretary**|Tharani Yathaven|(Appointed 28/06/2023)|
|**Chair**|Guy Robinson|(To 18/04/2023)|
||Michael Barnett|(From 18/04/2023)|
|**Senior Management Team**|Finance, Operations and Contracts Manager||
|**as at September 2024**|Performance Manager||
||Communications Lead||
|**Company Number**|06820227||
|**Registered Charity Number**|1136047||
|**Registered Office**|20 Newburn Street, London, SE11 5PJ||
|**Auditors**|Moore Kingston Smith LLP, 6th Floor, 9 Appold Street, London.||
||EC2A 2AP||
|**Accountants**|JS2 Limited, One Crown Square, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6HR||
|**Bankers**|Coutts and Co, 440 Strand, London WC2R 0QS||
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Chair’s Review**
This year marked my first full year as Chair of Trustees at User Voice and I am extremely proud of what we have overcome and achieved together in the last 12 months. User Voice has continued to push for reform of the criminal justice system by giving the marginalised a voice. As an organisation we continue to be user led; four in five employees have lived experience of the criminal justice system. Their insights and passion for change drive us as an organisation.
We continue to do this in a challenging time for the charity sector where the impact of the pandemic and cost of living is widely felt by many. I am delighted to say that we have engaged with over 10,000 people this year, no small feat for a charity our size. All the while our reserves remain in line with our targets. Our Prison Councils continue to bring people together to have honest conversations on how conditions in prisons can be improved. We have changed our model to give service users more of a platform to come together and work with prison regimes.
In the community, User Voice has increased its role in criminal justice health. Our report on Neurodiversity gave policymakers in Westminster insights into people’s experiences like never before. Our London Patient and Public Voice (PPV) and Lived Experience Panel in the Midlands has positioned User Voice as the go-to organisation in the field of health justice.
This year has seen the make-up of our board change. We would like to thank Guy Robinson and Gareth Miller for their service to the charity over the last few years. We welcome Andreas Aresti and Micheal Legesse to the board. Nicolas Wykeman has been appointed as an independent member of the Finance Committee. They all bring a wealth of experience that will make us more robust as User Voice moves forward.
In the coming year, we are excited to carry on innovating in the criminal justice sector. Our work in West Yorkshire on restorative justice has been transformative and we hope to continue this across the country. In the second quarter of 2024 we will be releasing a report conceived, delivered and written by our National Council members. It is a true piece of peer-led work which should be celebrated.
Despite being in our 15th year as a charity, the drive and commitment from staff and volunteers is as powerful as it has ever been at User Voice. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank them for all their hard work and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the future.
## **Michael Barnett**
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Structure, governance, and management**
User Voice became registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 21 May 2010. It is a charitable company limited by guarantee, with no share capital and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 16 February 2009, as amended by special resolution on 7 May 2010. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to a maximum of £10.
In accordance with the governing document, there shall not be fewer than two directors at any one time. The directors, who are also the charity trustees, are normally elected by the members of the company in a general meeting. The Board may appoint any member of the company as a director either as an additional director or to fill a casual vacancy. Any member so appointed must retire at the next annual general meeting but is eligible for re-election.
The Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the governance of the charity to ensure that it acts in the best interests of people who have been in prison or been on probation. The Trustees delegate the day-to-day management of the charity to the senior management team. The Board is supported in its work by two Committees. The Finance Committee covers the adequacy of financial policies and controls, reviewing financial performance and matters relating to the year end. The People Committee covers human resources, recruitment, professional development and remuneration. A task and finish group has been set up by the Board to feed into User Voice’s Strategy for the coming years.
Each new trustee has received a thorough induction with sessions with the Chair, Chief Executive and Management Team, where they were provided with the background to the charity and its work and receive guidance on their role as a director and trustee of the charity.
Trustees are periodically updated on the most important matters relating to the organisation’s activities, as well as the latest charity sector developments and best practice guidance. Trustees are encouraged to keep up-to-date with sector developments relevant to their role throughout their term of office.
The senior management team review User Voice’s risk register monthly and update Trustees when appropriate based on the nature of the issue, and the likelihood of occurrence and potential impact. The most relevant and pressing issues can be discussed in Board meetings or operational meetings. The action plans contained in the risk register then incorporate comments from the Board and proposed mitigating activities.
## **Risk management**
The directors have reviewed the major and financial risks impacting the work of the charity, most recently when setting the budget for 2024/25. Systems have been established that enable the directors to regularly review these risks and take necessary steps to mitigate them.
The principal risks identified include:
- Financial Stability: Maintaining a stable financial position is crucial for the charity to continue its operations and fulfil its mission. This includes ensuring diverse funding sources and effective budget management to safeguard against potential financial shortfalls.
- Service Provision: Insufficient staff or poor management could result in contracts not being delivered on time or to the required quality standards. This could lead to poorer outcomes for users, non-renewal of contracts, and reputational damage. The threat level of this risk has been assessed as lower compared to a year ago, due to management changes and the introduction of new systems and approaches. Activities to manage this risk include regular meetings with project leads, ongoing engagement with commissioners, quarterly forecasting and Board oversight of key projects
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Objectives and activities**
The object of User Voice is to advance education for the public benefit in criminal justice and the rehabilitation of offenders by speaking to those with lived experience and disseminating our learnings to stakeholders and the public.
## **Public benefit**
The directors have complied with section 17(5) of the 2011 Charities Act, having due regard for the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance ‘Public Benefit: running a charity (PB2)’, when reviewing the trust’s aims and objectives.
## **Who we are**
User Voice was created for and is run by people who have been in prison and on probation. Lived experience means we engage empathetically instead of sympathetically.
We exist to reduce offending and improve rehabilitation by working with the most marginalised people in and around the criminal justice system. We ensure that practitioners and policy-makers hear their voices, through three areas of change summarised below.
- Change for institutions: User Councils give prison decision-makers feedback and solutions from their service users.
- Change for individuals: User-Led Change. With the right opportunity, encouragement and support, everyone can play an influential role in society.
- Change in the agenda: User Consultations, that give decision makers in the criminal justice system the opportunity to hear, and act upon, service user insights. Over the last 15 years, User Voice has delivered over 100 consultations with over 20,000 participants.
## **Change for institutions**
During the year User Voice continued to support elected **Councils** based on our model of service user engagement in the following areas:
- HMP Bronzefield, holding up to 572 adult female prisoners;
- HMP Forest Bank, holding up to 1,460 adult male prisoners;
- HMP Altcourse, holding up to 1,164 adult male prisoners;
- HMP Lowdham Grange, holding up to 900 adult male prisoner;.
- HMP Northumberland, holding up to 1,348 adult male prisoners;.
- HMP Peterborough Male Prison, holding up to 497 adult male prisoners; and
- HMP Peterborough Female Prison, holding up to 360 adult female prisoners.
User Voice enabled service users to be part of the commissioning cycle in a number of areas including:
- West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner; and
- East Midlands Lived Experience Panel.
