OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-03-31-accounts

experience alcohol harm. But this is all avoidable and change is possible. Let’s create that change.

We are Alcohol Change UK

We work for a world free from the harm caused by alcohol.

We’re not anti-alcohol. We are against the harm that it causes. Alcohol harm affects millions of families, damaging and ending lives. It impacts all of us, whether through a loved one’s suffering, damaged communities or avoidable costs to frontline services. But alcohol harm is not inevitable.

We work across the UK to reduce alcohol harm.

We do this with compassion, with ambition, and by seeking and telling the truth about alcohol harm and how to end it.

Change is possible. Let’s create that change.

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Trustees of Alcohol Change UK[�]

Year ending 31 March 2024

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Contents

1 Alcohol Change UK is the operating name of Alcohol Research UK, charity registration number 1140287 (England and Wales).

01 | Welcome

Welcome from the Chair and Chief Executive

Isabelle Szmigin Chair of the Board of Trustees

Alcohol is one of the most common causes of illness, early death, low productivity, and crime and disorder that we face as a society. By reducing alcohol harm, Alcohol Change UK helps people across the country to enjoy happier and healthier lives.

Our new 2024-29 strategy commits us to substantially and sustainably reduce alcohol harm by working for five big changes:

This report covers the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which was the fifth and final year of our previous (2019-24) strategy. I am delighted that we took further big strides forward, as this report demonstrates, ending that last strategy with great momentum by delivering more impact and generating more funds than ever before. Tens of thousands of people supported Alcohol Change UK during the year, as campaigners, donors, fundraisers, ambassadors, volunteers and as trustees – and we are always touched by this support. Since our last report, one of our trustees, Adam Uttley, has stepped down. Adam was our Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Audit Investment and Risk sub-committee. He played a huge role in guiding the Board and Executive Team through the decision to make a major investment from our reserves. A huge thank you, Adam.

We’re committed to improving the lives of millions of people and families across the UK

Looking ahead, in December 2023 our Board of Trustees approved our dynamic and ambitious new (2024-29) strategy. I am hugely energised by our plan to invest significantly from our reserves to make even more of a difference to alcohol harm.

We’re committed to improving the lives of millions of people and families across the UK. With your continued support, we can and will make alcohol change happen faster.

Isabelle Szmigin, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

02 | Welcome

Dr Richard Piper Chief Executive Officer

Alcohol harm is huge in scale and affects every single one of us. Alcohol damages our health and wellbeing. It disrupts families. It harms communities. And it holds back society, causing avoidable disruption to our health system and our courts and policing.

But we are not anti-alcohol. We believe in the right of adults to consume what substances they wish. We never have and never will tell anyone how much to drink. Our focus is reducing alcohol harm . So our vision is of a society in which people are free to consume alcohol, but with alcohol harm eliminated.

This requires genuine expertise, and a commitment to science and evidence, rather than the assumptions, misunderstandings and opinions that swirl around the topic of alcohol. That’s why one of our three values is truthfulness . We are not afraid to say what the evidence tells us, even if that’s unpopular, and we’re not afraid to change our positions as

the evidence evolves. A commitment to evidence is not always easy, but we believe it is always the right thing to do.

Our second value is ambition . Currently, most people think of alcohol harm as a niche topic, relevant to only a small group of people who are dependent on alcohol. However, alcohol can cause physical and mental harm from low levels of consumption. In fact, in the UK, for every six dependent drinkers there are 100 hazardous and harmful drinkers, that is, people drinking more than 14 units of alcohol (5-6 pints) a week. Regularly drinking 14 units a week increases our risk of a huge number of serious conditions, including cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, anxiety and depression. In total, around 10 million people in the UK consume alcohol at this level.

Ending alcohol harm is an urgent imperative if we are to save lives

That’s a lot of people to support when we have a team of just 40 people. So that’s why we create innovative digital tools that empower people, at scale, to change their own drinking. Alcohol also plays a disproportionate role in our culture, a role that we don’t give to any other drug. Shifting this old-fashioned culture, so that

alcohol is seen for what it is, rather than through rose-tinted spectacles, is another huge task. Which is why we’ve invested in cutting-edge research to identify the most effective ways (‘frames’) to talk about alcohol harm. We’re ambitious because this task is urgent and it matters.

Which leads to our third and final value: compassion . Ending alcohol harm is not a game, not a science project or an intellectual exercise. It is an urgent imperative if we are to save lives. The prize is huge, and hugely humane: a country in which children grow up more safely, in which people live long enough to hold their grandchildren, in which our population is physically and mentally healthier, in which workplaces are inclusive and productive, in which our police and court systems are freed up from alcohol-related crime, and our health systems are no longer swamped by alcohol-related illness.

We can and will build this better society. If you’d like that too, please join us, whether as a donor, campaigner, trustee or team member.

Dr Richard Piper, Chief Executive Officer

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

We work for a world free from the harm caused by alcohol.

04 | Our strategy and plans

2019-2024 strategy

This annual report covers the fifth and final year of our 2019-24 strategy which committed us to five top level impacts that must happen if we are to reduce alcohol harm.

Below, our eight work programmes are mapped onto these impact areas. Some programmes contribute to more than one impact area.

Top level impacts

Improved knowledge

Better policy and regulation

Shifted cultural norms

Improved drinking behaviours

More and better support and treatment

The work

programmes that deliver this impact

● Research

2024-2029 strategy

From December 2022 to December 2023, we developed our new five-year strategy for the period 2024-29. The Board of Trustees approved that new strategy in December 2023; and in March 2024 approved the accompanying plans to deliver the strategy (financial plan, fundraising plan, budget, and strategy implementation plan).

Our new strategy continues the many successful aspects of our previous (2019-24) strategy, including our overall vision, mission and values, our five top-level impact areas and our eight work programmes.

The key change is a big jump in scale, with the trustees having made a decision to invest a significant proportion of our reserves into growing our impact and growing our income. This will see our staff team more than doubling in size over the next five years and our income climbing to around £5m a year by 2029. Another change in the strategy is moving from our research being predominantly delivered through academic grant-making to being predominantly delivered through commissioned research projects, maintaining quality while enabling us to assure that our research spend focuses on our most strategic research needs. We also plan to move offices to somewhere more fit for our needs, and to sell our current property to liberate funds for investment.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

05 | Our strategy and plans

2023-24 plans: how did we do?

In our 2022-23 Annual Report and Accounts, we outlined 28 primary reportable objectives for 2023-24 and promised to report on our progress, which we do in the table below. Note that these primary reportable objectives did not cover the entirety of our work. In summary, no objectives were unsuccessful ( ), 25 objectives were achieved or exceeded targets ( ), 1 objective was partly successfu ~~l~~ ( ), and 2 objectives were moved to 2024-25 ( ). As an ambitious charity we’re comfortable with setting objectives that sometimes aren’t achieved. These help us to better understand our future capacity requirements.

Programme/Area 2023-24 Objective How did we do?
Research 1. Complete the Framing Research The research was completed and produced fascinating results, now being
implemented
2. Complete the New Horizons research programme All four projects delivered powerful and meaningful results that have been widely
communicated
Engagement 3. Develop our campaigning programme We ended the year with over 15,000 campaigners and developed more effective
campaigner journeys.
4. Develop Community Champions programme We ended the year with 120 Community Champions (target 100) and increased
volunteer engagement to 72% (target 30%).
Influencing Policy & Regulation 5. Campaign to lift the Equality Act exclusion on
alcohol dependence		 More Ministers, Shadow Ministers, MPs and civil servants have now heard about the
importance and feasibility of this
6. Build support for alcohol pricing increases New alcohol duty regime implemented Aug 23; increased support for MUP across
Labour and Conservative parties
7. Agree policy statements We had agreed charity-wide policy positions in three policy areas by year end
8. Influence alcohol labelling including descriptors for
alcohol-free drinks		 We contributed significantly to a government consultation on AF drink descriptors up
to March 24, but await implementation
Information & Advice 9. Deliver Alcohol Awareness Week 23 Over 5,500 people/agencies signed up to take part in the week. We saw very high
open rates (48%) from local places, our Instagram reach was up to 25,605 (10,635 last
year) and we produced a video for the first time (over 36k views on Twitter)
10. Create and implement content plan This was pushed to 24-25 to enable it to align with our new strategy
Culture Shift 11. Enhance our culture shift work This was better integrated into our other work and a #StopSoberShaming social
media campaign developed
Behaviour Change 12.Sell Local Authority packages We contracted with two Local Authorities delivering income of £18k
13. Marketing plan in place to at least maintain the level of
Try Dry®sign-ups		 We exceeded our targets, reaching over 100k Try Dry®UK sign-ups for the first time
14. Complete Try Dry®app developments Significant developments and improvements were delivered

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

06 | Our strategy and plans

----- Start of picture text -----
Programme/Area 2023-24 Objective How did we do?
15. Develop & implement new marketing plan We re-engaged previous clients, confirmed what we offer, & grew marketing activity
Alcohol in the workplace
16. Increase sales of training We did grow income but fell short of budgeted income targets
----- End of picture text -----

Programme/Area 2023-24 Objective How did we do?
Alcohol in the workplace 15. Develop & implement new marketing plan We re-engaged previous clients, confirmed what we offer, & grew marketing activity
16. Increase sales of training We did grow income but fell short of budgeted income targets
Improving Alcohol Treatment 17. Continue to grow income We significantly exceeded budgeted income targets
18. Publish two new ‘Blue Light’ manuals We published new guides on Alcohol and Self Harm and Alcohol and Peer Support
Enabling Priorities 19. Progress our Impact project Three of our eight programmes had Theories of Change and Monitoring Frameworks
in place by year end
20. New strategy in place A major new strategy was approved by the Board of Trustees in Dec 23 and the
supporting plans were approved in Mar 24
21. Progress the equality diversity inclusion and belonging
action plan		 49% of outstanding actions were completed by year end and 31% were in progress
22. Develop Events Fundraising 94% increase in fundraisers (target 40%) and income over £200k (target £110k)
23. Improve individual giving New individual giving officer in post. Fundraising integrated into communications.
Income up 242% (target 40%) and new donors up 62% (target 30%) from last year
24. Develop corporate partnerships Secured £110k (target £107k)
25. Grow in memory and legacy activity Two supporters made generous pledges (target: 2) and we developed our supporter
journey for those fundraising or giving in memory of a loved one
Marketing & Communications 26. Develop marketing plans for key products and
programmes		 New marketing plans in place for Alcohol in the Workplace, Improving Alcohol
Treatment,Dry January®, Try Dry®and fundraising
27. Create the framings project communications plan This was pushed to 24-25 as the consortium that we commissioned delivered the
toolkit later than planned
Finance 28. Produce financial projections for the new strategy The Board and executive reviewed a range of scenarios and detailed financial
projections before approving the financial strategy 2024-29

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

Alcohol harm is destroying millions of lives. But change is possible. Let’s create that change.