At the end of this period, User Voice had built and maintained **representative structures for 6,301** people in prison through our council structure equating to approximately 7% of the prison population nationwide.
Through our Council model, we have recruited, trained, and supported **159 Council members** who completed **2,350 engagements** with their peers, as detailed below.
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
- Our Prison Councils are made up of; `o` 90% male and 10% female;
- 15% of those were in the 25-29 age group, while 38% were aged between 30-39;
- `o` 28% self-reported as neurodiverse; and
- 72% White, 8% Black, 8% Asian, 6% Dual Heritage and 2% Other.
## **Change for individuals**
User Voice regularly asks Council members to reflect on how they benefit from their experience, and how this has made a difference to them, both in terms of their personal development and skills development.
The experience of being a Council member gave people:
## _**An opportunity to have their voice heard:**_
_“Being on the council has meant I can raise awareness on the health wings and everyone now feels they have a voice.”_
_“Giving those without a voice the ability to be heard, giving them confidence to work towards their future.”_
_"Participating in the Lived Experience Panel with User Voice has significantly contributed to my personal growth, creating confidence and allowing me to share my unique journey.”_
## _**A sense of community:**_
_“I certainly feel that the two proposals we're currently working on will have a universal impact on anyone in the prison now or coming to the prison in the future.”_
_“It was really good to be able to sit face to face with staff and decision makers to discuss the real issues we face on a daily basis. The staff who attended, listened, and heard our concerns.”_
_“Since joining the Council it has helped me develop my confidence in this surrounding as I didn't know what to expect. It has helped keep me focused throughout my sentence. It has changed the way I used to think about the Council as I feel it makes a massive difference to be able to work together and actually feel like someone is listening and I am not just a number. I feel that I have gained more respect not just from others but the staff as well.”_
## _**Changes they have seen in themselves and their environment:**_
_“My sense of purpose and growth has changed a lot since joining. I love that we (User Voice Reps) get to give a voice to the inmates to better our prison life. Seeing the changes implemented really gives me motivation to help more.”_
_“I was isolated, I was withdrawn, and I was anti-social, but the Council gave me the chance to meet people with similar experiences.”_
_“I'm more motivated to change my life overall and want to get involved in User Voice when I leave. I'm also more open-minded about who I talk to now too.”_
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
Each Prison Council Member completes a regular development review in order for User Voice to capture the impact of the Council. Upon joining the Council, they complete an Initial review and then regular Follow-Up reviews every 3-months.
- **94%** of Council Members across all three prisons said that they had developed skills since joining the Council.
- **85%** either ‘Strongly Agreed’ or ‘Agreed’ that they feel more motivated in their day-to-day life since joining the Council.
- **90%** either ‘Strongly Agreed’ or ‘Agreed’ that they feel more able to build trusting relationships since joining the Council.
- **97%** either ‘Strongly Agreed’ or ‘Agreed’ that they are more able to work with others since joining the Council.
- **73%** either ‘Strongly Agreed’ or ‘Agreed’ that they feel more equipped to gain employment since joining the Council.
## **Prison councils**
After 15 years we have developed our model, moving away from the election model to a structure that has co-production at its heart. We have conducted our councils in partnership with Sodexo, whose commitment to the involvement of lived experience we are grateful for.
Each council formally launches with a co-production (Open Space) event bringing together Council members, a cross section of prison staff, third party provider staff and external stakeholders to discuss collective issues and challenges, co-producing solutions that the Council will develop further and present at the first Council meeting.
## ● **HMP Northumberland**
_“I feel since joining the Council I have been able to help both staff members and other inmates by explaining in detail what changes have been made and communicating what changes we are putting forward to try and get put in place.”_
We have worked hard to create a diverse council at HMP Northumberland. At present the council is made up of fifteen Vulnerable Prison’s (VP) and thirteen Main wing prisoners. Where in some instances this would be a cause for division, our council has found a way of working together. The Council is supported by two Red Bands who assist User Voice in the prison.
The Council has hosted one co-production Open Space event this year at HMP Northumberland bringing together key staff and Council members to identify democratically the best solutions to challenges within the prison. They have also been able to put forward four proposals for change, all of which were accepted by the prison.
The council has had a positive effect on members; 80% of members state that because of the council they have been able to build trusting relationships while half said being part of the council has made them more hopeful for the future.
## ● **HMP Bronzefield**
_“It was really good to be able to sit face to face with staff and decision makers to discuss the real issues we face on a daily basis. The staff who attended, listened, and heard our concerns”._
Due to staffing issues, we were unable to restart the council at HMP Bronzefield until December 2023.
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## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The council has since come together to suggest proposals that improve prison communication between staff and residents, as well as a proposal to improve on access to training courses.
## ● **HMP Forest Bank**
_“The people we work with at User Voice help us to get things done which gives me motivation to keep going.”_
The council at HMP Forest Bank has come together over the past year to look into food provision and the availability of educational courses. Council members carried out a consultation on debt which aimed to understand why residents were falling into debt and what help was available to them.
From working with the council, 75% of members feel more motivated in their day-to-day life and 82% feel more hopeful about their future.
## ● **HMP Lowdham Grange**
The council at HMP Lowdham Grange has been up and running from early 2024 following some challenges with staff clearances.
## ● **HMP Peterborough**
As of March, 2024. The HMP Peterborough Prison Councils is being established to create a diverse group of prisoners and staff who work together to identify and resolve challenges within the establishment.
Once in the first contractual quarter User Voice will begin with prison consultations with the input of the prison and prisoners.
## ● **HMP Altcourse**
Our council in HMP Altcourse started in late 2023. There has been great interest shown in joining the council with **20** names already having been submitted for Council membership. An Open Space event to start the council was held in April 2024.
## **National Service User Council**
_"Being on the National Council means so much to me. Meeting and being part of a group of people that share the same values and determination to make a difference to society."_
The first of its kind in the UK. The National Service User Council is made up of elected service user representatives from across the country. The Council plays an important role at User Voice. Council members support User Voice in identifying the key issues in the criminal justice system and then develop a plan of activity to influence the right decision makers and drive the necessary changes.
National Council Members are invaluable to User Voice’s projects in prisons and the wider community. They support User Voice in identifying the key issues in the criminal justice system and then developing a plan of activity to influence the right decision-makers and drive the necessary changes.
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The National Council is currently made up of 12 members. During the year they have worked on several consultations including:
- HMI Probation Inspectorates
- HMIP Thematic Inspection
- Neurodiversity in the criminal justice system
- West Yorkshire Restorative Justice Programme
- Public and Patient Voice (PPV)
- Police Drug Diversion (PDD)
Council members have an opportunity to develop and enhance skills that can assist in making them employment-ready going forwards. Over the past year, the Council has taken part in a vast amount of training with members attending sessions on; safeguarding training, level 1 peer researcher training and engagement training.
During this period the National Council has conducted its own piece of research into the transition of healthcare from Prison to the community, identifying this as a key area that needed looking into. This is a significant milestone, and we believe an example of true peer led research.
## **Consultations**
We believe that those with lived experience of the criminal justice system should have a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions that affect them and their peers. User Voice Consultations and Peer Research offers policymakers and service providers the opportunity to learn from and act upon the insights of those hardest to reach. Our rich and sometimes difficult to hear insights lead the conversation around system change.
Our consultations are bespoke projects that help service providers, commissioners, and policymakers’ access, hear, and act upon the insight of their users. User Voice was commissioned to undertake the following consultations in the year, some of which began in the previous period, and some are still ongoing:
User Voice’s presence as the go to organisation continues to be a trusted partner in lived experience in the criminal justice system. We have engaged with **5,428** service users in the following consultations:
- HMIP Core contract;
- HMIP Thematic Inspection;
- London Public Patient Voice (PPV);
- MOPAC;
- Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice Sector;
- Police Drug and Diversion (PDD);
- Blended Supervision;
- Sheffield Hallam Parole;
- West Yorkshire Restorative Justice Project; and
- East Midlands Lived Experience Panel.
## **HMIP Core Contract**
_“She’s been the only officer that looked at my whole life, contracted all the services, sorted meetings, supported me with them when I was having off days. She done her job right unlike so many didn't before.”_
_“I had nobody to support me with anything, that's why I got back in trouble in first place.”_
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
User Voice has been commissioned by HM Inspectorate of Probation to capture the voice of people on probation for their core inspection programme. Involving people on probation in inspections and having their voice heard to such a scale is novel and hadn’t been done before prior to our involvement.
From March 2023 to March 2024, User Voice has given a voice to 155 people on probation across 6 regions and 22 probation delivery units during inspections.
March 2023 to March 2024 covers the end of cycle one of the projects and the start of cycle two which commenced in November 2023. Data from cycle 1 of the project was presented at the Insights Festival 2024.
Prior to the start of cycle two of inspections, the learnings from cycle one were implemented into the approach and methodology for cycle two. Service users, User Voice’s staff, User Voice’s National Council and HM Inspectorate of Probation all fed into the methodology for cycle two which has begun successfully. One of the more potentially impactful changes to cycle two was capturing more descriptive characteristics such as neurodiverse conditions, veteran status, care experience and more to allow for more diverse possibilities for data analysis.
User Voice employed a mixed methods approach with both in-person surveys and interviews and online surveys and telephone interviews. In total, 1,551 service users were engaged with across two cycles.
## **HMIP Thematic Inspection**
_“If they were communicating with me more, telling me what is actually happening, being real with me, then a lot of things would have went a lot better… So for me if my communication with them could have been better, everything could have been better.”_
User Voice was commissioned by HM Inspectorate of Probation to capture the voice of people on probation for the inspection of custodial remand in the youth justice system of England and Wales.
Examples of which are summarised below.
- **IPP:** User Voice was commissioned by HM Inspectorate of Probation to capture the voice of people on serving IPP sentences for the inspection titled ‘A thematic inspection of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) recall decisions.’
- This landmark consultation was the first to speak to people serving IPP sentences on a large scale since the inception of IPP sentences in 2003. In total, User Voice spoke to 111 people serving IPP sentences that have experience of recall across 11 prison estates.
- **Women on Probation:** As part of HM Inspectorate of Probation’s thematic review of women on probation, User Voice’s all female peer researcher team surveyed and interviewed 77 women in six different Probation Delivery Units across England and Wales: West Berkshire, Worcestershire, Stockport and Trafford, Camden and Islington, Cardiff and The Vale, and Bath and Somerset.
- **Young Adults:** User Voice was commissioned by HM Inspectorate of Probation to capture the voice of 18- to 21-year-olds on probation for the inspection of the quality of services delivered
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**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
to young adults in probation. In total User Voice spoke to 259 young adults about their earlylife experiences, probation experience,
- **Youth on Remand:** User Voice was commissioned by HM Inspectorate of Probation to capture the voice of people on probation for the inspection of custodial remand in the youth justice system of England and Wales. Six in-depth cases studies were developed from seven remote interviews across five different Youth Offending Teams with young people aged 17-19.
## **London Public Patient Voice**
User Voice was commissioned to recruit, train, and support Patient and Public Representatives to engage within health and justice commissioning systems by providing a range of support services.
- HMP Belmarsh;
- HMP Brixton;
- HMP ISIS;
- HMP Pentonville;
- HMP Thameside;
- HMP Wandsworth;
- HMP Wormwood Scrubs;
Liaison & Diversion locations:
- Uxbridge Magistrates Court;
- Willesden Magistrates Court;
- Westminster Magistrates Court;
- Acton Police Station;
- The Gordon Hospital;
Representatives with lived experience engage with service users using NHS services to gain insight into their experience and any ideas they support for positive changes.
During this period, User Voice has undertaken the projects in prison and on probation shown below.
- **Substance Misuse in Prison:** User Voice conducted 60 interviews across 7 locations to understand what would increase engagement with substance misuse services. We advised that the prisons needed to establish more lived experience initiatives and utilise lived experience more in the support of those with substance misuse issues and needed to co-produce accessible in-cell self-help resources. So far, 5 prisons across London have introduced a form of Substance Misuse Support Representative who explains what kind of support is available and how to access it.
- **Oral Health:** User Voice has worked with 7 male prisons across London to host focus groups, 1:1 interviews, and conduct surveys across the population to find out how well the prisons are supporting the oral health needs of the residents and how well the residents know and understand how to look after their own oral health.
- **Liaison and Diversion Service User Review:** User Voice worked with the Liaison and Diversion service across West London in police and court custody settings to determine how well the service was working there to support the men and women entering the system. And to determine the best way to get service user feedback.
- **Friends and Family Support:** User Voice worked with the Liaison and Diversion service across Central and West London in police and court custody settings to determine how well
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## **USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
the service was working there to support the men and women entering the system. And to determine the best way to get service user feedback. User Voice engaged with 15 men and women and the biggest concern raised was that 82% didn’t understand what the service was or why they were being spoken to.
- **Neurodiversity in HMP Pentonville:** User Voice was asked to focus on screening, support, and care for Neurodivergent people who were living on the Neurodiversity wing in HMP Pentonville. We interviewed 15 men currently serving in HMP Pentonville to ask a variety of questions about the support they were receiving and what they thought could be improved in the prison. We found that 78% of those interviewed did not feel that the information packs they were given for their induction into the prison were suitable for those with neurodivergent needs such as Dyslexia and 92% did not feel like there was specific support in place to help people make appointments with healthcare professionals. User Voice recommended that the Neurodiversity wing have their own representatives, akin to Healthcare Representatives, to support any changes and raise any concerns. HMP Pentonville, has now implemented this and is supporting the men on the wing with this.