08 | Our strategy and plans

2023-24 challenges

Here we report on the most significant challenges faced by the charity from 1 April 2023 to the present.

Inflation

High levels of inflation continued into the financial year from April 2023 to March 2024. To retain our hard-working and skilled staff team, we matched inflation in line with our policy, making a 4.2% pay rise from April 2023. We also saw other costs increase or stay high, including energy costs and many other supplies. In total, around an extra £200k was added to our cost base in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23, for no reason other than inflation. To raise an extra £200k requires a huge effort. While inflation is of course now (Oct 24) much lower, there has not been deflation (actual prices haven’t fallen) so the challenge of finding an extra £200k per year remains.

Policy environment

From April 2023 to March 2024, the UK Government made only limited policy action to prevent alcohol harm (alcohol duty reform, pegging alcohol duty to inflation, and some increased funding for alcohol treatment after years of cuts). There was no action on minimum unit pricing, labelling, marketing, licensing, the Equality Act, online sales, drink driving, or other policies that would prevent alcohol harm occurring in the first place. National policy action on alcohol harm can be affordable, effective, popular, and make a

huge positive difference to people, families, communities and wider society; we continue to struggle to persuade the Government to act, and find it hard to compete with the massive amount of lobbying by the very wealthy alcohol industry. The effectiveness of our policy work, in this context, is inevitably more limited than if the Westminster Government was more supportive of action on alcohol harm. Of course, in July 2024 a new Government was formed. We look forward to working with the new Government and hope it will grasp the opportunities to improve the economy, crime, health and society by tackling alcohol harm.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

09 | Our strategy and plans

2024-25 plans: what we will be doing

Our 2024- 25 Annual Plan contains 44 objectives that we aim to deliver in the year, shown in the table below. These primary reportable objectives do not cover the entirety of our work. We will transparently report against these in next year’s annual report.

----- Start of picture text -----
Programme/Area 2024-25 Objective
----- End of picture text -----

Programme/Area 2024-25 Objective
Research 1. Research into potential negatives of no and low-alcohol
drinks on young people
2. Research into the scale and cost of alcohol harm, across
the drinking spectrum
3. Commission ‘Serve Legal’ to run test purchases
Engagement 4. Finalise lead Community Champion roles, recruiting to
these roles and providing relevant training
5. Build a digital information and resources hub for
community champions
6. Elevate existing ambassador programme
Policy & Influencing 7. Run a campaign for the general election prioritising
engagement with new MPs
8. Engage with new Ministers to seek implementation of our
policy asks
9. Complete four additional policy statements
Information & Advice 10. Begin accessibility review of website and implement
initial findings
11. Undertake website audit of information and advice offer
12. Undertake website user experience review
Culture Shift 13. With FrameWorks UK, deliver the final stage of our framing
project and launch the Alcohol Framing Toolkit
14. Launch new ‘Partnership Campaigns’ approach, securing
an external partner for a culture shift campaign
Programme/Area 2024-25 Objective
Behaviour Change 15.Contract new agency to deliver ambitious Dry January®
marketing approach for Dry January® 2025 programme
16. Grow sales of our ‘Try Dry Local’ product, recruiting a new
staff member
17. Commission research into the effectiveness of our
Try Dry ® app, in the field 24-25, reporting 25-26
Alcohol in the Workplace 18. Refine and invest more in marketing our services to
organisations across the UK
19. Apply for accreditation of our core training courses from a
reputable training course accreditation agency
20. Design and implement research to update evidence on the
scale of workplace-related alcohol harm
Improving Alcohol
Treatment		 21. Deliver National Innovation Project on Alcohol
and Accommodation
22. Review and update Blue Light Manuals
23. Provide consultancy on Local Alcohol Strategy for Sheffield
People and Governance 24. Recruit to meet capacity requirements of all teams across
the charity
25. Review the staff handbook bringing it in line with
employment policy changes
26. Review the benefits package
Equity, Diversity,
Inclusion & Belonging		 27. Update and improve data dashboard, Update the equality,
diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) action plan in line
with the survey results
Office 28. Search for a larger property to rent in the Kings Cross area
(potentially lease out the ground floor of Swinton Street)

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

10 | Our strategy and plans

----- Start of picture text -----
Programme/Area 2024-25 Objective
----- End of picture text -----

29. Fully implement the new Google GA4 analytics platform to give us a deeper understanding of user journeys and behaviour 30. Optimise our Google AdGrant, driving search traffic to our website and improving campaign optimisation year-round Marketing, Brand 31. Review our year-round media engagement capabilities & Communications 32. Develop a proactive media strategy by the end of 24/25, with a more confident and bold approach for future years 33. Deploy the recommendations of the framing project, through updated key lines and tone of voice for media spokespeople 34. Theories of change for three programmes Impact Management 35. Monitoring frameworks for three programmes 36. Refine Application Progamme Interface (API) integrations 37. Develop data insight processes and reporting Data Management 38. Review all data protection policy and processes (including data capture & consents) 39. Commission a corporate sponsorship agency to increase number of partnerships. 40. Update our website donation platform Fundraising 41. Scale up Dry January[®] fundraising activity 42. Develop and roll out a new community product 43. Roll out individual giving activity 44. Develop our in-memory supporter journey

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

What we did: our activity and impacts 2023-24

Alcohol harm is complex and requires a sophisticated, holistic solution. Our work is diverse but coherent, delivered through eight inter-linked work programmes as shown on page 4. The following pages summarise the activities and impacts of our eight work programmes during the year.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

12 | What we did: our activity and impact 2023-24

1. Research

Alcohol harm is a topic rife with opinions, many of them poorly -informed or based on outdated ‘myths’ or half-truths. Research and evidence are essential if we are to ensure that action to reduce alcohol harm is effective. We are committed to an evidence-based understanding of alcohol harm and of how to reduce it.

Highlights

2. Engagement

Alcohol Change UK is made up of more than its staff team and board of trustees. It is also the many thousands of people from all walks of life who come together to end alcohol harm. Engaging with people across the UK is a cornerstone of our strategy. We engage, listen and collaborate with our diverse supporters and help to unleash and coordinate their knowledge, passion and energy.

Highlights

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

13 | What we did: our activity 2023-24

3. Policy and influencing

Highlights

National governments have huge potential to reduce alcohol harm for millions of people, often at little or no cost to the taxpayer. Local government, too, has a big role to play. We work respectfully and constructively with governments and welcome it when they show leadership on an issue, while being unafraid to tell them when we think they are making a mistake or failing to act.

● We prepared a General Election manifesto and campaigner journey that were ready to go once the election was called.

4. Culture shift

Our relationships with alcohol are hugely affected by the ‘world around us’. Whilst we like to believe that everything we do is a matter of personal choice, this isn’t true. We’re surrounded by messages and social pressures which reinforce the idea that we need alcohol – from the marketing on our streets and screens, to the storylines of films and TV shows, to the expectations of our friends and colleagues. Alcohol Change UK works to shift not just the policy and economic environment (section 3) but also the cultural and social environment (this section). In particular, we seek to work with the media and social media to communicate two vital messages:

1. Not consuming alcohol (for a night, a week, a month or longer) is totally acceptable; and we should all #StopSoberShaming and should never question (indeed should actively support) someone’s choice to not consume alcohol on any occasion for any reason.

2. Anyone can experience alcohol harm. Indeed, experiencing alcohol harm is unfortunately common and normal. Alcohol harm occurs right across the spectrum of alcohol consumption, from the lowest levels, and is certainly not limited to a small group of dependent drinkers (sometimes referred to as ‘alcoholics’). In the UK, for every six dependent drinkers, there are 100 hazardous and harmful drinkers, and consuming fewer than 14 units of alcohol a week can result in harm.

Highlights

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

14 | What we did: our activity 2023-24

5. Information and advice

Highlights

People across the UK want

independent, honest information about the effects of alcohol, what constitutes a ‘problem’, how to deal with your own drinking problem or that of a family member, how to reduce the risk of alcohol harm; and what support is available and how to access it. Our website seeks to be the UK’s most trusted, helpful and informative source of knowledge about alcohol and alcohol harm, free from any influence from the alcohol industry. Alcohol Awareness Week is a major national initiative that aims to engage for the first time people who are not really thinking about alcohol harm at all.

● Alcohol Awareness Week (AAW) took place in July 2023 and focused on the theme of ‘alcohol and cost’, with our research showing that the average drinker in the UK spends £62,899 on alcohol over the course of a lifetime. Across the week, we shared stories, factsheets and tips to reduce risks when drinking, along with a powerful film featuring Susan’s story, in which she talks about alcohol nearly costing her career, her family and her life. The video received 36k views on Twitter, over 1.1k YouTube views, and over 7.7k views on our website. We also created a series of animation shorts for social media, covering a range of topics including: tips for cutting down, alcohol units, and the benefits of healthier drinking. More than 5.5k agencies and community groups took part in AAW23 (2021: 5k; 2020: 4.4k; 2019: 3k). *AAW was not held in financial year 22-23.

6. Behaviour change

Our behaviour change programme is a series of innovative digital tools that help people to regain control of their alcohol consumption. This can be by trying specific ‘challenges’ – such as the Dry January[®] challenge, Sober Spring and others – or through downloading the Try Dry[®] app at any time of year. The primary target group for this programme is people who are consuming alcohol frequently, habitually and at hazardous or harmful levels, but who are not yet classed as dependent on alcohol – we’re reaching them before they get to that point. We help over 100k people a year just in the UK. While the solutions to alcohol harm are much more complex than simply ‘individual responsibility’, our behaviour change programme does empower people to retake control of their relationship with alcohol.

Highlights

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

15 | What we did: our activity 2023-24

7. Alcohol in the workplace

Highlights

We seek to create healthier drinking cultures not just through national and community cultural conversation, but also through workplaces. After all, workplaces contain mini-cultures. Ensuring a healthy approach to alcohol harm (prevention and support) can improve workplace wellbeing, safeguarding, inclusivity, productivity and employee engagement. We work with a wide range of clients across the private, public and voluntary sectors.

8. Improving alcohol treatment

first. It shows how to engage with these people and reduce the harm that they experience. We provide learning and development to practitioners and in-depth consultancy support to services and local authorities.