- **Service User Event:** In November 2023, User Voice hosted a forum for service users to meet with service providers and discuss the issues currently facing men and women using healthcare in the criminal justice system. The focus for this forum was to discuss: “How can we collaboratively use Lived Experience to design and evaluate the healthcare services across the Criminal Justice System?” This forum was focused on how to introduce or better use lived experience within the system and to discuss the importance of using that expertise. We asked all in attendance to decide what they wanted to discuss at the event. The most common themes featured Mental Health support across the system (particular emphasis on police custody), support for pregnant women in custody, disability Support in prison, and access to Services and Communication
- **Service User Engagement:** In HMP Brixton, HMP Wormwood Scrubs, and HMP Pentonville, the role of Reps has been increased to include supporting new men coming into the prison understanding how to access healthcare through appointments, and how to find the appropriate information and support.
## **MOPAC**
_"Being part of this (forum) has really made me feel like there are people who care about me moving forward in my life and that I can grow and be a better person., I think it can be tough for probation officers to really show that because they are so busy but getting to speak openly here has been really good."_
Commissioned by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to engage with youth visiting probation settings in London.
Across this year we have spoken to 347 men and women across the two MOPAC HUBs in Stratford. From our engagement we have been pleased to see increased discussion and signposting to wellbeing and self-harm support.
User Voice has been awarded another year of funding after our work on the pilot.
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## **USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System**
_“I think it’s really hard to find a neurotypical person behind a door in a prison. We’ve all got something a little bit different going on, not necessarily to underline why we’re here in the first place, but there’s something not quite functioning in the normal way, whatever you want to say. But, like, the system throwing me in here, and I’m bumping into all kinds of different people that communicate differently. It’s really made me stop and think, kind of, ‘Okay, why is this person talking to me so aggressively when all he’s asking is for a teabag?”_
Our NHS England funded project investigated neurodiversity in the criminal justice system. We interviewed 104 and surveyed 250 neurodivergent people in 11 prisons across the country to learn about their journey through the system. We identified and charted the journey of service users from early life, to post prison release.
After the release of our report, we have met with neurodiversity charities, MP’s from different parties, and different HMPPS staff, including the prison Neurodiversity Support Managers, to present our findings and to identify possible next steps.
## **Police Drug Diversion (PDD) programme**
_“They [police] said, 'You have two choices here. You can either not do this course and get a criminal conviction. Or you can take this, do this, you won't get a conviction and we'll help you towards making better decisions.' So, I took that choice.” (Checkpoint divertee)_
We are in the final year of evaluating three different police drug diversion schemes in Durham (Checkpoint and Prosec88), Thames Valley (Druglink and Red Snapper) and West Midlands (Cranstoun). Commissioned by the Cabinet Office Evaluation Accelerator Fund and led by University of Kent, User Voice and several other partners set out to evaluate three existing police drug diversion (PDD) schemes to inform policy and practice by showing what works, for whom, and in what circumstances.
User Voice interviewed 100 people who had been diverted to drug diversion schemes, whereas our partner universities interviewed the police who divert individuals to these schemes and the services who provide the diversion activities. In 2024-2025 all the qualitative (and quantitative) data will be analysed to find out how the PDD schemes are working. Final report, and academic articles will be published in 2025.
The themes the project’s qualitative team have identified include; what needs assessment is offered for those referred to PDD schemes, what different factors impact service users’ motivation and engagement with the PDD schemes.
## **Sheffield Hallam Parole project**
User Voice partnered with Sheffield Hallam University for the research titled: ‘ _Remote chance? Participation and access to justice in remote parole hearings._ ’
This project explores peoples' experiences of parole oral hearings that are conducted remotely, in-person and in a hybrid manner (with some people attending in person with others being online).
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## **USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The consultation is set to be completed in April 2024 with a view of submitting the findings to an academic journal and releasing the report on the User Voice website.
## **Blended Supervision**
Commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, and led by our partner Get the Data, User Voice and TONIC evaluated the Blended Supervision Model used by the probation service to manage people on probation.
Blended Supervision is a catch all term to cover the different modes of contact used to undertake sentence management activities with people on probation including face-to-face contact, telephone, and video calls. The blended approach was adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic when face-to-face contact was not possible.
For phases 1 and 2 of the evaluation User Voice conducted 105 one-to-one interviews and 11 focus group and surveyed 813 people on probation in four different probation regions: North West, Greater Manchester, West Midland, East of England, and Wales.
We asked people about their experience of having both in person and remote contacts, and how it impacted their relationship with their practitioner, and their overall quality of life. We were also interested in people on probation experiences of remote Rehabilitative Activity Requirements and their confidence in using technology in probation.
The final report will be published later in 2024 by the Ministry of Justice.
## **Lived Experience Panel – East Midlands**
_“Joining the panel gives me scope and reach, I'm looking forward to helping other people and myself with rehabilitation and lasting positive changes. It’s been a pleasure so far to be involved in the procurement process and I'm eager to progress further with this amazing opportunity. I'm really looking forward to learning new skills and meeting new people in the process”_
The East Midlands Lived Experience Panel (LEP) works collaboratively with commissioners and other regional and national stakeholders to help tackle issues and develop solutions drawing on lived experience insight. Members have been supported to attend virtual meetings with a range of stakeholders and continue to engage service users in prisons, including Clinical Quality Visits, procurements, research, forums and conferences.
We have recruited, trained and empowered panel members to work with Health Justice services across the East Midlands, supporting them to work on the individual works streams set by the NHS, and supported their individual progression. Panel members have had the opportunity to engage in induction training, Safeguarding training and completed a peer research accredited qualification.
- **Prison engagement:** We have completed patient feedback for Clinical Quality Visits in the following prisons: HMP Five Wells, HMP Leicester, HMP Lincoln, HMP Ranby, HMP Gartree, HMP Onley, HMP Sudbury and HMP Whatton, HMP Nottingham and HMP Five Wells.
13
**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
- **Liaison and Diversion:** We developed questionnaires to gather feedback from healthcare providers on the women’s pathway, and feedback from service users on mental health treatment requirements.
- **Suicide Prevention Document:** The document was co-produced with our lived experience panel and the listeners within one estate.as well as the female estate. This initiative, with its focus on the patients’ experience and individual needs across pathways they have accessed, aims to support early intervention work to achieve long term health benefits and reduce the risk of suicide completion.
- **Health Inequalities Workshop:** This event brought together healthcare professionals from NHS England to learn about health inequalities between people or groups of people. Health inequalities exist across a range of dimensions and/or characteristics and on Lived Experience.
- **HMP Five Wells (L & D / Neurodiversity Report) & (Under 25’s feedback):** We gathered patient feedback and reported back to the NHS
- **Procurement activities:** The Panel contributed to the HMP Stocken, HMP Gartree and HMP Fosse Way Healthcare provider procurement. The Panel contributed to the 10 Prison Procurement (East & West Midlands) where we recruited and trained prisoners to support the procurement process.
- **Conferences/meetings:** Reconnect Event This brought together healthcare professional to learn about RECONNECT, which is a care after custody service that works to improve the continuity of care of people leaving prison or an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) with an identified health need. Further events include NHS England reflective practice meeting and Derby and LD Autism and Neurodiversity Event.
- **Menopause Report:** We conducted patient feedback surveys and focus groups at HMP Foston Hall to gather data on the menopause. We wrote a report and a pathway of care based on the findings.
- **NHS England Interview support:** We provided interview support for NHS England. This experience was highly valued by panel members.
- **Learning Disabilities/Difficulties and Neurodiversity needs:** We engaged with healthcare providers across the prison estate to better understand the needs of people with Learning Disabilities/Difficulties and Neurodiversity needs.
## **West Yorkshire Peer Commissioning**
_“It's good to know how much this project means to the mayor and that people have confidence in our abilities to get this right, this boosted my confidence.”_
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority have commissioned User Voice to set up a lived experience commissioning panel to evaluate the bids for a new restorative justice service across West Yorkshire.
Involving individuals with lived experience at the heart of such a process has never been done before. This monitoring and evaluation will map out the experience of both the Peer Commissioners and relevant stakeholders to get a better understanding of the process and the benefits to both the Peer Commissioners and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Our six peer commissioners took part in Peer Research training which included understanding of research methods, research ethics, and understanding peer-led research.
14
## **USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The learnings captured in the report can then be utilised to build a business case for the implementation of peer commissioning Yorkshire wide and beyond. The ‘capturing the learning’ phase of the project has five stages and is near completion with a report to be made public in late Summer 2024.
## **National Council Project**
''. _..When I came out of prison and went to see my own doctor who, who knew I was in prison, they couldn't even get and still have never been able to get hold of any information about my healthcare in prison..._ ''
In 2023/24 members of the National Council conducted its inaugural consultation on _the transition of healthcare from Prison Services into the Community._ As with other functions of the National Council, this has been a purely voluntary and grassroots initiative. The consultation provided an opportunity for Council members to develop new skills in project management, qualitative & quantitative data analysis, IT competence, interview techniques, report writing, and public speaking.
The transition from prison into the community is a critical time for service users' health and well-being. People leaving prison are more likely to have chronic health conditions, mental health problems, and substance use disorders than the general population. They are also more likely to be homeless, unemployed, and socially isolated. These factors can make it difficult to access the healthcare needed in the community. By gathering feedback from service users, the consultation will help raise awareness to policymakers to ensure the transition process is designed to meet the needs of the people who use it.
The consultation found that 56% of service users either disagreed or strongly disagreed that they received the support and services they needed during my transition from prison to the community. While, 72% of service users said probation did not make any referrals or support them in getting healthcare after they were released.
The report is due to be released in Spring 2024.
## **Social media and website**
User Voice utilises Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram regularly to share our latest news, latest research, vacancies, sector publications and to highlight the big issues for people in prison and on probation.
On Twitter, User Voice has 9,559 followers. User Voice’s unpaid posts earned 120,016 impressions (the total number of times that a tweet has been delivered to the Twitter stream of a particular account), an increase of 65% from the previous year.
For Facebook, we have 1,700 followers, where the 35-44 age demographic continues to be the highest.
On LinkedIn User Voice has increased its numbers of followers from 1,158 to 1,380. On Instagram, we have also increased our follower number from 380 to 439.
15
**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
On average during this period, User Voice’s website has had approximately 1,800 visitors each month.
## **Volunteering and internships**
User Voice encourages people to volunteer to develop skills and gain experience as part of our commitment to offer individuals opportunity, encouragement, and support. We have helped many people move from volunteering into staff positions with us.
These volunteers fall broadly into two categories:
- Office-based administrative volunteers: these people assist Lived Experience Consultants with internal office coordination activities, such as data input, filing, diary management.
- Delivery-based engagement volunteers: these people shadow and assist the engagement team with delivery in prisons and communities.
User Voice has continued its relationship with London Metropolitan University and Queen Mary University of London who have sent us students to gain experience of working in charity.
## **Fundraising**
User Voice continues to maintain solid partnerships with supporters and donors, based on mutual understanding and shared values. All our fundraising practices are done in an open, honest, and respectful manner in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice issued by the Fundraising Regulator.
## **Key strategic priorities**
- Ensure User Voice remains as the leading organisation giving service users a voice and working with decision makers to design, implement and run effective and efficient services.
- Run User Voice effectively to ensure that the voice of service users is at the heart of what we do.
- Ensuring User Voice’s future by developing resilient income streams and grows in times of significant policy changes.
## **Remuneration of the key management personnel**
The arrangements for setting the pay of key management personnel are proposed by the CEO and discussed and decided at a Board level. Key personnel during the financial year were Mark Johnson, Daniel Hutt, Brendan Doyle, Sean Campbell, Simon Boddis and Tharani Yathaven. Levels of remuneration are set in line with the market rates for the charity sector and based on people’s skills and their contribution to the organization.
CEO remuneration is proposed by the Finance Committee and approved by the Trustees, following discussions at a Board meeting.
16
**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Financial review**
User Voice recorded total income of £821,586 (2023: £632,816) in the year, with 90% of income coming from charitable activities (project and consultation activities). The increase is due to increased Project Income.
The overall result for the year was a deficit of £60,147 (2023: a deficit of £297,576), reflecting a deficit on unrestricted funds of £46,247 (2023: a deficit of £265,806) and a deficit on restricted funds of £13,900 (2023: a deficit of £31,770). Therefore, there was an overall decrease on our accumulated unrestricted reserves, which stands at £643,624 on 31st March 2024 (2023: £689,871) whilst restricted funds decreased to £60,182 (2023: £74,082).
## **Investment policy and performance**
There are no restrictions on the charity’s power to invest and the current policy is to invest short term funds with the trust’s bankers.
## **Reserves policy**
As at 31.03.2024, User Voice held total reserves of £703,806. This is made up of £643,625 of unrestricted reserves and restricted reserves of £60,182. User Voice has identified that it needs to maintain unrestricted reserves of £535,000 to ensure financial stability and operational continuity. This includes a Working Capital Reserve of £135,000 to provide a financial buffer for unexpected expenses or income shortfalls, ensuring that operations can continue without compromising the organization's mission. Additionally, £400,000 is allocated for closure costs, covering employee salaries and contractual obligations for approximately four months to ensure an orderly shutdown if necessary.
In order to bring the level of actual reserves into line with the reserves target, the Board has set aside designated reserves of £115,000 support specific projects that will increase User Voice’s ability to serve those in the criminal justice system. These projects include amounts for enhancing the website and social media presence to improve user engagement and outreach; hiring a Volunteer Training Manager to develop and implement volunteer training programs; employing a Grants Officer to secure additional funding through grants: and the recruitment of a highly skilled CEO to formulate with the Board and drive a long term strategy for the organisation. It is expected that these amounts will be spent or committed during the current financial period.