Highlights

The alcohol treatment system is an essential part of our broader health system. It includes emergency departments, alcohol care teams in hospitals, NHS addiction services, local authority commissioned treatment services, private treatment and rehabilitation, and mutual aid/peer support services such as Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery. The fire service, police officers, paramedics, housing services, mental health services, employment advisors and social services also come into frequent contact with people with drinking problems – and can and do make a real difference with their interventions.

Our flagship Blue Light approach helps professionals right across these services to better support people with the most serious and chronic alcohol problems, who often have multiple needs. The Blue Light approach is holistic, multidisciplinary, assertive, and puts people

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

Reducing alcohol harm will make an important contribution to helping people across Britain be happier and healthier.

17 | Our finances

2023-24 overview

2023-24 was year five of our five-year financial strategy. That strategy aimed to achieve long-term financial sustainability by diversifying and growing income streams while keeping expenditure under control and keeping reserves as high as possible.

Income grew again in 2023-24 (shown in pink in the ‘Overview, 2019-2024’ chart) up £195k (15.9%) on last year, while expenditure (shown in orange) grew £425k (23.2%) on last year. Our operating deficit (shown in yellow) before capital gains and losses was £835k, £230k larger than last year.

Our main financial objective in this strategy period (2019-24) was to break even, after capital gains or losses, by year 5 of the strategy (2023-24). In 2023-24 our capital gains were £722k (shown in purple). This offset most of our deficit of £835k, leading to a final deficit, after capital gains (shown in black), of £113k, or 5.0% of total expenditure. We define breakeven as a deficit/surplus that is 3% of expenditure or less, so we ended this strategy slightly short of our main financial objective.

Over the course of this strategy (2019-24), income has grown by £549k (62.3%) from £873k to £1,422k; and expenditure has grown by £863k (61.9%) from £1,394k to £2,257k. In total, we generated over £5.3m in income over the five years, and spent £9.2m, of which £7.0m (76%) was spent on our charitable work. Our operating deficit over the five years was just under £3.9m and our capital gains were just over £1.2m, giving a deficit after capital gains, over the five years of £2.66m.

Overview 2019-24

----- Start of picture text -----
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
2500
2257
2068
2000 1832
1687
1508
1500 1394 1422
1227
1012
1000 873 793 722
614
500 368
0
-113
-285
-500
-521
-688 -605
-1000 -894 -890 -835
-1069 -1056
-1500
-1590
-2000
£k
----- End of picture text -----

Income Expenditure Surplus/Deficit Capital gains/losses Surplus/Deficit after capital gains/losses

The ‘Overview, 2019-2024’ chart highlights the significant volatility in our capital gains/ losses (shown in purple), almost all resulting from the volatility of our investments. This leaves us vulnerable to not breaking even in some years, for reasons out of our control, which is why the new financial strategy (2024-29) has an objective of being less reliant on these capital gains and losses, and investing significantly to continue to grow income from other sources.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

18 | Our finances

Income

Total annual income in 2023-24 (excluding investment gain) was £1,422k (2022-23: £1,227k).

The ‘Income 2019-2024’ chart shows how the make- up of our income has changed over the five years of our financial strategy, leaving aside capital changes but including the income received from investments.

From year one (2019-20) to year five (2023-24), total investment income (purple) dropped by £125k (25.9%) but income from other sources increased from £391k to £1,065k (up £674k or 172%). Donations and legacies income (pink) grew three-and-ahalf times from £77k to £273k (up £196k or 254.5%) and charitable activities income (orange) more than doubled from £293k to £778k (up £485k or 166.5%).

Investment capital gains and losses are not treated as income and are not shown on the ‘Income 2019-2024’ chart.

Spending

Total expenditure in 2023-24 was £2,257k (2022-23: £1,832k).

By far the largest expenditure was on charitable activities, being £1,804k (79.9% of total expenditure) and an increase of £362k on 2022-23 (25.1%). This means we are continuing to deliver more and more impact, reducing alcohol harm for more people, faster.

Expenditure on ‘raising funds’ includes the cost of managing our investments and our investment property, not just the costs of fundraising activity. This shows a relatively small increase of just £61k (15.6%), from £390k last year to £451k in 2023-24; especially when compared with the £195k (15.9%) increase in income over this same period.

There was a small (£2.1k) property impairment in 2023-24, with the cost of our main office revalued on 31 March 2024.

Over the five years of the strategy, charitable expenditure increased in total by £672k (59.4%), whereas the cost of raising funds rose by just £189k (72.1%).

Income 2019-24

----- Start of picture text -----
900
800 778
700 643
600
500 482 466
400 355 360 389 357
293
300 252 273
200 175 188
132
100 77 54
21 11 7 14
0
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
Donations and legacies Charitable activies
Other trading Investments and interest
Income £k
----- End of picture text -----

Expenditure 2019-24

----- Start of picture text -----
2000
1804
1800
1600 1442
1388
1400 1282
1200
1132
1000
800
600
451 451
400 262 299 335 390
200
0 0 0 2
0
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
Raising funds Charitable activities Property impairment
Expenditure £k
----- End of picture text -----

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

19 | Our finances

Property

The charity owns both the office that we occupy (ground floor) and an investment property (basement and terrace) that we rent out. The investment property is rented out to a tenant on a five-year lease at an index-linked rental income. There was a reduction in the value of the investment property of £131k, at its revaluation on 31 March 2024.

Investment income and value

The vast majority of our reserves are held in investments or high-interest cash accounts. The investments generate two sorts of returns: investment income and capital gains (or losses). In 2023-24 our investment income (plus interest) was £357k, which constituted 25.1% of our total income. In 2022-23 it made up 31.7% of total income. Back in 2019-20 it made up 55.2% of total income. This reduction in reliance on our investment income was one of the key objectives of our 2019-24 financial strategy, which has been achieved.

The value of our listed investments at 31 March 2024 was £9,537,579 (31 Mar 2023: £8,684,354; 31 Mar 2022: £10,522,409; 31 Mar 2021: £10,517,112; 31 Mar 2020: £10,109,280; 31 Mar 19: £11,836,726) excluding cash in our bank accounts. In total, our investments were around £2.3m lower by the end of the strategy (on 31 March 2024) than at the start (31 March 2019). This is because these funds were

used to cover our planned deficits, which funded a strategic period of investment and growth.

agreed in September 2021 to appoint CCLA to manage its investment funds. The transfer process from Investec to CCLA was completed by August 2022.

Investment management

Future financial plans

Our investment policy and investment management arrangements were completely overhauled in 2021. The board reviewed our investment policy, strategy, and ethics; and retendered the management of our investments. In June 2021 we agreed our new investment objective: to generate a minimum total return of inflation (CPI) plus 4% per annum after fees over five-year rolling periods using a total return model. Having considered the charity’s reliance on public support, the Board decided to significantly strengthen its environmental and ethical approach by avoiding investments in any company with over 5% of its income from:

During the period of the 2019-24 strategy, our reserves policy was to keep reserves high while we explored the potential for fundraising and other forms of income generation, other than investments. Our financial strategy was to (a) diversify income, (b) grow income and (c) break even by the final year of that strategy. As shown above, we achieved objectives (a) and (b) and only just fell short of achieving objective (c).

From December 2022 to March 2024, the Executive Team and Board of Trustees considered (and in March 2024 approved) a new overall strategy including a

● Alcohol and tobacco: production, significant new financial strategy. Having wholesale or retail demonstrated over the course of the

● Weapons production previous strategy that fundraising and other forms of income generation are

● Gambling operations viable, our new strategy is to spend down

● Pornography and violent material our reserves more confidently, to around 18 months of expenditure by the end of the

● Fossil fuel exploration, extraction, and final year of the new strategy (31 March processing 2029). This major investment from our

● Animal testing and intensive farming. reserves will be used for two things: to drive additional impact (reaching more people Finally, the board agreed to retender its and reducing alcohol harm faster) and to investment management, in line with good accelerate our financial growth so that, by practice, as this had not been done for ten the financial year 2028-29, we have a total years. As a result of that exercise, the board income of £4m to £5m, are in a breakeven

Finally, the board agreed to retender its investment management, in line with good practice, as this had not been done for ten years. As a result of that exercise, the board

position, and are spending significantly more in absolute terms on charitable expenditure. By supporting us financially, stakeholders and supporters reduce alcohol harm faster. We also plan to sell our property and lease a new office.

Reserves policy

Context

Our total funds at 31 March 2024 were £11,612,186 (£11,610,986 unrestricted and £1,200 restricted). A year earlier, on 31 March 2023, total funds were £11,725,052 (£11,723,852 unrestricted, £1,200 restricted). Our free reserves, defined as investments plus net current assets less restricted fund, at 31 Mar 2024 were £9,905,550 (31 Mar 2023: £9,854,283; 31 Mar 2022: £10,846,172; 31 Mar 2021: £10,848,306; 31 Mar 2020: £10,212,984).

Our reserves policy in the strategic period 2019-24 was to keep reserves high while we explored the potential for fundraising and other forms of income generation. Our new reserves policy for the strategic period 2024-29 is to spend down our reserves to around 18 months of expenditure by 31 March 2029.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

20 | Our finances

Going concern

The board has assessed the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for the foreseeable future. We have considered a wide spectrum of internal and external risks, including external shocks, operational plans, budgets, and financial forecasts including cash-flow and the reserves. The board is fully satisfied that the charity is a going concern for the next 12 months.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

21 | How we are run

How we are run

Alcohol Change UK is a registered charity that exists to reduce alcohol harm in the UK. We are governed by a board of 14 trustees (at 21 October 2024) and employ a professional staff team of 40 (at 21 October 2024) to deliver our work. We engage with thousands of other people who support the cause of reducing alcohol harm.

Our purpose and public benefit

Our objects (our official charitable purpose as set out in our governing document) are “The reduction of alcohol-related harm to individuals, families and communities.” We work for a society that is free from the harm caused by alcohol. We prioritise the reduction of alcohol harm in the UK although our objects do not limit us to working only in the UK.

We actively refer to the Charity

Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s strategy and aims, in planning activities and in making any grants. Alcohol Change UK exists to benefit the wide public by undertaking charitable activities which help to reduce alcohol harm for people across the UK. This covers many millions of children and adults in the UK. We also benefit broader society, for example by campaigning to implement policies which reduce the societal costs of alcohol harm, which are estimated to exceed £27bn in the UK each year. Our charitable activity is diverse and

freely accessible to a broad public audience, not least the Dry January[®] campaign and our engaging and accessible public-facing website.

Our values

We seek to live by and hold ourselves accountable against these three values, every day:

Truthful.

We seek and tell the truth.

Compassionate.

We care deeply about everyone seriously harmed by alcohol, whoever they are.