The Finance Committee monitors and reviews the level of reserves on a quarterly basis. These reviews will include ensuring that the amounts designated for specific projects will deliver the expected benefits. The Reserves Policy is reviewed and approved by the Board annually.
## **Responsibilities of the Board**
Company law requires the Board to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Board are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards, including (FRS102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- follow the SORP, Accounting by Charities; and
- prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Board are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial
17
**USER VOICE**
## **REPORT OF THE BOARD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, Accounting Standards and Statements of Recommended Practice and the regulations under 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.
## **Statement of disclosure to the auditor**
So far as the Board of Trustees are aware:
a) there is no relevant audit information of which the charity’s auditors are unaware; and
b) they have taken all steps that they ought to have taken as Trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Charity’s auditors are aware of that information.
## **Auditors**
Moore Kingston Smith LLP were appointed as auditors during the year and are deemed to be reappointed under Section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.
This Report of the Board, which forms part of the Annual Report and Financial Statements, is approved by the Trustees in their capacity as Directors of the company and signed of its behalf by:
6 October 2024 Mr Michael Barnett Date **Chair**
18
**INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF USER VOICE**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of User Voice for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, and the Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
## **Other information**
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006**
19
**INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF USER VOICE**
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
- the information given in the trustees’ annual report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
- the trustees’ annual report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ annual report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
- the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies exemption in preparing the trustees' annual report and from preparing a strategic report.
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 17, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
## **Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
- Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
20
**INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF USER VOICE**
- Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the charitable company’s internal control.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees.
- Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern.
- Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
## **Explanation as to what extent the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud**
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.
The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, are; to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses to those assessed risks; and to respond appropriately to instances of fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the charitable company.
Our approach was as follows:
- We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the charitable company and considered that the most significant are the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charity SORP, and UK financial reporting standards as issued by the Financial Reporting Council.
- We obtained an understanding of how the charitable company complies with these requirements by discussions with management and those charged with governance.
- We assessed the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements, including the risk of material misstatement due to fraud and how it might occur, by holding discussions with management and those charged with governance.
- We inquired of management and those charged with governance as to any known instances of non-compliance or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations.
- Based on this understanding, we designed specific appropriate audit procedures to identify instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. This included making enquiries of
21
## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF USER VOICE**
management and those charged with governance and obtaining additional corroborative evidence as required.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to any party other than the charitable company and charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Date: 29 October 2024
Jamers Saunders FCCA DChA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Statutory Auditor
6[th] Floor 9 Appold Street London EC2A 2AP
22
## **USER VOICE**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**Notes**
**£**
**£**
**Income**
Income from donations
2
897
80,523
Income from charitable activities
3
678,978
61,188
**_______**
**_______**
**Total income**
679,875
141,711
**=======**
**=======**
**Expenditure**
Expenditure on raising funds
5
43,875
-
Expenditure on charitable activities
6
673,527
164,331
**_______**
**_______**
**Total expenditure**
717,402
164,331
**=======**
**=======**
**Net income / (expenditure)**
4
(37,527)
(22,620)
Transfer between funds
(8,720)
8,720
**Net movement in funds**
(46,247)
(13,900)
**=======**
**=======**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Fund balance brought forward at
1 April
689,871
74,082
**_______**
**_______**
**Fund balance carried forward at**
**31 March**
643,624
60,182
**=======**
**=======**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
81,420
740,166
**_______**
821,586
**=======**
43,875
837,858
**_______**
881,733
**=======**
(60,147)
-
(60,147)
**=======**
763,953
**_______**
703,806
**======**|**Total**
**2023**
**£**
65,267
567,549
**_______**
632,816
**=======**
6,794
923,598
**_______**
930,392
**=======**
(297,576)
-
(297,576)
**=======**
1,061,529
**_______**
763,953
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
The results for the period are derived from continuing operations
There were no recognised gains or losses, other than those passing through the statement of financial activities.
The notes on pages 26 to 36 form part of these financial statements.
23
**USER VOICE**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 MARCH 2024**
|||**2024**||**2023**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Notes**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Fixed assets**||||||
|Tangible fixed assets|11||-||795|
||||**_______**||**_______**|
||||-||795|
|**Current assets**||||||
|Debtors|12|167,741||277,539||
|Cash at bank and in hand||670,134||723,252||
|||________||________||
|||837,875||1,000,791||
|**Creditors: amounts falling due**||||||
|**within one year**|13|(134,069)||(237,633)||
|||**_______**||**_______**||
|**Total current assets less current**||||||
|**liabilities**|||703,806||763,158|
||||**_______**||**_______**|
|**Net assets**|||703,806
**=======**||763,593
**=======**|
|**Reserves**||||||
|Unrestricted funds|||643,624||689,871|
|Designated funds|||115,000||250,000|
|General funds|||528,624||439,871|
|Restricted finds|||60,182||74,082|
||||**_______**||**_______**|
||16||703,806
**=======**||763,953
**=======**|
These financial statements are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The notes on pages 26 to 36 form part of these financial statements.
The financial statements were approved by the Board and signed on its behalf on 6 October 2024 by:
Mr Michael Barnett **Chair**
## **Company Registration Number: 06820227**
24
## **USER VOICE**
## **STATEMENT OF CASHFLOWS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Cash flows from operating**
**activities**
Net cash provided by / (used in)
operating activities
Change 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**
**Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Analysis of changes in net**
**debt**|**Notes**
17
**2023**
**Cash flows**
**£**
**£**
**723,252**
(53,118)
**_______**
**_______**
**723,252**
(53,118)
**________**
**________**|**2024**
**£**
(53,118)
**_______**
(53,118)
723,252
**_______**
**670,134**
**=======**|**2023**
**£**
(225,314)
**_______**
(225,314)
948,566
**_______**
**723,252**
**=======**
**2024**
**£**
**670,134**
**_______**
**670,134**
**________**|
|---|---|---|---|
25
**USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **1. Accounting policies**
## **1.1 Basis of preparation**
The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity, and therefore 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)), the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements.
After making enquiries the trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future due to the majority of the income that is being included within the 2024/25 budget already being contractually secure together with amounts held in reserves. The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.
The functional currency used is British pound sterling, and balances are rounded to the nearest £1.
## **1.2 Funds Structure**
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by the donor. Unrestricted funds are funds which are used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for a particular purpose.
## **1.3 Income**
Grants, donations and other income are credited to the statement of financial activities in the year to which they relate. Grants and donations will be recognised on an entitlement basis and when receipt is probable and the amount can be measured reliably, unless it relates to a specific future period, in which case it is deferred. Other income, including investment income, is recognised on an accruals basis. Contract income is recognised over the life of the assignment, as it is earned.
## **1.4 Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT**
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure. All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Support costs not directly attributable to an expenditure category are shown in note 7 and have been apportioned on the basis of staff activity.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of expenditure within which it was incurred.
26
**USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **1.5 Employee benefits**
The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense. The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received. Termination benefits are recognised as an expense when the company has demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefit.
## **1.6 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates that are calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:
Computer equipment 3 years straight line Fixtures, fittings and equipment 3 years straight line
All assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised.
Assets are reviewed annually for impairment and adjustments are made to the carrying value when required.
## **1.8 Pensions**
User Voice operates defined contribution pension arrangements, the assets of which are held separately from those of the Charity in independently administered funds. Contributions are charged to the income and expenditure account as they become payable.
## **1.9 Critical accounting estimates and judgements**
The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
## **1.10 Operating leases**
Rental charges are charged on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.
27
## **USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**2.**
**Income from donations**
**Current Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Donations
240
-
Grants
657
80,523
**_______**
**_______**
897
80,523
**=======**
**=======**
**Prior Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Donations
240
-
Grants
1,493
63,534
**_______**
**_______**
1,733
63,534
**=======**
**=======**
**3.**
**Income from charitable activities**
**Current Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Project income
402,584
-
Consultancy & other income
276,394
61,188
**_______**
**_______**
678,978
61,188
**=======**
**=======**
**Prior Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Project income
332,551
-
Consultancy & other income
217,291
27,707
**_______**
**_______**
539,842
27,707
**=======**
**=======**
**4.**
**Net income for the year is calculated after charging:**
**2024**
**£**
Audit fees
**12,300**
License to occupy
Depreciation
**12,902**
**795**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**240**
**81,180**
**_______**
**81,420**
**=======**
**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**240**
**65,027**
**_______**
**65,267**
**=======**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**402,584**
**337,582**
**_______**
**740,166**
**=======**
**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**332,551**
**244,998**
**_______**
**567,549**
**=======**
**2023**
**£**
10,700
12,203
4,268|
|---|---|
28
## **USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **5. Expenditure on raising funds**
|**Current Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Staff costs
40,002
-
Other costs
442
-
Support costs (see note 7)
3,431
-
**_______**
**_______**
43,875
-
**=======**
**=======**
**Prior Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Staff costs
3,151
-
Other costs
573
-
Support costs (see note 7)
3,070
-
**_______**
**_______**
6,794
-
**=======**
**=======**
**6.**
**Expenditure on charitable activities**
**Current Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Staff costs
287,372
133,664
Travel and subsistence
31,073
2,134
Finance, HR & other professional fees
1,506
5,619
Other costs
33,742
-
Support costs (see note 7)
319,834
22,914
**_______**
**_______**
673,527
164,331
**=======**
**=======**
**Prior Year**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Staff costs
311,976
85,041
Travel and subsistence
34,916
3,300
Finance, HR and other professional fees
90,046
36,718
Other costs
45,396
5,090
Support costs (see note 7)
282,083
29,033
**_______**
**_______**
764,416
159,181
**=======**
**=======**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**40,002**
**442**
**3,431**
**_______**
**43,875**
**=======**
**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**3,151**
**573**
**3,070**
**_______**
**6,794**
**=======**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**421,036**
**33,207**
**7,125**
**33,742**
**342,748**
**_______**
**837,858**
**=======**|
|---|---|
||**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**397,016**
**38,216**
**126,763**
**50,487**
**311,116**
**_______**
**923,598**
**=======**|
29
## **USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
**7. Support costs**
|**Current Year**
Governance costs
Staff Costs
Audit fees
Legal and professional fees
Trustee costs
Other Support costs
Staff costs
Office costs
Travel and subsistence
Finance, HR & other professional fees
Sundry expenses
**Prior Year**
Governance costs
Staff Costs
Audit fees
Legal and professional fees
Trustee costs
Other Support costs
Staff costs
Office costs
Travel and subsistence
Finance, HR & other professional fees
Sundry expenses|**Costs of**
**Raising**
**Charitable**
**Funds**
**Activities**
**£**
**£**
333
32,941
123
12,177
202
20,005
2
244
1,140
112,848
543
56,342
84
8,739
915
90,574
90
8,876
**_______**
**_______**
3,432
342,746
**=======**
**=======**
**Costs of**
**Raising**
**Charitable**
**Funds**
**Activities**
**£**
**£**
232
22,984
107
10,593
30
2,965
2
174
986
97,598
554
61,600
89
9,300
945
93,548
125
12,354
**______**
**_______**
3,070
311,116
**=======**
**=======**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**33,274**
**12,300**
**20,207**
**246**
**113,988**
**56,885**
**8,823**
**91,489**
**8,966**
**_______**
**346,178**
**=======**
**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**23,216**
**10,700**
**2,995**
**176**
**98,584**
**62,154**
**9,389**
**94,493**
**12,479**
**_______**
**314,186**
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
Support costs are allocated on the basis of staff activity.
30
**USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **8. Analysis of staff costs**
|Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension costs
Redundancy Pay|**2024**
**£**
545,932
47,694
8,604
6,069
**_______**
608,299
**=======**|**2023**
**£**
471,942
42,644
7,381
**_______**
512,967
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
No employee earned more than £60,000 during the year (2023: nil). All User Voice employees were enrolled in an auto-enrolment compliant, defined contribution pension scheme in both 2023 and 2024, and new employees were auto enrolled in the same scheme. Pension costs represent the employer’s contribution to that scheme during the year.
The number of employees during the period was as follows:
|Fundraising
Support
Charitable activities|**2024**
**No.**
1
4
15
**_______**
20
**=======**|**2023**
**No.**
-
4
13
**_______**
17
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
The Senior Management Team are considered to be the key management personnel and the total fees and employee benefits paid to them were £169,586 (2023: £303,135).
Included within staff costs are costs totalling £6,069 (2023: £nil) in relation to redundancy and termination payments.
Trustees are eligible to be reimbursed for travel and incidental expenses incurred in the performance of their duties; no Trustees (2023: 0) claimed any expenses in the year (2023: £nil).
## **9. Directors' remuneration**
As allowed by the constitution of User Voice, one of the directors, Mark Johnson, received payments totalling £18,965 (2023: £71,415) from his role as self-employed consultant to the charity, which he billed through his company, MJ Innovation Ltd. During the year, he was reimbursed for expenses totalling £0 (2023: £nil).
## **10. Taxation**
As a charity the organisation is exempt from UK corporation tax to the extent that its income is applied to its charitable objects. No liability arose in the period.