Ambitious for change.

We are optimistic and determined.

Governance and leadership

Board

We are governed by a board of trustees who are all volunteers and who, collectively, have expertise in charity finance, senior management, income generation, marketing, communications, law, academic research and addiction. Many of them have professional expertise in alcohol issues and/ or personal experiences of alcohol harm and all of them are deeply committed to reducing alcohol harm. The trustees set the overall direction and strategy of Alcohol Change UK and appoint the chief executive

officer. They support and challenge the chief executive officer and monitor the charity’s performance against its agreed strategies, plans and goals. Board members work collectively, such that decisions of the board, once made, are supported by all board members. The board regularly assesses itself against the Code of Good Governance and works to constantly improve its performance. Full board meetings occur five times a year, one of which is a full-day on strategic issues.

Trustees, Members and Directors

Our memorandum and articles of association (our legal governing document) allow a maximum of 15 trustees at any one time. On 1 April 2023 we had ten trustees. During the year, four new trustees were recruited and two stepped down, so on 31 March 2024 we had twelve trustees. Since the financial year-end two further trustees have been appointed so we have 14 trustees at 21 October 2024. Trustees may serve a maximum of three terms, the first of which is randomly set as three or four years (to stagger term lengths when recruiting multiple trustees at one time), with subsequent terms always three years. The charity has ‘members’, who are the trustees, and we are also a charitable company, with our trustees being the Directors of the company.

Recruitment, induction and development

Trustees are recruited using an open recruitment process. Vacancies are widely advertised and we work hard to broaden

the diversity of our board. Applicants submit a CV and cover letter and are interviewed. Appointments are made following necessary eligibility checks. New trustees receive a thorough induction process, consisting of opportunities to meet the staff team, discuss the charity in-depth with the CEO, a full induction pack of key documents, and a training session on the roles and duties of trustees. Trustees are also offered opportunities for ongoing learning and development, both through collective sessions provided to the board as a whole and through a trustee training budget.

Sub-committees

During the year we operated four sub-committees to support and challenge the executive team in more depth than is possible at full board meetings. Sub-committees do not generally have delegated decision-making powers but may recommend a course of action or a decision to the full board. The exception to that is that sub-committees may take decisions to approve certain operational policies, while ensuring that the full board retains control of certain key policies, e.g. investment policy.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

22 | How we are run

Responsibilities and delegation

The strategic management of Alcohol Change UK is entrusted to the board of trustees and the responsibility for implementing strategy and for day-to-day management is delegated to the chief executive. The chief executive in turn delegates authority to their team and through them to individual budget-holders and team members. This is all set out in a detailed delegation of authority policy which is regularly reviewed (last review July 2024).

Executive team

An executive team is formed by the chief executive officer, if they wish, in order to advise them and to ensure different teams across the charity are working as a coordinated single team. At 21 October 2024, the executive team consisted of seven staff: the CEO, Director for Wales, Director of Research and Public Affairs, Executive Director of Income & Engagement, Director of Marketing and Communications, Head of Finance and Head of Office, People and Governance.

Conflicts of interest

We have in place a clear conflicts of interest policy and follow it closely. At each full board meeting, trustees and the executive team update the written declaration of all their interests outside the charity and are asked to declare any potential conflicts with any item on the meeting agenda.

Expertise and advice

Alcohol Change UK is fortunate to have thousands of supporters who want to reduce alcohol harm. We listen to them on a wide range of matters, through large-scale surveys and in-depth pieces of advice on specific issues. We also access professional advice as needed, for example from lawyers, HR advisors, and digital experts.

Staffing

At 31 March 2024 the charity employed 32 staff and at 21 October 2024 we employed 40 staff. All staff are supported to develop personally and professionally, and we work hard to build and maintain a positive, flexible, warm and dynamic working culture. We undertake an annual staff survey to assess any areas where further improvement may be needed and we support our line managers to ensure they have the skills and confidence to line manage their teams well.

Pay policy

Alcohol Change UK has in place a fair, transparent pay and grading policy with defined grades for each role and defined pay points for all staff, excluding the CEO (see Chief Executive Officer’s pay below). Pay levels are benchmarked annually against similar roles for similar-sized charities, in London and Cardiff respectively. The charity seeks to pay in the middle of the benchmarked range. Posts are graded according to a published job evaluation system. There are five pay points within each grade and staff pay points are reviewed annually. Annually, the Board determines how salaries should be adjusted to reflect changes in the cost of living, with a general policy of matching the February rate of the consumer prices index including housing (CPIH), applied from 1 April. Employees receive pension contributions equivalent to 6% of gross salary in addition to salaries along with a number of other benefits including life assurance and an annual leave trading system.

Chief Executive Officer’s pay

It is the board’s policy to pay its Chief Executive in line with (i) the profile and complexity of Alcohol Change UK, (ii) the range of skills and capability expected of our CEO, (iii) the scale of financial and human resources and risks being managed, (iv) the job market for similar posts, and (v) practical issues such as the location of our head office. The Governance & People

sub-committee benchmarks the CEO’s pay against the ACEVO salary survey. Given the national profile of the charity and the Dry January[®] campaign; our role in national policymaking; the considerable assets of the charity; the complexity and range of our strategy; the depth, breadth and seniority of relationships managed; and our London Head Office; we currently benchmark against the average salary of the upper quartile of charities with an income of £5m-£9.99m in the ACEVO survey. We generally seek to ensure that CEO pay is within a range no less than 3% below and no more than 3% above this figure. The CEO, like all staff, generally receives the annual cost of living adjustment. In undertaking this exercise, the sub-committee takes into account the CEO’s performance, the charity’s performance and the charity’s financial context. The board retains absolute discretion to set CEO pay outside these limits and to accept, amend or reject the sub-committee’s recommendations. CEO pay was last reviewed in May 2024. In this financial year, the ratio of the chief executive’s salary to the median full-timeequivalent salary within the charity was 2.6:1 (22-23: 2.4:1; 21-22: 2.3:1; 20-21: 2.2:1) and to the lowest full-time-equivalent salary within the charity was 4.3:1 (22-23; 4.3:1; 21-22: 4.1:1; 20-21: 3.6:1).

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

23 | How we are run

Diversity equality and inclusion

One of our three core values is compassion: caring about everyone who might suffer from alcohol harm, whoever they are. Equality and inclusivity are therefore central to who we are. We believe that diversity, in its fullest sense, is a fundamental part of achieving real equality and inclusion. And we want everyone who works for the charity to feel as though they belong.

We have made positive efforts to diversify both our board and staff team over the past year. A confidential 2023 staff survey showed our staff team to be more diverse than the general population in terms of gender identity, religion, ethnicity, and neurodiversity but less diverse on age, sexual orientation and (dis)ability (though this is increasing). We employ more women than men. A similar 2023 survey of our board showed that in most areas monitored, Alcohol Change UK’s board is becoming more diverse than in previous years with better representation in age and neurodiversity. Our board survey indicated lower diversity than the general population with regards to ethnicity, sexual orientation and (dis)ability. We also found that over half of our staff team and over 80% of our board identified as having personal experience of alcohol harm.

In recent years, all staff and trustees have been offered training in unconscious bias and anti-racism. We have in place both a dynamic and well-considered anti-racism

action plan and a broader equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging action plan; and are actively implementing these plans and holding ourselves accountable for progress against them. These include accepting the historic role of organisations like ours in perpetuating inequalities and discrimination, and the need for fundamental change if we are to live up to our values and be genuinely anti-racist.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

We engage with thousands of other people who support the cause of reducing alcohol harm.

25 | How we are run

Managing risk

As a charity, we do not seek to avoid risk. We focus on impact. We seek to understand what risks we might face and how best to manage them. In 2019-20 we adopted a new, robust approach to risk management, accompanied by a comprehensive and dynamic risk register. Risks are classified by level: (A) full board level, (B) sub-committee level, (C) executive level and (D) operational risks. Our executive team considers whether any new risks have emerged at least once a quarter and reviews all risks in full annually. Each sub-committee undertakes a full review of the A to C risks within its remit annually, and the full board reviews the whole register annually. The overall process of risk management is overseen by the finance, audit, investment, and risk subcommittee.

Our key risks

The register was fully reviewed and approved by the board at its meeting on 8 July 2024. The register contained 4 A-level risks, 33 B-level risks and 28 C-level risks: a total of 75 risks at level C or above. The table shows the three highest scoring risks.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

26 | How we are run

----- Start of picture text -----
Total
Impact/5 Probability/5 Mitigation actions in place
Risk Score Update: 21 October 2024
(8 July 24) (8 July 24) or planned
(8 July 24)
----- End of picture text -----

Risk Impact/5
(8 July 24)		 Probability/5
(8 July 24)		 Total
Score
(8 July 24)		 Mitigation actions in place
or planned		 Update: 21 October 2024
Too many people and
companies might not know or
accept that the Dry January®
challenge is our trademark,
leading companies to commit
trademark breaches and
people not to join the Dry
January®challenge, losing us
income and impact.		 4 (Serious) 4 (Probable) 16 Reassured current corporate
partners; significantly increased
marketing spend for 2025; funds ready
for smart legal activity.		 Risk score: 4x4=16 (no change).
Our ambitious fundraising
targets for 24-29 might not
be achieved because we are
unable to convert enough
donations and corporate
partnerships.		 4 (Serious) 3.5
(Highly
uncertain)		 14 Targets are based on reliable historic
data. Targets are based on meaningful
investment plans (incl. extra staffing).
Constant review of progress by
Executive and Board.		 Risk score: 4x3=12 (-2) Reduced as we hit our income
targets at 6 months to end Sep 24
Our policy work might be
ineffective (non-impactful)
because Government has
too little interest in reducing
alcohol harm.		 4 (Serious) 3
(Moderately
likely)		 12 At 8/7/24, a new Govt was in place
but it was far too early to know whether
this risk probability will fall.		 Risk score at 21/10/24 4x2=8 (-4) Reduced as there
are signs that the Government will prioritise the
prevention of ill health.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

27 | How we are run

Compliance

Safeguarding and whistleblowing

We take our responsibility to provide a safe workplace extremely seriously. We work very hard to offer a positive, warm, and friendly working environment, with a clear policy supporting any staff to raise concerns if they feel they are not being treated properly. We have a named Safeguarding Officer. We had no reportable health and safety or safeguarding incidents in the year.