31
**USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **11. Tangible fixed assets**
|**Fixtures, fittings&**
**equipment**
**Computer**
**Equipment**
**£**
**£**
**Cost**
At 1 April 2023
2,385
11,466
Additions
-
-
Disposals
(2,385)
-
________
________
**_**
At 31 March 2024
-
11,466
=======
=======
**=**
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2023
1,590
11,466
Charge for the year
795
-
Disposals
(2,385)
-
________
________
**_**
At 31 March 2024
-
11,466
=======
=======
**=**
**Net book value**
At 31 March 2024
-
-
=======
=======
**=**
At 31 March 2023
795
-
=======
=======
**=**
**12.**
**Debtors**
**2024**
**£**
Trade debtors
90,792
Other debtors
100
Prepayments
Accrued income
4,538
72,311
**_______**
167,741
**=======**|**Total**
**13,851**
**-**
**(2,385)**
**_______**
**11,466**
**======**
**13,056**
**795**
**(2,385)**
**_______**
**11,466**
**======**
**-**
**======**
**795**
**======**
**2023**
**£**
232,086
120
2,746
42,587
**_______**
277,539
**=======**|
|---|---|
32
**USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **13. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
|Trade creditors
Taxes and social security
Accruals
Deferred income
Other creditors
Opening deferred income
Released in the year
Income deferred in the current year|**2024**
**£**
9,225
82,200
39,894
648
2,102
**_______**
134,069
**=======**
136,123
(136,123)
648
**_______**
648
**=======**|**2023**
**£**
25,492
40,236
33,637
136,123
2,145
**_______**
237,633
**=======**
218,506
(218,506)
136,123
**_______**
136,123
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
## **14. Company limited by guarantee**
The limit of the total guarantees of the members of the company amounted to a maximum of £40 at the beginning of the year and £40 at the end of the year.
## **15. Analysis of charitable funds**
|**Current Year**
**Balance at 1**
**April 2023**
**£**
General Funds
439,871
Designated Funds
250,000
Anti-Knife Crime Fund
6,967
National
Lottery
Community
Fund
-
John Ellerman Foundation
67,115
EAF Drug Diversion
-
MOJ Blended Supervision
-
**_______**
Restricted funds
74,082
**=======**
Total
763,953
**=======**|**Income**
**Expenditure**
**£**
**£**
679,875
(717,402)
-
-
-
-
9,900
(1,040)
-
(22,760)
70,623
(73,537)
61,188
(66,994)
**_______**
**_______**
141,711
(164,331)
**=======**
**=======**
821,586
(881,733)
**=======**
**=======**|**Transfer**
**Balance at**
**31 March**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
126,280
528,624
(135,000)
115,000
-
6,967
-
8,860
-
44,355
2,914
-
5,806
-
**_______**
**_______**
8,720
60,182
**=======**
**=======**
-
703,806
**=======**
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
33
## **USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **15. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)**
|**Prior Year**
**Balance at 1**
**April 2022**
**£**
General funds
955,677
Designated Funds
-
Barrow Cadbury Trust
8,537
Home Office Anti Knife Crime
Fund
6,967
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
17,713
John Ellerman Foundation
72,635
The Queen’s Belfast Project
-
EAF Drug Diversion
-
MOJ Blended Supervision
-
**_______**
Restricted funds
105,852
**=======**
Total
1,061,529
**=======**|**Income**
**Expenditure**
**£**
**£**
541,575
(771,210)
-
-
15,500
(26,162)
-
-
-
(17,752)
-
(5,520)
20,715
(54,722)
27,319
(27,319)
27,707
(27,707)
**_______**
**_______**
91,241
(159,181)
**=======**
**=======**
632,816
(930,391)
**=======**
**=======**|**Transfer**
**Balance at**
**31 March**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
(36,170)
689,872
250,000
250,000
-
-
-
6,967
39
-
-
67,115
34,006
-
-
-
-
-
**_______**
**_______**
36,170
74,082
**=======**
**=======**
-
763,954
**=======**
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
## **Designated Funds**
## **Strategic Investment Fund**
Funds set aside by the directors to assist with the transition to the new strategy focused on outreach work alongside research capabilities.
## **Restricted Funds**
## **BCT (Barrow Cadbury Trust)**
With the support of BCT, User Voice will be able to develop a communications strategy, internally and externally by employing a communications specialist.
## **Home Office Anti Knife Crime Fund**
Funding to gather insight from young people convicted of knife crime to develop solutions to the problem.
34
**USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **15. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)**
## **National Lottery Community Fund**
To develop a National Council of service users from User Voice’s community councils. Providing a national forum for service users to drive change within the probation service.
## **John Ellerman Foundation**
Develop User Voice’s Knowledge. Seeding the development of a more robust function to drive information, intelligence and data and use to influence and change policy.
## **The Queen’s Belfast Project**
Funding to enable User Voice to research the impact of covid in prisons.
## **Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust**
To develop a National Council of service users from User Voice’s community councils. Providing a national forum for service users to drive policy change.
## **Social Enterprise Support Fund**
Funding to enable User Voice to develop and embed new digital ways of giving people in prison and on probation a voice.
## **EAF Drug Diversion - Police Drug Diversion evaluation project.**
User Voice's received funding to interview people who have been found in possession of drugs and diverted to a diversion scheme by the police. We are evaluation three different diversion programmes in three different areas (West Midlands, Thames Valley, and Durham). The project is funded by the Cabinet Office and led by University of Kent together with Police Commissioners.
## **MOJ Blended Supervision Model (BSM)**
We are funded to interview people on probation about their experiences of the BSM (mix of faceto-face and remote appointments with probation officers). The MoJ, who is funding the project, wants to find out does the BSM work, and which cohorts of people it works the best. Get the Data are interviewing Probation Practitioners to find out their experience of the BSM.
## **16. Analysis of net assets between funds**
|**Current Year**
Fixed assets
Debtors
Bank & cash
Creditors less than one year|**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
**-**
167,741
-
-
494,952
115,000
60,182
(134,069)
-
-
**_______**
**_______**
**_______**
528,624
115,000
60,182
**=======**
**=======**
**=======**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**-**
**167,741**
**670,134**
**(134,069)**
**_______**
**703,806**
**=======**|
|---|---|---|
35
**USER VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Prior Year**
**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
Fixed assets
795
-
**-**
Debtors
277,539
-
-
Bank & cash
399,170
250,000
74,082
Creditors less than one year
(237,633)
-
-
**_______**
**_______**
**_______**
439,871
250,000
74,082
**=======**
**=======**
**=======**
**17. Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities**
**2024**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**Cash flows from operating**
**activities**
Net income / (expenditure)
(60,147)
(297,576)
Depreciation
795
4,268
Decrease / (increase) in debtors
109,798
198,739
Increase / (decrease) in creditors
(103,564)
(130,745)
**_______**
**_______**
**Net cash provided by / (used in)**
**operating activities**
(53,118)
**Cashflow from investing activities**
Net purchase of fixed assets
-
-
**_______**
**_______**
**Net cash (used in) investing**
**activities**
-
**_______**
**Net increase / (decrease) in cash**
(53,118)
**=======**|**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**795**
**277,539**
**723,252**
**(237,633)**
**_______**
**763,953**
**=======**
**2023**
**£**
(225,314)
-
**_______**
(225,314)
**=======**|
|---|---|
**18. Related party transactions**
There were no related party transactions during the year (2023: none).
36