We also take very seriously our

responsibility to those we support, whether through information on our website, through contact with staff or trustees, or through the Try Dry[®] app and the Dry January[®] challenge. All staff and board members are DBS checked. Relevant website content is accuracy-checked prior to publication. Our Try Dry[®] app and broader Dry January[®] messaging contain repeated messages that anyone who experiences symptoms of alcohol withdrawal should not stop drinking suddenly and should seek immediate medical attention. We have had no reports of any medical emergencies resulting from the Dry January[®] challenge, but we work to continually enhance our messaging to reduce such risks further.

Data protection

We had 0 reportable data incidents during the 2023-24 financial year. However, since the end of 2023-24, we have had one incident of a successful phishing attack which was reportable to the ICO and Charity Commission, who both agreed that our actions were adequate, and no further action was needed. We have a named Data Protection Officer and high data protection standards. Staff receive training on data protection at least annually and on cyber-security multiple times a year. Clear processes are in place and frequently communicated.

Fundraising

Many people actively want to reduce alcohol harm, and we make it as easy as possible for them to do so in ways that work for them. We pride ourselves on very high fundraising ethics. In 2023-24, we had 0 fundraising complaints. We run our own fundraising processes, enabling us to keep control and maintain standards, and do not outsource to fundraising agencies. We are members of Remember A Charity, joining forces with over 200 other charities to encourage people to consider leaving a gift to a charity in their will. We do not currently undertake telephone, door-to-door or face-to-face fundraising, but should we do so in future, would ensure we have robust policies in place to protect any vulnerable person we encounter. Any postal and email fundraising appeals are limited; and are only sent to contacts who are existing

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

28 | How we are run

supporters and/or where we have full permission to contact. We are members of the Fundraising Regulator and work within the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Memberships

During the financial year, we were members of Charity Comms, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Eurocare (the European Alcohol Policy Alliance), the Alcohol and Families Alliance, and the Alcohol Health Alliance.

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees

The trustees, who are trustees of Alcohol Research UK for the purposes of charity law, are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company and charity law requires the directors and trustees (who are one and the same) 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 incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with regulations made under the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 21 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by

Isabelle Szmigin, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

29 | Auditor’s report

Report of the independent auditors to the members of Alcohol Research UK

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Alcohol Research UK (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Statement of Financial Position, the Statement of Cash Flows 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 (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’.

In our opinion the financial statements:

applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’; and

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 Auditors’ 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 trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report, other than the financial statements and our Report of the Independent Auditors thereon.

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.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, 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 audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to 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

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

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

30 | Auditor’s report

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

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

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:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities, 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.

Our 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 a Report of the Independent Auditors that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee

that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.

We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to both the charity itself and the industry in which it operates. We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our sector experience and through discussion with the trustees and other management. The most significant were identified as the Companies Act 2006, UK GAAP (FRS102), Charity SORP and relevant tax legislation.

We considered the extent of compliance with those laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statements. Our audit procedures included:

Despite the audit being planned and conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) there remains an unavoidable risk that material misstatements in the financial statements may not be detected owing to inherent limitations of the audit, and that by their very nature, any such instances of fraud or irregularity likely involve collusion, forgery, intentional misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at

www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Report of the Independent Auditors.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

31 | Auditor’s report

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

Susan Plumb ACA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

for and on behalf of:

Haines Watts Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors Old Station House Station Approach Swindon Wiltshire SN1 3DU

28 October 2024

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

32 | Financial statements

Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Income from:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities:
Research
Engagement
Policy and influencing
Culture shift
Information and advice
Behaviour change
Improving alcohol treatment
Alcohol in the workplace
Other trading activities
Investments
Other
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds:
Donations and legacies
Investment management costs
Charitable activities:
Research
Engagement
Policy and influencing
Culture shift
Information and advice
Behaviour change
Improving alcohol treatment
Alcohol in the workplace
Other expenditure:
Impairment cost
Total expenditure
Net (expenditure) before gains/(losses) on investments
and before property revaluations
Net gains/(losses) on investments
(Loss)/gain on revaluation of investment property
Net (expenditure) for the year
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
For the year ended 31 March 2024		 Note Unrestricted
£		 Restricted
£		 2023-24
Total
£		 Unrestricted
£		 Restricted
£		 2022-23
Total
£
2
3
4
5
14
6a/6b
16
17
9		 273,345
–
–
24,612
–
29
164,375
420,479
17,906
14,090
356,405
–		 –
60,374
–
51,318
39,244
–
–
–
–
–
–
–		 273,345
60,374
–
75,930
39,244
29
164,375
420,479
17,906
14,090
356,405
–		 188,209
–
–
14,366
–
–
219,326
249,074
9,194
7,443
388,752
364		 –
60,374
–
51,318
39,244
–
–
–
–
–
–
–		 188,209
60,374
–
65,684
39,244
–
219,326
249,074
9,194
7,443
388,752
364
1,271,241
150,936
1,422,177
1,076,728
150,936
1,227,664
435,512
–
435,512
367,204
–
367,204
14,724
–
14,724
22,804
–
22,804
134,427
65,270
199,697
169,675
65,141
234,815
183,630
–
183,630
123,310
–
123,310
201,867
48,952
250,819
135,082
49,253
184,334
53,299
36,714
90,013
46,318
36,542
82,860
137,200
–
137,200
82,009
–
82,009
490,546
–
490,546
447,017
–
447,017
343,206
–
343,206
238,583
–
238,583
110,073
–
110,073
49,020
–
49,020
2,137
–
2,137
–
–
–
2,106,621 150,936 2,257,557 1,681,022 150,936 1,831,958
(835,380)
853,225
(130,711)		 –
–
–		 (835,380)
853,225
(130,711)		 (604,294)
(381,067)
95,625		 –
–
–		 (604,294)
(381,067)
95,625
(112,866)
–
(112,866)
(889,736)
–
(889,736)
20a/20b 11,723,852
1,200
11,725,052
12,613,588
1,200
12,614,788
11,610,986
1,200
11,612,186
11,723,852
1,200
11,725,052

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 20 to the financial statements.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

33 | Financial statements

Balance sheet

As at 31 March 2024 | Company no. 07462605

Fixed assets:
Tangible assets
Intangible assets
Investments
Investment property
Current assets:
Stock
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Liabilities:
Creditors: amounts falling due within
one year
Net current assets
Total net assets
The funds of the charity:
Restricted income funds:
Unrestricted income funds:
General funds
Total charity funds
Approved by the board of directors on 21
Isabelle Szmigin.
Chair of the Board of Trustees		 Note £ 2024
£		 £ 2023
£
14
15
16
17
18
19		 4,255
368,543
381,171		 1,078,780
151,742
9,537,579
474,914		 6,239
350,415
1,339,942		 1,099,829
164,115
8,684,354
605,625
11,243,015 10,553,923
753,969
(384,798)		 1,696,596
(525,467)
20a/20b
October		 369,171
11,612,186
1,200
11,610,986
11,612,186
2024 and signed on their behalf by:		 369,171
1,171,129
11,612,186 11,725,052
1,200
11,610,986		 1,200
11,723,852
11,612,186 11,725,052

Statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Cash flows from operating activities
Net (expenditure) for the reporting
period (as per the statement of financial
activities)
Depreciation and impairment on tangible
fixed assets
Amortisation of intangible fixed assets
(Gains)/losses on revaluation of
investments
Losses/(gains) on revaluation of
investment property
Dividends, interest and rent from
investments
Decrease in stocks
(Increase) in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
Net cash used in operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest and rent from
investments
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Purchase of intangible fixed assets
Proceeds from sale of investments
Purchase of investments
Net cash provided by investing 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		 Note 2024
£		 2023 2023
£
4		 2022
£		 2022 2
£
2023
14
15
16
17
5
5
14
15
16
16		 (112,866)
34,208
71,998
(853,225)
130,711
(356,405)
1,985
(18,128)
(140,669)		 (1,242,391)
356,405
283,620		 (889,736)
34,721
69,081
381,067
(95,625)
(388,752)
1,597
(172,558)
29,665		 (1,030,540)
1,736,610
(13,159)
(59,625)
–
–		 388,752
(6,406)
(102,724)
11,283,699
(9,826,711)
(958,771)
1,339,942		 706,070
633,872
381,171 1,339,942

Alcohol Change UK has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long-term financing arrangements.

The notes on pages 34 to 52 comprise part of these financial statements.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

34 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1. Accounting policies

a) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

In applying the financial reporting framework, the trustees have made a number of subjective judgements, for example in respect of significant accounting estimates. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The nature of the estimation means the actual outcomes could differ from those estimates. Any significant estimates and judgements affecting these financial statements are detailed within the relevant accounting policy below.

Key judgements that the charitable company has made which have a significant effect on the accounts include estimating the liability from multi-year grant commitments.

Key assumptions and estimations were made from external professional parties for the significant transactions relating to building impairments and investment property gains/(losses).

The board of directors 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.

b) Going concern

The board of directors consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The charity has cash reserves of £381,171 (2023: £1,339,942) and net assets of £11,612,186 (2023: £11,725,052).

More information on this is provided in the Trustees’ Annual Report.

c) Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.

Income received in advance of the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

d) Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

e) Fund accounting

Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.

f) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

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. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

g) Allocation of support costs

Wherever possible resources expended are attributed to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Support costs include all expenditure not directly related to charitable activities: general office and administrative costs, information technology, finance, HR, premises and governance. Governance costs are those incurred in the governance of the charity and are primarily associated with the constitutional and statutory requirements and strategic management of the charity’s activities.

Support costs, including governance, are apportioned to expenditure on raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on the following basis, which is an estimate based on staff time attributable to each activity.


attributable to each activity.
2024 2023
●Raising funds 20% 24%
●Research 4% 6%
●Engagement 13% 10%
●Policy and influencing 11% 8%
●Culture shift 3% 4%
●Information and advice 9% 7%
●Behaviour change 20% 28%
●Improving alcohol treatment 13% 10%
●Alcohol in the workplace 7% 3%

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

35 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1. Accounting policies (continued)

h) Grants payable

Grants which have been authorised and paid are included as expenditure in the Statement of Financial Activities. Grants which have been authorised but not yet paid are accrued in the balance sheet and are included within creditors falling due within one year or after one year (as appropriate).

i) Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,000 on initial acquisition and included in the balance sheet at cost or valuation including costs attributable to bringing the assets into working condition for their intended use. Expenditure which enhances the tangible fixed assets is capitalised at cost. Fixed assets donated for the charity’s own use are capitalised at their current value.

Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use. The building is defined as a mixed-use property as it is partly used for charitable activity, and partly leased out as an investment. The proportion held for charity use is recognised at historic cost less impairment, and the proportion held for investment is recognised at market value as described in note 1 (n) below.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

● Land Not depreciated
● Leasehold property 50 years
● Office equipment 3 years
● Furniture & fixtures 3 years
● Software 3 years

Intangible fixed assets comprise software development costs incurred in updating, developing and improving the charity’s ‘Dry January[®] ’ and ‘Try Dry[®] ’ software applications.

Amortisation is provided at a rate calculated to write down the cost of this asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The amortisation rate in use is as follows:

● Software development 5 years

n) Investment properties

Investment properties are measured initially at cost and subsequently included in the balance sheet at fair value. Investment properties are not depreciated. Any change in fair value is recognised in the statement of financial activities. The valuation method used to determine fair value will be stated in the notes to the accounts.

o) Stock

Stock consists of purchased goods for resale and is valued at a lower of cost and net realisable value.

p) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

q) Cash and cash equivalents

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

r) Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

s) Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

t) Foreign exchange transactions

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at rates prevailing at the date of the transaction. Balances denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the year end.

u) Pensions

The pension cost charge represent contributions payable under the scheme by the charity to the fund. The charity has no liability under the scheme other than for the payment of those contributions.

k) Operating leases

Rental charges are charged on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

l) Investment income

Investment income comprises interest and dividends receivable in the year and rental income from the investment property and is shown inclusive of recoverable tax.

m) Listed investments

Investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and shown in the heading “Net gains/(losses) on investments” in the statement of financial activities. The charity does not acquire put options, derivatives or other complex financial instruments.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

36 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

2. Income from donations and legacies

Donations from individuals and trusts
Legacies
Income from charitable activities
Research
● Welsh Government
Policy and influencing
● Conference income
● Welsh Government
Culture shift
● Welsh Government
Information and advice
● Other income
Behaviour change
● Other income
Improving alcohol treatment
Alcohol in the workplace
Total income from charitable activities		 Unrestricted
£
Restricted
£
2024
Total
£
Unrestricted
£
Restricted
£
2023
Total
£
265,400
–
265,400
162,785
–
162,785
7,945
–
7,945
25,424
–
25,424
273,345
–
273,345
188,209
–
188,209
Unrestricted
£
Restricted
£
2024
Total
£
Unrestricted
£
Restricted
£
2023
Total
£
–
60,374
60,374
–
60,374
60,374
24,612
–
24,612
14,366
–
14,366
–
51,318
51,318
–
51,318
51,318
24,612
51,318
75,930
14,366
51,318
65,684
–
39,244
39,244
–
39,244
39,244
29
–
29
–
–
–
164,375
–
164,375
219,326
–
219,326
420,479
–
420,479
249,074
–
249,074
17,906
–
17,906
9,194
–
9,194
627,401
150,936
778,337
491,960
150,936
642,896

3. Income from charitable activities

The charitable company receives government grants, defined as funding from the Welsh Government to fund charitable activities. The total value of such grants in the period ending 31 March 2024 was £150,936 (2023: £150,936).

There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attaching to these grants.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

37 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

4. Income from other trading activities

Income from other trading activities
Merchandise sales
Income from investments
Fixed interest
Corporate bonds and British Government stocks
Investment cash account
Equities – UK and overseas
Managed Fund Equities – UK and overseas
Investment property rental income
Investment property service charge income
Bank deposit interest
All income from investments is unrestricted.		 Unrestricted
£
Restricted
£
2024
Total
£
Unrestricted
£
14,090
–
14,090
7,443		 Restricted
£
2023
Total
£
–
7,443
2024
Total
£
2023
Total
£
–
50,666
26,617
3,943
–
4,528
276,144
290,928
302,761
350,065
39,375
31,752
9,706
4,874
4,563
2,061
356,405
388,752

5. Income from investments

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

38 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Cost of raising funds Charitable activities Other expenditure

6a. Analysis of expenditure (current year)

Staff costs_(note 10)
Other staff costs
Board and committees
Buildings and office
running costs
Conferences and events
Amortisation
& Depreciation
Leasehold Property
impairment
External associates
and advice
Fundraising expenses
Grants management
and advisory panel costs
Grants payable(note 8a)
Insurance
Investment costs
Legal and
professional fees
Meeting costs
Other costs
Publications,
communications
and marketing
Research, policy and
campaignscosts
Support and governance
costs(note 7a)_
Total expenditure 2024
Total expenditure 2023		 Donations
and
legacies
£		 Investment
management
costs
£		 Research
£		 Engagement
£		 Policy and
influencing
£		 Culture
shift
£		 Information
and advice
£		 Behaviour
change
£		 Improving
alcohol
treatment
£		 Alcohol
in the
workplace
£		 Support and
governance
costs
£		 Leasehold
Property
impairment
£
2024
Total
£		 2023
Total
£
212,400 6,269 109,257 106,360 159,037 62,057 68,869 198,335 137,189 59,387 209,776 –
1,328,936
–
41,353
–
6,680
–
186,439
–
26,882
–
104,068
2,137
2,137
–
126,507
–
91,495
–
25
–
–
–
11,165
–
1,040
–
36,777
–
11,175
–
25,968
_
190,379
–
66,531		 990,293
48,058
1,261
135,745
8,078
103,802
–
121,768
43,795
–
(2,000)
6,614
14,441
22,905
6,371
44,964
175,742
110,120
3,000 957 34 – 25 19 – – 273 – 37,045
– – – – – – – – – – 6,680
12,668 – 785 8,924 10,118 1,031 360 17,061 5,410 3,599 126,483
99 – 890 – 10,747 501 – – 9,226 4,181 1,238
– – – – – – – 71,998 – – 32,070
– – – – – – – – – – _
– – – – 375 – – – 119,026 4,637 2,469
89,165 – – 788 1,056 115 – 334 – 37 –
21 – – – – – – – – – 4
– – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – 11,165
– 5,500 – – – – – – – – (4,460)
– 1,998 – – – – – – – – 34,779
38 – 576 – 2,081 253 – 127 371 – 7,729
15,760 – 26 1,782 5,713 18 97 115 1,187 38 1,232
10,280 – 6,907 4,827 4,856 5,336 28,192 108,703 9,793 7,939 3,546
1,833 – 51,966 1,213 2,906 1,743 790 4,269 1,209 602 –
345,264 14,724 170,441 123,894 196,914 71,073 98,308 400,942 283,684 80,420 469,756 2,137
2,257,557
–
–		 1,831,958
–
90,248 – 29,256 59,736 53,905 18,940 38,892 89,604 59,522 29,653 (469,756)
435,512 14,724 199,697 183,630 250,819 90,013 137,200 490,546 343,206 110,073 – 2,137
2,257,557		 1,831,958
367,204 22,804 234,815 123,310 184,334 82,860 82,009 447,017 238,583 49,020 – –

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

39 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Cost of raising funds Charitable activities Other expenditure

6b. Analysis of expenditure (prior year)

----- Start of picture text -----
Investment Improving Alcohol Support and
Donations management Policy and Information Behaviour alcohol in the governance 2023
and legacies costs Research Engagement influencing Culture shift and advice change treatment workplace costs Total
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Staff costs (note 10) 185,001 962 108,276 72,372 119,839 56,443 50,956 146,374 80,481 24,789 144,800 990,293
Other staff costs 1,495 – 418 400 – – – 617 – – 45,128 48,058
Board and committees – – – – – – – – – – 1,261 1,261
Buildings and office
running costs 9,984 – 2,636 4,536 10,338 63 584 9,830 1,993 1,689 94,092 135,745
Conferences and events – – 610 56 3,071 326 – 73 1,943 1,999 – 8,078
Amortisation
& Depreciation – – – – – – – 69,081 – – 34,721 103,802
External associates
and advice 265 213 565 – 427 317 – – 111,605 7,766 610 121,768
Fundraising expenses 36,967 – 281 5,654 188 139 150 – 348 – 68 43,795
Grants payable (note 8b) – – (2,000) – – – – – – – – (2,000)
Insurance – – – – – – – – – – 6,614 6,614
Investment costs – 18,441 – – – – – – – – (4,000) 14,441
Legal and
professional fees – 3,188 – – – – – 186 – – 19,531 22,905
Meeting costs 80 – 338 – 724 180 – 75 – – 4,973 6,371
Other costs 19,760 – 882 117 12,728 34 62 248 93 (198) 11,238 44,964
Publications,
communications
and marketing 30,321 – 3,652 6,626 3,854 6,232 6,448 106,982 6,407 3,235 1,985 175,742
Research, policy and
campaigns costs – – 88,641 – 1,567 1,163 – 18,749 – – – 110,120
283,873 22,804 204,300 89,761 152,736 64,897 58,201 352,215 202,870 39,280 361,021 1,831,958
Support and governance 83,331 – 30,516 33,549 31,598 17,963 23,809 94,802 35,713 9,740 (361,021) –
costs (note 7a)
Total expenditure 2023 367,204 22,804 234,815 123,310 184,334 82,860 82,009 447,017 238,583 49,020 – 1,831,958
----- End of picture text -----

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

40 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Cost of raising funds Charitable activities

Finance
Office and general
management
IT, internet and telephones
HR and other professional fees
Buildings and premises
Support costs
Audit fees
Insurance
Legal advice
Board and committee meetings
Constitutional and
statutory needs
Strategic management
Governance costs
Total expenditure 2024
Total expenditure 2023		 Donations
and legacies
£		 Research
£		 Engagement
£		 Policy and
influencing
£		 Culture shift
£		 Information
and advice
£		 Behaviour
change
£		 Improving
alcohol
treatment
£		 Alcohol
in the
workplace
£
2024
Total
£		 2023
Total
£
18,916 5,576 12,521 10,881 3,657 8,152 18,781 12,476 6,215
97,175
3,685
59,410
2,131
35,293
7,084
110,334
4,419
71,602		 85,311
32,396
76,650
41,135
61,817
11,215 4,083 7,423 7,034 2,605 4,833 11,135 7,397
6,487 2,764 4,293 4,371 1,734 2,795 6,440 4,278
21,559 6,174 14,270 12,266 4,066 9,291 21,405 14,219
13,450 5,049 8,903 8,550 3,210 5,796 13,354 8,871
71,627 23,646 47,410 43,102 15,272 30,867 71,115 47,241 23,534
373,814
676
10,244
308
4,668
1,137
17,225
104
1,573
202
3,062
3,692
59,170		 297,310
9,373
3,175
6,365
1,389
1,969
41,440
2,057 465 1,362 1,078 319 887 2,043 1,357
938 212 621 491 145 404 931 618
3,460 783 2,290 1,812 535 1,491 3,435 2,282
316 71 209 166 49 136 314 208
615 139 407 322 95 265 611 406
11,235 3,940 7,437 6,934 2,525 4,842 11,155 7,410
18,621 5,610 12,326 10,803 3,668 8,025 18,489 12,281 6,119
95,942		 63,712
29,653
469,756		 361,021
90,248 29,256 59,736 53,905 18,940 38,892 89,604 59,522
9,740
83,331 30,516 33,549 31,598 17,963 23,809 94,802 35,713

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

41 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Cost of raising funds Charitable activities

7b. Analysis of support and governance costs (prior year)

Finance
Office and general
management
IT, internet and telephones
HR and other professional fees
Buildings and premises
Support costs
Audit fees
Insurance
Legal advice
Board and committee meetings
Constitutional and
statutory needs
Strategic management
Governance costs
Total expenditure 2023		 Donations and
legacies
£		 Research
£		 Engagement
£		 Policy and
influencing
£		 Culture shift
£		 Information
and advice
£		 Behaviour
change
£		 Improving
alcohol
treatment
£		 Alcohol in the
workplace
£
2023
Total
£
20,146 6,527 8,111 6,997 3,866 5,756 22,919 8,634 2,355
85,311
831
32,396
2,105
76,650
1,090
41,135
1,625
61,817
7,108 3,295 2,862 3,218 1,920 2,031 8,086 3,046
18,012 5,999 7,251 6,379 3,548 5,146 20,491 7,719
9,325 3,732 3,754 3,776 2,188 2,664 10,609 3,996
13,905 5,772 5,598 5,787 3,379 3,973 15,819 5,959
68,496 25,325 27,576 26,156 14,901 19,570 77,925 29,355 8,006
297,310
268
9,373
91
3,175
182
6,365
40
1,389
56
1,969
1,097
41,440
2,294 596 924 685 358 655 2,610 983
777 202 313 232 121 222 884 333
1,558 405 627 465 243 445 1,772 668
340 88 137 102 53 97 387 146
482 125 194 144 75 138 548 207
9,384 3,775 3,778 3,814 2,213 2,681 10,676 4,022
14,835 5,191 5,973 5,443 3,062 4,239 16,878 6,358 1,734
63,712
9,740
361,021
83,331 30,516 33,549 31,598 17,963 23,809 94,802 35,713

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

42 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

8a. Grant making (current year)
At the start of the year
Awarded in year
Paid in the year
Grants cancelled
At the end of the year
Falling due within one year
Reconciliation of expenditure:
Awarded in year
Grants cancelled
Grants refunded
At the end of the year		 Small grants
£		 Research and
development grants
£		 Studentship
grants
£		 2024
£		 2023
£
–
79,847
–
79,847
192,666
–
–
–
–
–
–
(16,203)
–
(16,203)
(112,819)
–
–
–
–
–
–
63,644
–
63,644
79,847
–
63,644
–
63,644
79,847
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

8b. Grant making (prior year)

. Grant making (prior year)

At the start of the year
Awarded in year
Paid in the year
Grants cancelled
At the end of the year
Falling due within one year
Reconciliation of expenditure:
Awarded in year
Grants cancelled
Grants refunded
At the end of the year		 Small grants
£
Research and
development grants
£
Studentship
grants
£
2023
£
–
192,666
–
192,666
–
–
–
–
–
(112,819)
–
(112,819)
–
–
–
–
–
79,847
–
79,847
–
79,847
–
79,847
–
–
1,000
1,000
–
–
–
–
–
(3,000)
–
(3,000)
–
(3,000)
1,000
(2,000)

Full details of grants paid during the year and outstanding at the year end are listed in Appendix 1 to the Financial Statements.

Grants to individuals (studentship grants)

The grants covered course fees and, in some instances, included maintenance and other allowances on an agreed scale.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

43 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

9. Net income/(expenditure) for the year

This is stated after changing/(crediting):

Depreciation
Amortisation
Profit/(loss) on disposal of fixed assets
Operating lease rentals payable
Operating lease rentals receivable
Auditor’s remuneration (excluding VAT)
Audit
Other services
Analysis of staff costs, board of trustees’ remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel
Staff costs were as follows:
Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Employer’s contribution to defined contribution pension schemes
The following number of employees received employee benefits (excluding employer’s NIC and pension costs) during the year between:
£90,000 – £99,999
£60,000 – £69,999		 2024
£		 2023
£
32,071
34,721
71,998
69,081
–
–
3,079
2,761
(39,375)
(31,752)
8,000
9,093
1,200
280
2024
£
2023
£
1,128,389
853,126
117,779
89,916
82,769
47,251
1,328,937
990,293
2024
No.
2023
No.
1
1
2
–

10. Analysis of staff costs, board of trustees’ remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel

During the year, the charity’s key management personnel comprised of the chief executive officer, directors and department heads. The total employee benefits (including employer pension contributions and employer national insurance) of the key management personnel from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 were £544,584 (2023: £387,822).

There were no termination payments made in either 2024 or 2023 and none were outstanding at the current and previous year end. Termination costs are recognised in full as an expense on the statement of financial activities.

Trustees received reimbursed travel expenses of £1,398 (2023: £396).

Grant funding received for projects in which trustees or directors are involved is disclosed in Note 12 (Related Party Transactions).

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

44 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

11. Staff numbers

The average number of employees (head count based on number of staff employed) during the year was 26 (2023: 21).

The average monthly number of full-time equivalent employees (including part-time staff) during the year was:

Raising funds
Research
Engagement
Policy and influencing
Culture shift
Information and advice
Behaviour change
Improving alcohol treatment
Alcohol in the workplace
Marketing and communication
Support functions, management and governance		 2024
FTE		 2023
FTE
4.1
3.3
1.6
1.8
1.8
1.3
2.5
1.8
1.0
0.9
1.2
0.8
3.5
3.3
2.6
1.7
1.3
0.5
1.8
2.0
3.6
2.5
25.0
19.9

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

45 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

12 Related party transactions (current year)

There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.

Of the grants paid during the year, the following trustees, directors and/or associates have been involved in projects and, during the course of the project, they or their unit have received funding from the institution to which the grant was made. The details are as follows:

AdFam – Support and development work of the Alcohol and Family Alliance:
Vivienne Evans, is a Trustee at Alcohol Change UK and CEO at AdFam
Paid in year
Outstanding at year-end
The following payments have been made, all at arms’ length, to persons related to employees:
Paid in year
Short Term Office Support Assistant, for period 1 August to 12 August 2022, a now ex-employee (related to the CEO)
Short Term Data analysis and reporting work, for period 2 August to 26 August 2022, a now ex-contractor (related to the ex-Director of
Communications and Marketing)
Outstanding at year-end
Short Term Office Support Assistant, for period 1 August to 12 August 2022, a now ex-employee (related to the CEO)
Short Term Data Analysis and reporting work, for period 2 August to 26 August 2022, a now ex-contractor (related to the ex-Director of
Communications and Marketing)
The following value of leaving gifts been made, all at arms’ length, to Trustees on their leaving the Charity:
Paid in year
Outstanding at year-end
13
Taxation		 2024
£
2023
£
–
10,000
–
–
–
872
–
265
–
1,137
–
–
–
–
–
–
99
83
–
–

The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

46 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

14. Tangible fixed assets

Cost
At the start of the year
Additions in year
Disposals in year
Impairment
At the end of the year
Depreciation
At the start of the year
Disposals in year
Charge for the year
At the end of the year
Net book value
At the end of the year
At the start of the year		 Freehold land
£		 Leasehold
property
£		 Furniture &
fixtures
£		 Office
equipment
£		 Software
£		 Total
£
39,500
1,244,556
27,546
40,889
11,954
1,364,445
–
–
–
13,159
–
13,159
–
–
–
(5,023)
–
(5,023)
–
(2,137)
–
–
–
(2,137)
39,500
1,242,419
27,546
49,025
11,954
1,370,444
–
193,445
27,546
32,074
11,551
264,616
–
–
–
(5,023)
–
(5,023)
–
23,889
–
7,779
403
32,071
–
217,334
27,546
34,830
11,954
291,664
39,500
1,025,085
–
14,195
–
1,078,780
39,500
1,051,111
–
8,815
403
1,099,829
ixed assets (part freehold land, part leasehold property) and part investment property (see note 17). The purchase price was attributed between
value at date of purchase. A full professional valuation of the leasehold property and investment property at 31 March 2024 was undertaken by
y was valued subject to the continuance of the existing sub-lease dated from 7 November 2022 for a period of 5 years until 6 November 2027.
nton Street, London, and the freehold land (comprising an outdoor courtyard leading off the basement) of the head office at Swinton Street, London.

The charity’s head office at Swinton Street, London, comprises tangible fixed assets (part freehold land, part leasehold property) and part investment property (see note 17). The purchase price was attributed between tangible fixed assets and investment property in proportion with the fair value at date of purchase. A full professional valuation of the leasehold property and investment property at 31 March 2024 was undertaken by Aspect Surveyors Limited, 4 Kings Road, London, WC1X 9QA. The property was valued subject to the continuance of the existing sub-lease dated from 7 November 2022 for a period of 5 years until 6 November 2027.

The existing sub-lease comprises the basement of the head office at Swinton Street, London, and the freehold land (comprising an outdoor courtyard leading off the basement) of the head office at Swinton Street, London. All of the above assets are used for charitable purposes.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

47 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Listed investments
Investments are included at their market value.
Fair value at the start of the year
Additions at cost
Disposal proceeds
Net (loss)/gain on change in fair value
Historic cost
Investments comprise:
Managed Fund
COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund Income – 3,079,121.57 Units
Intangible fixed assets
Cost
At the start of the year
Additions in year
At the end of the year
Amortisation
At the start of the year
Charge for the year
At the end of the year
Net book value
At the end of the year
At the start of the year		 2024
£
2023
£
345,404
242,680
59,625
102,724
405,029
345,404
181,289
112,208
71,998
69,081
253,287
181,289
151,742
164,115
164,115
130,472		 2024
£
2023
£
345,404
242,680
59,625
102,724
405,029
345,404
181,289
112,208
71,998
69,081
253,287
181,289
151,742
164,115
164,115
130,472
2024
£
2023
£
8,684,354
10,522,409
–
9,826,711
–
(11,283,699)
853,225
(381,067)
9,537,579
8,684,354
8,838,376 8,838,376
2024
£		 2023
£
9,537,579 8,684,354

15. Intangible fixed assets

16. Listed investments

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

48 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Investment property
Fair value at the start of the year
Revaluation during the year
Fair value at the end of the year		 2024
£		 2023
£
605,625
(130,711)		 510,000
95,625
474,914 605,625
ty. The purchase price was attributed between
roperty at 31 March 2024 was undertaken
for a period of 5 years until 6 November 2027.
ent) of the head office at Swinton Street, London.

17. Investment property

The charity’s head office at Swinton Street, London, comprises tangible fixed assets (part freehold land, part leasehold property - see note 14) and part investment property. The purchase price was attributed between tangible fixed assets and investment property in proportion with the fair value at date of purchase. A full professional valuation of the leasehold property and investment property at 31 March 2024 was undertaken by Aspect Surveyors Limited, 4 Kings Road, London, WC1X 9QA. The property was valued subject to the continuance of the existing sub-lease dated from 7 November 2022 for a period of 5 years until 6 November 2027. The existing sub-lease comprises the basement of the head office at Swinton Street, London, and the freehold land (comprising an outdoor courtyard leading off the basement) of the head office at Swinton Street, London.

18. Debtors
Equity interest and dividends declared but not yet received
Trade debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Deferred income
Accruals
Grants payable (Note 8)
Movements in deferred income:
At the start of the year
Deferred during the year
Released during the year
At the end of the year		 2024
£		 2023
£
69,755
70,470
214,261
209,935
213
1,130
84,313
68,880
368,543
350,415
2024
£		 2023
£
47,491
83,799
64,446
66,953
10,745
5,737
152,979
253,811
45,492
35,320
63,645
79,847
384,798
525,467
2024
£
2023
£
253,811
85,905
152,979
253,811
(253,811)
(85,905)
152,979
253,811

19. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Deferred income relates to training and consultancy fees received in advance of delivery of the services.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

49 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

20a. Movements in funds (current year)

Restricted funds:
Welsh Government
Welsh Government (BL Work in Wrexham and Flintshire)
Total restricted funds
General funds
Total funds		 At 1 April 2023
£		 Income
£		 Expenditure
£		 Gain/(Losses)
£		 At 31 March 2024
£
–
150,936
(150,936)
–
–
1,200
–
–
–
1,200
1,200
150,936
(150,936)
_
1,200
11,723,852
1,271,241
(2,106,621)
722,514
11,610,986
11,725,052
1,422,177
(2,257,557)
722,514
11,612,186

20b. Movements in funds (prior year)
Restricted funds:
Welsh Government
Welsh Government (BL Work in Wrexham and Flintshire)
Total restricted funds
General funds
Total funds		 At 1 April 2022
£		 Income
£		 Expenditure
£		 Gain/(Losses)
£		 At 31 March 2023
£
–
150,936
(150,936)
–
–
1,200
–
–
–
1,200
1,200
150,936
(150,936)
–
1,200
12,613,588
1,076,728
(1,681,022)
(285,442)
11,723,852
12,614,788
1,227,664
(1,831,958)
(285,442)
11,725,052

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

50 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

20c. Purposes of restricted funds

Restricted funds comprise income which the charity can only use in accordance with terms set out in a written agreement with the original donor or funder. Projects which received funding in this way in 2023-24 are shown below:

The Welsh Government grant was to support the training and consultancy project to help services in two Welsh local authority areas to work more effectively with vulnerable alcoholdependent drinkers.

The Welsh Government grant is supporting delivery of the ‘Working Together to Reduce Harm, Substance Misuse Delivery Plan’, including raising awareness of alcohol misuse issues across Wales and campaigning for an effective alcohol policy and improved services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol-related problems.

At 31 March 2024, the charity had the following annual commitments under non-cancellable operating leases:

mmitments
arity had the following annual commitments under non-cancellable		 mmitments
arity had the following annual commitments under non-cancellable		 mmitments
arity had the following annual commitments under non-cancellable		 mmitments
arity had the following annual commitments under non-cancellable
Less than one year
One to five years
Over five years		 Office equipment
2024
£
2023
£		 Property
2024
£
2023
£
629
2,518
118		 629
2,518
747		 2,450
41
–		 2,450
2,501
–
3,265 3,894 2,491 4,951

22. Operating lease commitments receivable as a lessor

Amounts receivable under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows for each of the following periods (exclusive of VAT):

a lessor
ses are as follows for each of the
Less than one year
One to five years		 Property
2024
£
2023
£
39,989
103,849		 38,660
152,089
143,838
190,749

The original tenancy agreement for the basement at 27 Swinton Street, London, was for a five-year period, starting from 11 August 2017. The charity was entitled to a fixed annual rental of £44,000 and reimbursement of service charges incurred for the year, which were variable. The original tenants vacated the property on 6 April 2022, therefore there were no service charges received for the period 7 April 2022 - 10 August 2022.

A new tenancy agreement for the basement at 27 Swinton Street, London, was agreed for a five-year period commencing from 7 November 2022 and new tenants commenced from that date. The charity is entitled to an initial annual rental of £38,000 which increases annually each 7 November by the lower of inflation or 5%. From 7 November 2022 rent therefore increased to £39,900 per annum. The charity is also entitled to reimbursement of service charges incurred for the year, which are variable. Service charges received for the year to 31 March 2024 were £9,706 (7 November 2022 - 31 March 2023: £4,874).

An agreement for rental of desks on the ground floor at 27 Swinton Street, London, for a 15 month period commenced on 20 February 2023. The charity is entitled to a fixed annual rental of £660.

23. Legal status of the charity

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1.

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

51 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

24a. Analysis of net assets between funds (current year)
een funds (current year)
Tangible fixed assets
Intangible fixed assets
Investment properties
Investments
Net current assets
Net assets at 31 March 2024		 Restricted
£		 General
unrestricted
£		 Total funds
£
–
–
–
–
1,200		 1,078,780
151,742
474,914
9,537,579
367,971		 1,078,780
151,742
474,914
9,537,579
369,171
1,200
11,610,986
11,612,186

24b. Analysis of net assets between funds (prior year)

een funds (prior year) een funds (prior year) een funds (prior year)
Tangible fixed assets
Intangible fixed assets
Investment properties
Investments
Net current assets
Net assets at 31 March 2023		 Restricted
£		 General
unrestricted
£		 Total funds
(Re-stated)
£
–
–
–
–
1,200		 1,099,829
164,115
605,625
8,684,354
1,169,929		 1,099,829
164,115
605,625
8,684,354
1,171,129
1,200
11,723,852
11,725,052

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

52 | Notes to the accounts

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Appendix 1: Grant commitments

Research and Development Grants

Research and Development Grants
Grant Recipient
University of Glasgow
Manchester Metropolitan University
Sheffield Hallam University
Swansea University
University of Liverpool
Total Research and Development
Grants		 Grant Ref
2017 RI/100040
2020 NH/16
2020 NH/20
2020 NH/26
2020 NH/31		 At 1 April
2023
£
12,371
16,203
12,115
16,250
22,908		 Awarded in
year
£
–
–
–
–
–		 De-committed
in the year
£
–
–
–
–
–		 Payment
made
£
–
(16,203)
–
–
–		 At 31 March
2024
£
12,371
–
12,115
16,250
22,908
79,847
–
–
(16,203)
63,644

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

53 | Officers and contacts

Alcohol Change UK is the operating name of Alcohol Research UK . Its principal governing document is its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Alcohol Research UK merged with and incorporated the assets of Alcohol Concern, which had the Charity Commission number 291705, on 31 March 2017, and which was removed from the Charity Commission register on 23 January 2018.

Registered office and operational address: 27 Swinton Street, London, WC1X 9NW Company no. 07462605 (England and Wales) Charity no. 1140287

Board of Trustees 1 April 2023 to 21 October 2024. ( Italics = left Board during the period, bold = joined Board during the period).

Prof Isabelle Szmigin Vivienne Evans Dr Emmert Roberts Fiona Cumberland Mike Bellamy Dr Emily Finch Hannah Grummett Mick Urwin Helen Chang from 30 October 2023 Herdeep Dosanjh from 30 October 2023 Jeremy Joseph from 30 October 2023 Raveena Dhadwal from 30 October 2023 Emma Greenwood from 8 July 2024 Jon Spain from 21 October 2024 Adam Uttley to 25 May 2024 Prof Antony Moss to 25 September 2023

Chair of Board of Trustees

Vice-Chair and Chair of Governance and People (GP) sub-committee Chair of Research and Policy (RP) sub-committee

Chair of Income and Impact Development sub-committee

Member of FAIR, GP and IID sub-committees

Member of RP sub-committee, Member of Strategy Working Group Member of FAIR and RP sub-committees

Member of GP, IID and RP sub-committees, Member of Strategy Working Group

Member of IID sub-committee Member of FAIR sub-committee Member of RP sub-committee Member of GP sub-committee Member of RP sub-committee Chair of FAIR sub-committee

Treasurer, Chair of Finance, Audit, Investment and Risk (FAIR) sub-committee to 25 March 2024 Member of IID sub-committee to 25 September 2023

Executive team (ET) from 1 April 2023 to 21 October 2024. ( italics = left ET during the period, bold = joined ET during the period).

Dr Richard Piper Chief Executive Officer Andrew Misell Director, Wales Office Danielle Houliston Executive Director of Fundraising and Engagement Jenni G Bradshaw Head of Office, People and Governance Sonali Xavier Head of Finance Joe Marley Ash Singleton Director of Research and Public Affairs (maternity cover),

Director of Marketing and Communications, from 4 September 2023 Director of Research and Public Affairs (maternity cover), from 30 July 2024

Ailar Hashemzadeh

Director of Research and Public Affairs, to 17 July 2024 (maternity leave)

Lord Clive Brooke of Alvethorpes

Patron

Catherine Gray, Caggie Dunlop, Millie Gooch, Dave Wilson, Fraser Franks, Jay Motty, Jasmin Spark, Fiyaz Mughal, Adrian Chiles, Daniel James Henry, Michael Sargood, Michael Singh, Mandy Manners, Issy Hawkins, Scott Pearson and Lauren White

Ambassadors

Haines Watts, Old Station House, Station Approach, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 3DU

Auditor

CAF Bank Ltd, King’s Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4TA

Bankers

CCLA, One Angel Lane, London EC4R 3AB

Investment managers

Bates Wells London LLP 2-6 Cannon Street, London, EC4M 6YH

Solicitors

Alcohol Change UK | Annual Report 2023-24

improve the health and happiness of

Alcohol harm is destroying millions of lives. But change is possible. Let’s create that change.

Alcohol Change UK, 27 Swinton Street, London WC1X 9NW 020 3907 8480, contact@alcoholchange.org.uk, www.alcoholchange.org.uk

Alcohol Change UK is the operating name of Alcohol Research UK. Registered office 27 Swinton Street, London WC1X 9NW. Registered charity number 1140287. Company limited by guarantee in England and Wales number 07462605.